Programs & majors brief
University of California-San Diego Majors & Programs
Which majors earn the most at UC San Diego?
66 of 66 programs shown
Each bar is a field’s median. Program size counts degrees awarded, not unique people or the earnings sample.
Compare all matching programs
| Program | Degrees awarded | 4-yr earnings | Field rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 591 | $159,487 | #20 |
| Computer Engineering | 167 | $149,139 | #8 |
| Mathematics and Computer Science | 269 | $137,218 | #3 |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 71 | $123,320 | #1 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 218 | $118,150 | #13 |
| Biological/Biosystems Engineering | 20 | $111,677 | #1 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 146 | $104,229 | #23 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 83 | $100,173 | #17 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 92 | $98,687 | #31 |
| Chemical Engineering | 129 | $96,798 | #50 |
| Statistics | 56 | $96,746 | #20 |
| Physics | 53 | $95,018 | #9 |
| Civil Engineering | 110 | $91,745 | #27 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 161 | $89,451 | #30 |
| Engineering, Other | 56 | $88,159 | #10 |
| Economics | 430 | $87,307 | #59 |
| Applied Mathematics | 146 | $85,233 | #14 |
| International/Globalization Studies | 537 | $81,174 | #2 |
| Cognitive Science | 759 | $81,160 | #7 |
| Mathematics | 239 | $79,015 | #43 |
| Chemistry | 346 | $77,249 | #4 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 132 | $72,491 | #21 |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | 35 | $71,380 | #6 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 80 | $69,061 | #13 |
| Political Science and Government | 366 | $67,713 | #61 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 278 | $67,302 | #25 |
| Public Health | 345 | $66,110 | #19 |
| Biology, General | 322 | $64,437 | #68 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 51 | $64,428 | #17 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 113 | $63,130 | #21 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 179 | $61,799 | #23 |
| History | 78 | $61,745 | #38 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 99 | $61,262 | #7 |
| Music | 26 | $58,071 | #16 |
| English Language and Literature/Letters, Other | 62 | $57,900 | #1 |
| Anthropology | 61 | $56,982 | #15 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 30 | $56,097 | #82 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 200 | $56,000 | #7 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 65 | $55,776 | #18 |
| Sociology | 131 | $55,534 | #70 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 35 | $53,319 | #34 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 135 | $52,701 | #11 |
| Psychology, General | 320 | $51,679 | #133 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 42 | $48,506 | #44 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | 73 | $45,915 | #10 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 47 | $41,389 | #49 |
| Real Estate Development | 52 | Not reported | — |
| Area Studies | 34 | Not reported | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 168 | Not reported | — |
| Education, General | 52 | Not reported | — |
| Engineering Physics small degree count | 7 | Not reported | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 10 | Not reported | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities small degree count | 6 | Not reported | — |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 769 | Not reported | — |
| Zoology/Animal Biology small degree count | 8 | Not reported | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 45 | Not reported | — |
| Philosophy | 31 | Not reported | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies small degree count | 6 | Not reported | — |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology small degree count | 15 | Not reported | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences small degree count | 13 | Not reported | — |
| Physical Sciences, Other small degree count | 8 | Not reported | — |
| Psychology, Other | 116 | Not reported | — |
| Social Sciences, Other | 59 | Not reported | — |
| International Relations and National Security Studies small degree count | 8 | Not reported | — |
| Design and Applied Arts small degree count | 14 | Not reported | — |
| Dance small degree count | 8 | Not reported | — |
Program data and definitions · How to evaluate program rankings
What are the largest programs at UC San Diego?
Counts describe degrees awarded in the reporting period, not current enrollment. Program data and definitions
The largest program records at University of California-San Diego, by reported degrees awarded, are: Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences (769 awards); Cognitive Science (759 awards); Computer Science (591 awards); International/Globalization Studies (537 awards); Economics (430 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 Cognitive Science at $81,160; Computer Science at $159,487; International/Globalization Studies at $81,174. Program size and earnings answer different questions; the largest program need not have the highest earnings.
How do UC San Diego majors rank nationally?
University of California-San Diego’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-San Diego 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-San Diego.
National program rankings
- Biological/Biosystems Engineering#1
- English Language and Literature/Letters, Other#1
- Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology#1
- International/Globalization Studies#2
- Mathematics and Computer Science#3
- Chemistry#4
- Urban Studies/Affairs#6
- Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services#7
- Cognitive Science#7
- Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology#7
- Computer Engineering#8
- Physics#9
- Engineering, Other#10
- Visual and Performing Arts, General#10
- Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology#11
- Natural Resources Conservation and Research#13
- Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering#13
- Applied Mathematics#14
- Anthropology#15
- Music#16
- Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering#17
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology#17
- Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services#18
- Public Health#19
- Computer Science#20
- Statistics#20
- Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology#21
- Research and Experimental Psychology#21
- Mechanical Engineering#23
- Neurobiology and Neurosciences#23
- Communication and Media Studies#25
- Civil Engineering#27
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods#30
- Biomedical/Medical Engineering#31
- Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies#34
- History#38
- Mathematics#43
- Fine and Studio Arts#44
- Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft#49
- Chemical 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.
The list includes University of California-San Diego 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-San Diego programs; they are not necessarily ranked in the national top 50.
Further analysis
Outcomes at University of California-San Diego vary sharply by field, and Azimuth's program rankings are designed to make those differences visible. The rankings evaluate four-year earnings among federally aided completers, median debt, and cohort size rather than reputation.
Of the 46 programs with published earnings data, 46 carry an Azimuth national rank. The three largest program families are Biological Sciences, at 17.7% of bachelor's degrees awarded, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at 17.1%, and Social Sciences at 11.6%.
The largest single program, Cognitive Science, awards 759 degrees a year and is ranked #7 nationally within its field, with graduates earning a median of $81,160 four years after completion. Computer Science is both the second-largest program and the highest-earning, with graduates reporting a median of $159,487 four years after completion, which is 1.49x the national median for the field.
Award counts here are degrees conferred in one academic year, not a count of students, and program earnings cover federally aided completers. Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology holds the strongest Azimuth rank at #1 nationally, with graduates earning a median of $123,320 four years after completion.
Data & methodology
A missing figure does not mean zero. 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.
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.