Top Ranked Programs
University of Akron Main Campus's program mix is anchored in Business, with additional depth in engineering, health, and applied-technology fields — a portfolio shaped by the university's identity as a public research institution serving northeast Ohio's workforce needs. Nursing is the largest program with 191 graduates annually, followed by Mechanical Engineering, Business Administration, Biology, General, and Psychology, General. The dominant concentration in Business (18% of graduates), Engineering (17%), and Education (7%) reflects a program signature oriented toward applied professional and technical careers rather than research-track or graduate-dependent pathways. The strongest financial outcomes at University of Akron Main Campus are concentrated in a handful of programs that combine solid cohort scale with competitive early-career pay. Mechanical Engineering stands out as the program combining high enrollment with strong earnings, making it a key driver of the institution's overall return profile. Azimuth ranks Mechanical Engineering #152 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 170 graduates earning $87,752. Azimuth ranks Nursing #237 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 191 graduates earning $76,089. Azimuth ranks Accounting #183 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 68 graduates earning $73,101. Several of University of Akron Main Campus's strongest programs are high-mobility, direct-to-workforce pathways — particularly in engineering, business, and nursing — where graduates enter regional and national labor markets and four-year earnings reflect actual hiring outcomes. Programs in fields like Business Administration and Biology, General serve more locally oriented labor markets, with graduates typically entering education, health services, or public-sector roles in the Akron and broader northeast Ohio region. Across 66 programs serving roughly 2,460 students annually, the university graduates cohorts large enough to sustain meaningful employer relationships and regional hiring pipelines. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these program families align with national labor-market trends.