Top Ranked Programs
Stanford University's program mix is anchored in Social Sciences, which accounts for 17% of degree output — a concentration more typical of research-intensive private universities like Harvard and Yale than of engineering-focused peers like MIT or Caltech. Engineering represents 15% of graduates and other STEM fields accounts for 4%, rounding out a portfolio that balances quantitative depth with broad analytical training. Computer Science is the largest program with 277 graduates, followed by Human Biology (114 graduates), Economics (108 graduates), and Engineering, Other (91 graduates). Across 40 programs serving roughly 1,687 students annually, 10 meet Azimuth's [ranking threshold](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/). The rankings pattern is concentrated at the top of the national distribution. Azimuth ranks Computer Science #6 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 277 graduates earning $214,907. Azimuth ranks Cognitive Science #4 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $131,650, and Azimuth ranks Engineering, Other #1 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 91 graduates earning $115,206. Computer Science — the largest program — carries a national rank of #6 with median earnings of $214,907, combining scale and strong pay in a way that drives much of the institution's aggregate return. Several of these programs are grad-school-dependent pathways where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory. Political Science and Economics send meaningful shares of graduates to medical school, law school, or doctoral programs, meaning early-career earnings reflect only a fraction of long-run outcomes. Computer Science and Cognitive Science, by contrast, are high-mobility programs where graduates enter the workforce directly and four-year earnings reflect national labor-market demand. The [supply-demand map](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these fields align with broader wage trends. ```