Programs & majors brief

Ohio State University-Main Campus Majors & Programs

Updated

Which majors earn the most at Ohio State?

Azimuth ranks 86 bachelor's programs at Ohio State University-Main Campus, spanning fields from engineering to education. The highest-earning program is Computer Engineering, where completers earn a median of $123,731 four years after completion, with 404 degrees awarded and a national rank of #21.

Among the largest programs, Finance leads with 813 degrees awarded and median earnings of $97,986, ranking #25 nationally. Communication and Media Studies follows with 489 degrees awarded and median earnings of $62,096, ranking #49.

In contrast, Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services reports median earnings of $73,594 on 416 degrees awarded, illustrating the spread between higher- and moderate-earning fields.

Major mix · each dot ≈ 1% of completions

Share of reported completions in the bachelor’s programs included here. Each dot represents approximately 1% of those completions. Counts are credentials, not unique students; excluded programs are not zero activity.

  • Business2,282 · 19.1%
  • Engineering1,712 · 14.3%
  • Health professions1,211 · 10.1%
  • Social sciences1,100 · 9.2%
  • Biological sciences983 · 8.2%
  • Other4,650 · 39.0%

108 of 108 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs
Computer Engineering 404 degrees awarded
$123,731
Applied Mathematics 91 degrees awarded
$120,495
Computer and Information Sciences, General 104 degrees awarded
$118,833
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods 72 degrees awarded
$111,500
Management Information Systems and Services 72 degrees awarded
$110,192
Industrial Engineering 156 degrees awarded
$106,932

Each bar is a field’s median. Program size counts degrees awarded, not unique people or the earnings sample.

Compare all matching programs
Reported bachelor’s programs · earnings, program size and field ranks
ProgramDegrees awarded4-yr earningsField rank
Computer Engineering404$123,731#21
Applied Mathematics91$120,495#7
Computer and Information Sciences, General104$118,833#30
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods72$111,500#15
Management Information Systems and Services72$110,192#8
Industrial Engineering156$106,932#12
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering200$99,400#56
Chemical Engineering186$98,851#40
Finance and Financial Management Services813$97,986#25
Engineering, Other43$97,144#6
Business/Managerial Economics108$96,843#7
Mechanical Engineering211$96,418#55
Physics65$94,543#10
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering75$92,999#39
Real Estate50$91,213#7
Engineering Physics35$90,938—
Accounting and Related Services369$90,850#46
Biomedical/Medical Engineering79$90,065#66
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other72$88,205—
Materials Engineering58$86,084#19
Business Administration, Management and Operations242$85,586#47
Civil Engineering136$85,202#86
Human Resources Management and Services52$82,371#13
Agricultural Engineering96$81,917#15
Mathematics213$81,909#46
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing280$81,795#195
International Business42$81,473#24
Marketing405$81,119#36
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering33$80,775#18
Health and Medical Administrative Services25$80,315#11
Air Transportation69$79,114#17
Economics306$75,485#110
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions20$74,601#35
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services416$73,594—
Chemistry52$71,559#53
Food Science and Technology20$70,537#19
Public Health112$70,369#20
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions83$68,942#40
Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count12$68,688—
Neurobiology and Neurosciences260$68,480#12
Design and Applied Arts42$68,151#21
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology97$67,381#33
Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies64$67,018#3
Agricultural Business and Management72$66,603#31
Apparel and Textiles91$66,256#5
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology57$66,222#18
Architecture75$66,131#28
International Relations and National Security Studies144$66,064#34
Political Science and Government267$65,972#81
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions40$65,920#25
Public Policy Analysis32$65,894#15
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration117$65,407#9
Biology, General429$64,324#73
Genetics56$63,767#4
Communication and Media Studies489$62,096#49
Public Administration95$60,678#16
Geography and Cartography57$60,363#31
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other small degree count10$59,072—
Criminology143$58,865#13
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services small degree count12$58,821—
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics74$58,235#44
Natural Resources Conservation and Research170$58,119#50
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services82$57,859#15
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services106$57,797#70
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning45$57,573#10
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness174$57,541#74
Plant Sciences25$56,812#19
Philosophy25$55,823#38
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other21$54,860#4
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities small degree count12$54,529—
Psychology, General74$54,182#154
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences28$53,381#76
Hospitality Administration/Management49$53,039#59
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy68$52,528#8
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas212$52,459#55
Music38$51,310#38
Journalism28$51,280#86
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services123$50,921#35
Animal Sciences148$50,769#27
Social Work143$50,596#107
Film/Video and Photographic Arts48$50,565#24
Sociology82$50,457#155
Special Education and Teaching33$50,194#57
Anthropology73$50,055#37
History112$49,986#134
English Language and Literature, General138$48,301#137
Fine and Studio Arts85$46,899#57
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics52$46,527#13
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods89$45,969#175
Zoology/Animal Biology84$45,501#10
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services42$44,941#43
Educational Administration and Supervision67$42,187#3
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies29$40,713#69
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft small degree count19$37,445—
Agricultural and Food Products Processing small degree count10Too few graduates to report—
Agricultural Public Services small degree count7Too few graduates to report—
Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count12Too few graduates to report—
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count10Too few graduates to report—
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count8Too few graduates to report—
Statistics51Too few graduates to report—
Sustainability Studies small degree count19Too few graduates to report—
Religion/Religious Studies small degree count5Too few graduates to report—
Astronomy and Astrophysics31Too few graduates to report—
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology small degree count14Too few graduates to report—
Research and Experimental Psychology593Too few graduates to report—
Social Sciences, General28Too few graduates to report—
Dance small degree count18Too few graduates to report—
Insurance small degree count8Too few graduates to report—

