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Programs & majors brief

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# The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Majors & Programs

Updated October 1, 2026

[Overview](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/)[Cost & aid](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/admissions/)Majors[Similar schools](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/similar/)

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## Which majors earn the most at UT Rio Grande Valley?

Among The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley programs with a reported four-year earnings value, the highest medians are: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($88,067); Mechanical Engineering ($87,991); Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($85,971); Computer Engineering ($77,097); Civil Engineering ($71,848). These are earnings after completion for the covered cohort.

A program median describes the middle reported outcome in that group. It is not a starting-salary offer or a prediction for every graduate, and an earnings comparison does not by itself explain why fields differ.

Compare these results with the subjects you want to study and the program’s reported award count. Awards measure degree output, not the number of people in the earnings sample.

The highest-earning bachelor's program at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is Nursing, where completers earn a median of $88,067 four years after completion, with 183 degrees awarded. Mechanical Engineering follows at $87,991 on 122 degrees awarded.

Among the largest programs, the spread reflects the contrast between higher- and moderate-earning fields. Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies reaches $56,493 with 240 degrees awarded.

Biology, the largest program at 587 degrees awarded, reports $47,954 and an Azimuth national rank of #230.

### 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.

-   Biological sciences**596 · 12.4%**
-   Homeland security**581 · 12.1%**
-   Business**543 · 11.3%**
-   Psychology**486 · 10.1%**
-   Health professions**403 · 8.4%**
-   Other**2,200 · 45.7%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

50 of 50 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs

**Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 183 degrees awarded**
$88,067

**Mechanical Engineering 122 degrees awarded**
$87,991

**Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering 44 degrees awarded**
$85,971

**Computer Engineering 47 degrees awarded**
$77,097

**Civil Engineering 100 degrees awarded**
$71,848

**Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions 19 degrees awarded**
$63,426

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 | 183 | $88,067 | #127 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 122 | $87,991 | #129 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 44 | $85,971 | #179 |
| Computer Engineering | 47 | $77,097 | #133 |
| Civil Engineering | 100 | $71,848 | #160 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions small degree count | 19 | $63,426 | — |
| Mathematics | 38 | $60,645 | #138 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | 38 | $59,794 | #39 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 45 | $59,624 | #57 |
| Social Sciences, General small degree count | 10 | $59,440 | — |
| Music | 48 | $59,218 | #8 |
| Sociology | 56 | $57,807 | — |
| Chemistry | 42 | $57,100 | #106 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 240 | $56,493 | #27 |
| Economics small degree count | 19 | $56,369 | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 310 | $53,769 | #68 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 133 | $53,420 | #259 |
| History | 62 | $50,620 | #136 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 70 | $50,156 | #208 |
| Social Work | 184 | $50,073 | #93 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 581 | $49,979 | #101 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 170 | $49,595 | #312 |
| Biology, General | 587 | $47,954 | #230 |
| International Business | 49 | $47,431 | #57 |
| Marketing | 71 | $45,859 | #217 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 122 | $45,746 | #153 |
| Political Science and Government | 78 | $44,895 | #259 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 91 | $44,201 | #22 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 30 | $43,699 | #75 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 28 | $42,224 | #119 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 29 | $40,147 | — |
| Psychology, General | 486 | $40,140 | #286 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 142 | $39,940 | #238 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 29 | $38,865 | #75 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 100 | $35,115 | #183 |
| Anthropology small degree count | 14 | $34,505 | — |
| Philosophy | 26 | $33,457 | #65 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 24 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies small degree count | 9 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Computer Science | 116 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Manufacturing Engineering small degree count | 9 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| American Sign Language small degree count | 5 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology small degree count | 9 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | 106 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Nutrition Sciences small degree count | 12 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Physics small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Dance small degree count | 14 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 27 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 21 | 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 UT Rio Grande Valley?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Biology, General**
587

**Criminal Justice and Corrections**
581

**Psychology, General**
486

**Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness**
310

**Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other**
240

**Social Work**
184

**Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**
183

**Business Administration, Management and Operations**
170

**Communication and Media Studies**
142

**Accounting and Related Services**
133

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

The largest program records at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, by reported degrees awarded, are: Biology, General (587 awards); Criminal Justice and Corrections (581 awards); Psychology, General (486 awards); Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness (310 awards); Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (240 awards). These counts describe degree output in the source reporting period, not current enrollment or unique people.

Among those larger programs, reported median earnings four years after completion include Biology, General at $47,954; Criminal Justice and Corrections at $49,979; Psychology, General at $40,140. Program size and earnings answer different questions; the largest program need not have the highest earnings.

## How do UT Rio Grande Valley majors rank nationally?

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s national program ranks compare each field with the same field at other institutions in Azimuth’s ranking data. For example, a Computer Science rank compares programs in Computer Science, while a Biology rank compares programs in Biology.

A lower rank number indicates a higher position within that field; comparing the numbers across different fields does not tell you which major will pay more or suit you better.

These are Azimuth program-value rankings. The source orders programs by its composite program-value measure, so this view answers a different question from the highest-earning majors section.

A field can report lower earnings than another The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley field while holding a stronger position against its own national competitors. Read its national position alongside the earnings and degree counts to understand both the comparison with other schools and the scale of the program at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

### National program rankings

1.  Music**#8**
2.  Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions**#22**
3.  Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other**#27**
4.  Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General**#39**
5.  Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness Included by program size**#68**
6.  Social Work Included by program size**#93**
7.  Criminal Justice and Corrections Included by program size**#101**
8.  Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Included by program size**#127**
9.  Biology, General Included by program size**#230**
10.  Psychology, General Included by program size**#286**

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.

The list includes The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley programs ranked in the national top 50 for their field. If fewer than ten qualify, it adds the largest remaining programs with a reported national rank, using degrees awarded to select them, until the list reaches ten or no ranked programs remain.

These additions broaden the comparison to larger The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley programs; they are not necessarily ranked in the national top 50.

[How Azimuth compares programs across colleges](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)

## Further analysis

At The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, 37 programs have published earnings data, and 31 carries a national rank. The degree mix centers on Biological Sciences, which accounts for 12.4% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Security & Protective Services at 12.1% and Business at 11.3%.

The largest single program is Biology, at 587 degrees a year, and [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #230 within its field and #13 in Texas, with graduates earning a median of $47,954 four years after completion. The highest earnings are in nursing and engineering.

Nursing graduates earn a median of $88,067 four years after completion, from 183 degrees awarded. Mechanical Engineering graduates earn $87,991 from 122 degrees. 29.0% of degrees awarded are in STEM fields.

## 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/).

Four-year earnings are measured after completion for the covered federally aided cohort of people working and not enrolled. Measures taken six, eight or ten years after entry use a different starting point and should not be treated as one graduating class followed over time.

Program award counts describe credentials awarded, not current enrollment, unique graduates or earnings-sample size. Reporting periods differ across measures; the shared field definitions do not establish the exact vintage of every school-level value.