Programs & majors brief
University of California-Santa Barbara Majors & Programs
Which majors earn the most at UCSB?
45 of 45 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 | 161 | $149,190 | #31 |
| Computer Engineering | 72 | $144,703 | #14 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 68 | $117,215 | #16 |
| Chemical Engineering | 53 | $113,317 | #11 |
| Applied Mathematics | 215 | $109,360 | #8 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 78 | $104,336 | #21 |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | 54 | $98,462 | #1 |
| Economics | 656 | $98,178 | #42 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 47 | $96,078 | #27 |
| Statistics | 291 | $90,778 | #15 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 74 | $90,694 | #1 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 38 | $90,061 | #2 |
| Mathematics | 132 | $85,391 | #36 |
| Physics | 161 | $85,219 | #12 |
| Chemistry | 103 | $74,713 | #17 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 582 | $72,976 | #13 |
| Philosophy | 109 | $71,796 | #5 |
| Political Science and Government | 257 | $70,384 | #55 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 68 | $68,496 | #14 |
| Geography and Cartography | 100 | $67,521 | #7 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 50 | $66,788 | #17 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 616 | $66,171 | #10 |
| International/Globalization Studies | 188 | $66,127 | #6 |
| Biology, General | 384 | $64,520 | #59 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 318 | $63,628 | #17 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 122 | $61,580 | #7 |
| Sociology | 672 | $60,013 | #16 |
| History | 156 | $59,342 | #35 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 168 | $59,334 | #30 |
| Area Studies | 23 | $59,042 | #22 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 90 | $59,004 | #9 |
| Anthropology | 140 | $56,238 | #11 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | 27 | $53,727 | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 63 | $50,694 | #17 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 164 | $49,893 | #13 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 133 | $46,428 | #39 |
| Dance small degree count | 11 | $44,858 | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 31 | $44,106 | #36 |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 25 | $43,377 | #7 |
| Music | 30 | $33,825 | — |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 21 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 14 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 8 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 55 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences small degree count | 6 | Too few graduates to report | — |
Program data and definitions · How to evaluate program rankings
What are the largest programs at UCSB?
Counts describe degrees awarded in the reporting period, not current enrollment. Program data and definitions
How do UCSB majors rank nationally?
National program rankings
- Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology#1
- Pharmacology and Toxicology#1
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology#2
- Philosophy#5
- International/Globalization Studies#6
- Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services#7
- Religion/Religious Studies#7
- Geography and Cartography#7
- Applied Mathematics#8
- Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies#9
- Research and Experimental Psychology#10
- Chemical Engineering#11
- Anthropology#11
- Physics#12
- Communication and Media Studies#13
- Film/Video and Photographic Arts#13
- Computer Engineering#14
- Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics#14
- Statistics#15
- Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering#16
- Sociology#16
- Natural Resources Conservation and Research#17
- Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology#17
- Chemistry#17
- Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences#17
- Mechanical Engineering#21
- Area Studies#22
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods#27
- English Language and Literature, General#30
- Computer Science#31
- History#35
- Mathematics#36
- Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft#36
- Fine and Studio Arts#39
- Economics#42
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.
Further analysis
At University of California-Santa Barbara, outcomes vary sharply by field across 40 programs with published earnings data, 37 of which carry an Azimuth national rank. The degree mix is anchored in the social sciences.
Social Sciences accounts for 26.7% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Biological Sciences at 10.3% and Mathematics & Statistics at 9.3%. Program earnings cover federally aided completers.
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology ranks #1 nationally, with completers earning $90,694 four years after completion. Economics, the second-largest program at 656 degrees a year, ranks #42 nationally and its completers earn $98,178.
Research and Experimental Psychology ranks #10 nationally and #1 in California, with earnings of $66,171.
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.