Program data and definitions · How to evaluate program rankings

What are the largest programs at Ohio State?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded
Finance and Financial Management Services
813
Research and Experimental Psychology
593
Communication and Media Studies
489
Biology, General
429
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
416
Marketing
405
Computer Engineering
404
Accounting and Related Services
369
Economics
306
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
280

Counts describe degrees awarded in the reporting period, not current enrollment. Program data and definitions

How do Ohio State majors rank nationally?

National program rankings

  1. Educational Administration and Supervision#3
  2. Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies#3
  3. Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other#4
  4. Genetics#4
  5. Apparel and Textiles#5
  6. Engineering, Other#6
  7. Applied Mathematics#7
  8. Business/Managerial Economics#7
  9. Real Estate#7
  10. Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy#8
  11. Management Information Systems and Services#8
  12. Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration#9
  13. City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning#10
  14. Zoology/Animal Biology#10
  15. Physics#10
  16. Health and Medical Administrative Services#11
  17. Industrial Engineering#12
  18. Neurobiology and Neurosciences#12
  19. East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics#13
  20. Criminology#13
  21. Human Resources Management and Services#13
  22. Agricultural Engineering#15
  23. Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services#15
  24. Public Policy Analysis#15
  25. Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods#15
  26. Public Administration#16
  27. Air Transportation#17
  28. Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering#18
  29. Microbiological Sciences and Immunology#18
  30. Food Science and Technology#19
  31. Plant Sciences#19
  32. Materials Engineering#19
  33. Public Health#20
  34. Computer Engineering#21
  35. Design and Applied Arts#21
  36. Film/Video and Photographic Arts#24
  37. International Business#24
  38. Dental Support Services and Allied Professions#25
  39. Finance and Financial Management Services#25
  40. Animal Sciences#27
  41. Architecture#28
  42. Computer and Information Sciences, General#30
  43. Agricultural Business and Management#31
  44. Geography and Cartography#31
  45. Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology#33
  46. International Relations and National Security Studies#34
  47. Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services#35
  48. Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions#35
  49. Marketing#36
  50. Anthropology#37
  51. Philosophy#38
  52. Music#38
  53. Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering#39
  54. Chemical Engineering#40
  55. Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions#40
  56. Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services#43
  57. Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics#44
  58. Mathematics#46
  59. Accounting and Related Services#46
  60. Business Administration, Management and Operations#47
  61. Communication and Media Studies#49
  62. Natural Resources Conservation and Research#50

Programs ranked in the national top 50, supplemented by the largest ranked programs when needed to show ten. Fewer appear when fewer ranks are reported. Each rank compares bachelor’s programs in the same field; field sizes differ.

How Azimuth compares programs across colleges

Further analysis

At Ohio State University-Main Campus, 86 programs are ranked, with earnings data published for 94 fields of study. Award counts here are degrees conferred in one academic year, and program earnings cover federally aided completers.

The degree mix is led by Business, which accounts for 19.1% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Engineering at 14.3% and Health Professions at 10.1%. The largest single program, Finance, awards 813 degrees a year and ranks #25 nationally within its field, with a median of $97,986 four years after completion.

The highest earnings come from Computer Engineering, where completers earn $123,731 four years after completion and the program ranks #21 nationally. Health and Medical Administrative Services ranks #11 in its field and posts earnings of $80,315, or 1.37x the national median for the field.

Data & methodology

Sources and reporting periods: methodology.

Analysis and methodology by Daniel Rogers, founder of College Azimuth.

Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source.

Figure notes link to sources and limitations. About College Azimuth.