Programs & majors brief

Syracuse University Majors & Programs

Updated

Which majors earn the most at Syracuse University?

The five largest programs at Syracuse University show a clear split between high-earning business and technology fields and more moderate-earning social science and communication fields. Finance graduates report median earnings of $120,274 four years after completion, with 227 degrees awarded.

Azimuth ranks it #16 nationally within its field. Information Science/Studies is another strong performer, with median earnings of $104,842 and 188 degrees awarded.

Azimuth ranks it #6 nationally. At the more moderate end, Psychology is the largest program at 265 degrees awarded, with median earnings of $65,694.

Azimuth ranks it #20 nationally. Economics reports $83,649 across 226 degrees awarded, ranking #90 nationally.

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.

  • Business675 · 16.1%
  • Communication585 · 14.0%
  • Social sciences572 · 13.7%
  • Visual and performing arts311 · 7.4%
  • Computer science280 · 6.7%
  • Other1,767 · 42.2%

68 of 68 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs
Computer and Information Sciences, General 92 degrees awarded
$120,773
Finance and Financial Management Services 227 degrees awarded
$120,274
Accounting and Related Services 101 degrees awarded
$112,682
Computer Engineering 23 degrees awarded
$110,988
Information Science/Studies 188 degrees awarded
$104,842
Biomedical/Medical Engineering 29 degrees awarded
$99,521

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 and Information Sciences, General92$120,773#32
Finance and Financial Management Services227$120,274#16
Accounting and Related Services101$112,682#12
Computer Engineering23$110,988—
Information Science/Studies188$104,842#6
Biomedical/Medical Engineering29$99,521#53
Business Administration, Management and Operations128$91,472#38
Mechanical Engineering50$91,438#178
Marketing136$91,235#21
Real Estate45$90,764—
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication198$90,535#2
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering43$90,470#50
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services27$90,210#1
Public Administration85$89,732#1
Civil Engineering36$88,996#90
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations38$87,851#5
Biotechnology34$87,596#4
Chemical Engineering small degree count19$87,529—
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count16$84,654—
Economics226$83,649#90
Mathematics26$81,941#80
Architectural Sciences and Technology119$76,367#3
Political Science and Government165$75,239#52
Geography and Cartography small degree count14$71,543—
Design and Applied Arts100$71,527#9
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication124$70,815#5
Journalism123$70,404#7
Communication and Media Studies140$70,106#30
Public Health64$69,776#29
Security Science and Technology68$69,491#4
Human Services, General24$68,314#1
Biology, General113$68,283#77
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness147$68,219#26
International Relations and National Security Studies101$68,049#35
Chemistry26$68,017#71
Interior Architecture small degree count17$67,227—
Sociology50$67,044#21
Psychology, General265$65,694#20
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas29$65,410#20
History44$64,871#41
Special Education and Teaching39$62,864#10
Education, General22$62,372#3
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management40$61,819#4
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies23$61,159#17
Social Work20$60,920#40
English Language and Literature, General23$60,602#61
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services small degree count19$58,038—
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services23$56,485—
Film/Video and Photographic Arts51$54,115#14
Neurobiology and Neurosciences50$54,088#46
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services46$53,522#32
Anthropology small degree count16$53,196—
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft61$44,045#28
Fine and Studio Arts43$43,988#111
Natural Resources Conservation and Research25Too few graduates to report—
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies small degree count14Too few graduates to report—
Graphic Communications small degree count15Too few graduates to report—
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering small degree count19Too few graduates to report—
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering small degree count16Too few graduates to report—
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services small degree count11Too few graduates to report—
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities small degree count6Too few graduates to report—
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology small degree count14Too few graduates to report—
Applied Mathematics22Too few graduates to report—
Data Analytics small degree count16Too few graduates to report—
Philosophy25Too few graduates to report—
Physics small degree count10Too few graduates to report—
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences small degree count5Too few graduates to report—
Music small degree count16Too few graduates to report—

Program data and definitions · How to evaluate program rankings

What are the largest programs at Syracuse University?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded
Psychology, General
265
Finance and Financial Management Services
227
Economics
226
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
198
Information Science/Studies
188
Political Science and Government
165
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
147
Communication and Media Studies
140
Marketing
136
Business Administration, Management and Operations
128

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

How do Syracuse University majors rank nationally?

National program rankings

  1. Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services#1
  2. Human Services, General#1
  3. Public Administration#1
  4. Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication#2
  5. Architectural Sciences and Technology#3
  6. Education, General#3
  7. Biotechnology#4
  8. Security Science and Technology#4
  9. Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management#4
  10. Radio, Television, and Digital Communication#5
  11. Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations#5
  12. Information Science/Studies#6
  13. Journalism#7
  14. Design and Applied Arts#9
  15. Special Education and Teaching#10
  16. Accounting and Related Services#12
  17. Film/Video and Photographic Arts#14
  18. Finance and Financial Management Services#16
  19. Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies#17
  20. Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas#20
  21. Psychology, General#20
  22. Sociology#21
  23. Marketing#21
  24. Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness#26
  25. Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft#28
  26. Public Health#29
  27. Communication and Media Studies#30
  28. Computer and Information Sciences, General#32
  29. Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services#32
  30. International Relations and National Security Studies#35
  31. Business Administration, Management and Operations#38
  32. Social Work#40
  33. History#41
  34. Neurobiology and Neurosciences#46
  35. Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering#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

Outcomes at Syracuse University vary sharply 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 45 ranked programs and earnings data for 54 fields.

The three largest program families are Business, Communication & Journalism, and Social Sciences, which together account for 16.1%, 14.0%, and 13.7% of bachelor's degrees awarded. The largest single program is Psychology, with 265 degrees awarded and a national rank of #20 in its field.

Finance is the best-paid of the large programs, with graduates earning $120,274 and a national rank of #16. Several programs carry top-five national ranks, including Public Administration at #1 and Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services at #1.

The highest-earning program overall is Computer and Information Sciences, where graduates earn $120,773 four years after completing the degree.

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.