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Programs & majors brief

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# University of California-Irvine Majors & Programs

Updated September 30, 2026

[Overview](/school/university-of-california-irvine/)[Cost & aid](/school/university-of-california-irvine/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/university-of-california-irvine/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/university-of-california-irvine/admissions/)Majors[Similar schools](/school/university-of-california-irvine/similar/)

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at UC Irvine?

Among University of California-Irvine programs with a reported four-year earnings value, the highest medians are: Computer Engineering ($132,357); Computer Science ($127,404); Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($119,502); Management Information Systems and Services ($108,038); Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($106,871). 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.

University of California-Irvine fields that lead in earnings four years after completion are concentrated in computing and engineering. Computer Engineering tops the list at $132,357, with 246 degrees awarded and an Azimuth national rank of #17.

Computer Science, the largest program on campus at 744 degrees awarded, follows at $127,404 and ranks #38 nationally. The spread across the largest programs shows the contrast between technical and other fields.

Business/Managerial Economics reaches $77,807 on 648 degrees awarded and holds an Azimuth national rank of #8. Further down the earnings scale, Biology reports a median of $56,273 with 668 degrees awarded and a national rank of #128, while Research and Experimental Psychology reaches $54,323 on 605 degrees awarded and ranks #26 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.

-   Social sciences**1,483 · 16.5%**
-   Engineering**1,106 · 12.3%**
-   Business**1,040 · 11.5%**
-   Psychology**995 · 11.0%**
-   Computer science**920 · 10.2%**
-   Other**3,464 · 38.5%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

61 of 61 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs

**Computer Engineering 246 degrees awarded**
$132,357

**Computer Science 744 degrees awarded**
$127,404

**Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 49 degrees awarded**
$119,502

**Management Information Systems and Services 52 degrees awarded**
$108,038

**Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering 79 degrees awarded**
$106,871

**Materials Engineering 37 degrees awarded**
$106,547

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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Computer Engineering | 246 | $132,357 | #17 |
| Computer Science | 744 | $127,404 | #38 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 49 | $119,502 | #32 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 52 | $108,038 | #9 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 79 | $106,871 | #34 |
| Materials Engineering | 37 | $106,547 | #2 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 96 | $100,537 | #15 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 260 | $99,111 | #28 |
| Chemical Engineering | 82 | $97,656 | #52 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 156 | $96,874 | #24 |
| Civil Engineering | 123 | $96,354 | #15 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 114 | $96,347 | #76 |
| Physics | 89 | $96,215 | #6 |
| Economics | 447 | $83,937 | #67 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 340 | $80,755 | #52 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | 648 | $77,807 | #8 |
| Mathematics | 312 | $77,472 | #44 |
| Chemistry | 112 | $74,810 | #15 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 40 | $70,820 | #7 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | 62 | $69,981 | #5 |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | 81 | $63,819 | #9 |
| Political Science and Government | 235 | $63,318 | #90 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | 102 | $61,034 | #10 |
| Public Health | 473 | $60,430 | #33 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 56 | $60,242 | #33 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 51 | $59,908 | #43 |
| Criminology | 398 | $57,935 | #9 |
| Journalism | 26 | $57,492 | #49 |
| International/Globalization Studies | 149 | $57,116 | #21 |
| Sociology | 251 | $56,457 | #57 |
| Psychology, General | 390 | $56,380 | #66 |
| Biology, General | 668 | $56,273 | #128 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 19 | $55,360 | — |
| Education, General | 251 | $54,356 | #4 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 605 | $54,323 | #26 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 138 | $54,299 | #62 |
| History | 65 | $53,481 | #94 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 175 | $51,423 | #11 |
| Anthropology | 51 | $50,850 | #34 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 36 | $47,471 | #52 |
| Music | 20 | $43,120 | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 86 | $40,773 | #43 |
| Dance | 51 | $40,466 | #16 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 91 | $39,010 | #146 |
| Area Studies | 30 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas small degree count | 12 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 27 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 8 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 6 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services small degree count | 5 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 60 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 31 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 24 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences small degree count | 17 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology small degree count | 8 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Genetics small degree count | 6 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Human Biology | 106 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Mathematics and Computer Science | 43 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Cognitive Science small degree count | 15 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Philosophy | 34 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Social Sciences, General | 20 | 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 UC Irvine?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Computer Science**
744

**Biology, General**
668

**Business/Managerial Economics**
648

**Research and Experimental Psychology**
605

**Public Health**
473

**Economics**
447

**Criminology**
398

**Psychology, General**
390

**Business Administration, Management and Operations**
340

**Mathematics**
312

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

The largest program records at University of California-Irvine, by reported degrees awarded, are: Computer Science (744 awards); Biology, General (668 awards); Business/Managerial Economics (648 awards); Research and Experimental Psychology (605 awards); Public Health (473 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 Computer Science at $127,404; Biology, General at $56,273; Business/Managerial Economics at $77,807. Program size and earnings answer different questions; the largest program need not have the highest earnings.

## How do UC Irvine majors rank nationally?

University of California-Irvine’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 University of California-Irvine 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 University of California-Irvine.

### National program rankings

1.  Materials Engineering**#2**
2.  Education, General**#4**
3.  Computer Software and Media Applications**#5**
4.  Physics**#6**
5.  Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences**#7**
6.  Business/Managerial Economics**#8**
7.  Criminology**#9**
8.  Urban Studies/Affairs**#9**
9.  Management Information Systems and Services**#9**
10.  Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration**#10**
11.  Film/Video and Photographic Arts**#11**
12.  Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering**#15**
13.  Civil Engineering**#15**
14.  Chemistry**#15**
15.  Dance**#16**
16.  Computer Engineering**#17**
17.  International/Globalization Studies**#21**
18.  Biomedical/Medical Engineering**#24**
19.  Research and Experimental Psychology**#26**
20.  Mechanical Engineering**#28**
21.  Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**#32**
22.  Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other**#33**
23.  Public Health**#33**
24.  Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering**#34**
25.  Anthropology**#34**
26.  Computer Science**#38**
27.  Natural Resources Conservation and Research**#43**
28.  Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft**#43**
29.  Mathematics**#44**
30.  Journalism**#49**

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 University of California-Irvine 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 University of California-Irvine 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

Outcomes at University of California-Irvine vary sharply by field, and [Azimuth's program ranking](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)s are built to surface that variation. They evaluate four-year earnings among federally aided completers, median debt, and cohort size rather than reputation.

42 programs at the university hold an Azimuth national rank, and earnings data are published for 44 fields. The degree mix is anchored by Social Sciences, which accounts for 16.5% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Engineering at 12.3% and Business at 11.6%.

Computer Science is the largest single program at 744 degrees awarded in one academic year, and Azimuth ranks it #38 nationally with median earnings of $127,404 four years after completion. Award counts here are degrees conferred in one academic year, not a count of students.

Program earnings cover federally aided completers. Business/Managerial Economics awards 648 degrees annually and holds a #8 national rank, with median earnings of $77,807.

Nursing reports median earnings of $119,502, ranking #32 nationally and earning 1.34x the national median for its field.

## 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.