1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [Pepperdine University](/school/pepperdine-university/) 4. / 5. Programs & majors brief Programs & majors brief Copy linkPrint brief # Pepperdine University Majors & Programs Updated September 30, 2026 [Overview](/school/pepperdine-university/)[Cost & aid](/school/pepperdine-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/pepperdine-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/pepperdine-university/admissions/)Majors[Similar schools](/school/pepperdine-university/similar/) **On this page**+ ## Which majors earn the most at Pepperdine University? Pepperdine University awards bachelor's degrees across 11 fields with published four-year earnings. The highest-earning program, Economics, shows a median of $104,943 four years after completion, alongside 51 degrees awarded. International Business follows at $100,595 with 24 degrees awarded, and Business Administration and Management—the largest program by degrees awarded at 218—reaches $91,227. Kinesiology and Physical Education reports a median of $65,100 on 64 degrees awarded. Psychology reaches $61,353 with 77 degrees awarded. These figures sit below the university's overall median four years after completion, reflecting the spread between higher-earning business and economics fields and the moderate-earning social and health sciences. ### 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. - Business**265 · 29.7%** - Communication**155 · 17.4%** - Social sciences**97 · 10.9%** - Psychology**77 · 8.6%** - Parks and recreation**64 · 7.2%** - Other**235 · 26.3%** Find a field Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name 30 of 30 programs shown Four-year earnings · first six matching programs **Economics 51 degrees awarded** $104,943 **International Business 24 degrees awarded** $100,595 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 218 degrees awarded** $91,227 **Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication 127 degrees awarded** $81,417 **Political Science and Government 34 degrees awarded** $75,954 **Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness 64 degrees awarded** $65,100 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 | Program | Degrees awarded | 4-yr earnings | Field rank | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Economics | 51 | $104,943 | — | | International Business | 24 | $100,595 | — | | Business Administration, Management and Operations | 218 | $91,227 | — | | Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 127 | $81,417 | — | | Political Science and Government | 34 | $75,954 | — | | Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 64 | $65,100 | — | | International/Globalization Studies | 21 | $62,495 | — | | Psychology, General | 77 | $61,353 | — | | Journalism small degree count | 10 | $58,801 | — | | Radio, Television, and Digital Communication small degree count | 6 | $55,432 | — | | Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft small degree count | 7 | $50,594 | — | | Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies small degree count | 5 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Communication and Media Studies small degree count | 12 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies small degree count | 10 | Too few graduates to report | — | | English Language and Literature, General small degree count | 6 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities small degree count | 12 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Biology, General | 63 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Mathematics small degree count | 16 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Mathematics and Computer Science small degree count | 15 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Nutrition Sciences small degree count | 9 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Philosophy small degree count | 13 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Physics small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Sociology small degree count | 12 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Fine and Studio Arts small degree count | 17 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management small degree count | 11 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Film/Video and Photographic Arts small degree count | 8 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Music small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Accounting and Related Services small degree count | 15 | Too few graduates to report | — | | Finance and Financial Management Services small degree count | 8 | Too few graduates to report | — | | History small degree count | 8 | Too few graduates to report | — | [Program data and definitions](#page-sources) · [How to evaluate program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) ## What are the largest programs at Pepperdine University? Ten largest programs by degrees awarded **Business Administration, Management and Operations** 218 **Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication** 127 **Psychology, General** 77 **Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness** 64 **Biology, General** 63 **Economics** 51 **Political Science and Government** 34 **International Business** 24 **International/Globalization Studies** 21 **Fine and Studio Arts** 17 Counts describe degrees awarded in the reporting period, not current enrollment. [Program data and definitions](#page-sources) ## How do Pepperdine University majors rank nationally? National program ranks are not reported for this school. [How Azimuth compares programs across colleges](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) ## Further analysis Outcomes at Pepperdine University vary sharply by field, and [Azimuth's program ranking](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)s evaluate four-year earnings among federally aided completers, median debt, and cohort size rather than reputation. Of the 11 programs with published earnings data, the three largest families by degrees awarded are Business, Communication & Journalism, and Social Sciences. Business accounts for 29.7% of bachelor's degrees, followed by Communication & Journalism at 17.4% and Social Sciences at 10.9%. The largest single program is Business Administration and Management, which awarded 218 degrees in one academic year and shows median earnings of $91,227 four years after completion. The highest-earning program is Economics, at $104,943, from a smaller cohort of 51 degrees awarded. Award counts are degrees conferred in a single year, not distinct students, and program earnings cover federally aided completers. The spread between the largest and best-paid programs is a reminder that field of study coincides with outcomes as much as the institution itself. ## Data & methodology Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/). Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), 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](/about/).