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Programs & majors brief

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# Salem State University Majors & Programs

Updated September 30, 2026

[Overview](/school/salem-state-university/)[Cost & aid](/school/salem-state-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/salem-state-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/salem-state-university/admissions/)Majors[Similar schools](/school/salem-state-university/similar/)

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at Salem State University?

Program earnings at Salem State University range across social science and health-related fields four years after completion. Geography and Cartography reports median earnings of $58,593 and 27 degrees awarded.

[Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #34 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Social Work recorded $60,026 with 48 degrees awarded; Azimuth places it #27 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field.

Criminal Justice had median earnings of $59,774 across 81 degrees awarded and holds an Azimuth rank of #46 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Health and Medical Administrative Services recorded $55,323 and 38 degrees awarded, ranking #56 nationally by Azimuth among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. The figures show distinct earnings levels across these 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.

-   Business**235 · 18.4%**
-   Health professions**233 · 18.2%**
-   Psychology**155 · 12.1%**
-   Education**91 · 7.1%**
-   Homeland security**91 · 7.1%**
-   Other**475 · 37.1%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

42 of 42 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs

**Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 155 degrees awarded**
$95,550

**Computer and Information Sciences, General 39 degrees awarded**
$92,380

**Business Administration, Management and Operations 54 degrees awarded**
$67,789

**Biology, General 62 degrees awarded**
$67,551

**Mathematics 13 degrees awarded**
$61,259

**Social Work 48 degrees awarded**
$60,026

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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 155 | $95,550 | #110 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 39 | $92,380 | #115 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 54 | $67,789 | #233 |
| Biology, General | 62 | $67,551 | #88 |
| Mathematics small degree count | 13 | $61,259 | — |
| Social Work | 48 | $60,026 | #27 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 81 | $59,774 | #46 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences small degree count | 13 | $59,424 | — |
| Geography and Cartography | 27 | $58,593 | #34 |
| Political Science and Government small degree count | 13 | $58,499 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 78 | $56,509 | — |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 38 | $55,323 | #56 |
| Psychology, General | 145 | $54,717 | #99 |
| Sociology small degree count | 12 | $51,573 | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 21 | $51,362 | #189 |
| Fine and Studio Arts small degree count | 11 | $50,397 | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 22 | $50,260 | #213 |
| History | 32 | $49,572 | #180 |
| Education, General small degree count | 13 | $45,568 | — |
| English Language and Literature, General | 32 | $43,621 | #239 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication small degree count | 17 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Journalism small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 14 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities small degree count | 9 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Philosophy small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology small degree count | 10 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Fire Protection small degree count | 10 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Economics small degree count | 6 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 34 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Design and Applied Arts small degree count | 12 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Music small degree count | 11 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Dance small degree count | 6 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 40 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Marketing | 47 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Accounting and Related Services | 44 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 25 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Human Resources Management and Services small degree count | 19 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| International Business small degree count | 16 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Hospitality Administration/Management small degree count | 14 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Management Information Systems and Services small degree count | 8 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods 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 Salem State University?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**
155

**Psychology, General**
145

**Criminal Justice and Corrections**
81

**Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods**
78

**Biology, General**
62

**Business Administration, Management and Operations**
54

**Social Work**
48

**Marketing**
47

**Accounting and Related Services**
44

**Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions**
40

Counts describe degrees awarded in the reporting period, not current enrollment. [Program data and definitions](#page-sources)

## How do Salem State University majors rank nationally?

### National program rankings

1.  Social Work**#27**
2.  Geography and Cartography**#34**
3.  Criminal Justice and Corrections**#46**
4.  Health and Medical Administrative Services Included by program size**#56**
5.  Biology, General Included by program size**#88**
6.  Psychology, General Included by program size**#99**
7.  Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Included by program size**#110**
8.  Computer and Information Sciences, General Included by program size**#115**
9.  Business Administration, Management and Operations Included by program size**#233**
10.  English Language and Literature, General Included by program size**#239**

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](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)

## Further analysis

At Salem State University, the choice of field matters because outcomes vary across programs. The largest program families are Business, with 18.4% of bachelor’s degrees awarded; Health Professions, with 18.2%; and Psychology, with 12.1%.

Award counts here are degrees conferred in one academic year, not a headcount. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 13 programs among nonprofit four-year institutions and has four-year earnings data for 20 programs, measured among federally aided completers.

Its rankings evaluate earnings four years after completion, debt, and cohort size rather than reputation. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, Azimuth ranks Social Work #27 nationally, with median earnings of $60,026 four years after completion.

Geography and Cartography ranks #34 and shows $58,593; Criminal Justice ranks #46 and shows $59,774.

## 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/).