Programs & majors brief
San Diego State University Majors & Programs
Which majors earn the most at SDSU?
61 of 61 programs shown
Each bar is a field’s median. Program size counts degrees awarded, not unique people or the earnings sample.
Compare all matching programs
| Program | Degrees awarded | 4-yr earnings | Field rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 212 | $120,799 | #19 |
| Computer Engineering | 116 | $116,842 | #34 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 106 | $106,416 | #32 |
| Computer Science | 259 | $100,586 | #94 |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | 39 | $100,564 | — |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 70 | $100,139 | #22 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 244 | $97,825 | #45 |
| Civil Engineering | 227 | $95,865 | #11 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 38 | $88,417 | #4 |
| Statistics | 38 | $83,076 | #25 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 25 | $81,122 | #4 |
| Chemistry | 114 | $74,676 | #18 |
| Economics | 177 | $74,123 | #106 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 21 | $73,647 | #9 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 64 | $70,113 | #9 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 1,875 | $69,902 | #68 |
| Applied Mathematics | 42 | $69,606 | #26 |
| International Business | 97 | $69,141 | #26 |
| Biology, General | 285 | $68,861 | #47 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 41 | $67,414 | #31 |
| Political Science and Government | 136 | $64,824 | #97 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 154 | $61,510 | #30 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 290 | $61,389 | #54 |
| Public Health | 162 | $60,904 | #42 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 406 | $59,914 | #39 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 52 | $59,733 | #47 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 232 | $58,419 | #34 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 119 | $58,215 | #42 |
| Geography and Cartography | 29 | $58,004 | #40 |
| Mathematics | 37 | $57,999 | #146 |
| History | 67 | $57,861 | #53 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 417 | $57,510 | #33 |
| Public Administration | 76 | $57,264 | #18 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies small degree count | 19 | $57,093 | — |
| Social Work | 105 | $56,674 | #37 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 54 | $55,230 | #28 |
| Nutrition Sciences | 110 | $55,115 | #25 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 356 | $55,072 | #31 |
| Journalism | 145 | $53,997 | #44 |
| Anthropology | 32 | $53,991 | #26 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 27 | $53,621 | #78 |
| Philosophy | 29 | $53,390 | #49 |
| Sociology | 162 | $53,387 | #83 |
| Social Sciences, General | 54 | $52,095 | #26 |
| Psychology, General | 699 | $51,021 | #114 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 116 | $49,406 | #116 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 93 | $49,167 | #82 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 142 | $48,471 | #103 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | 84 | $43,485 | #48 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 32 | $42,922 | #45 |
| Music | 55 | $42,090 | #85 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 42 | $41,812 | #50 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 247 | $35,416 | #157 |
| Area Studies small degree count | 10 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 10 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies small degree count | 14 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Gerontology small degree count | 6 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies small degree count | 9 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Physics small degree count | 16 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Urban Studies/Affairs small degree count | 17 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Dance small degree count | 5 | Too few graduates to report | — |
Program data and definitions · How to evaluate program rankings
What are the largest programs at SDSU?
Counts describe degrees awarded in the reporting period, not current enrollment. Program data and definitions
How do SDSU majors rank nationally?
National program rankings
- Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering#4
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology#4
- Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences#9
- Hospitality Administration/Management#9
- Civil Engineering#11
- Chemistry#18
- Public Administration#18
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing#19
- Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering#22
- Statistics#25
- Nutrition Sciences#25
- Applied Mathematics#26
- Social Sciences, General#26
- Anthropology#26
- International Business#26
- Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies#28
- Communication Disorders Sciences and Services#30
- Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication#31
- Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other#31
- Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering#32
- Criminal Justice and Corrections#33
- Computer Engineering#34
- Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities#34
- Social Work#37
- Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness#39
- Geography and Cartography#40
- Natural Resources Conservation and Research#42
- Public Health#42
- Journalism#44
- Mechanical Engineering#45
- Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services#45
- Biology, General#47
- International Relations and National Security Studies#47
- Radio, Television, and Digital Communication#48
- Philosophy#49
- Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft#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.
Further analysis
Outcomes at San Diego State University vary by field, and Azimuth's program rankings evaluate four-year earnings among federally aided completers, median debt, and cohort size rather than reputation. The university has 51 ranked bachelor's programs and published earnings for 53 fields.
The degree mix is led by Business, which accounts for 22.7% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Engineering at 8.9% and Psychology at 7.8%. Business Administration and Management is the largest single program at 1,875 degrees a year, earning $69,902 four years after completion and ranking #68 nationally.
Nursing reports the highest earnings at $120,799 and ranks #19 in its field. Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering ranks #4 in its field, with median earnings of $88,417.
Award counts here are degrees conferred in one academic year, not a count of students, and program earnings cover federally aided completers.
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.