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Programs & majors brief

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# University of California-Santa Barbara Majors & Programs

Updated October 1, 2026

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

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at UCSB?

The highest-earning program at University of California-Santa Barbara is Computer Science, where completers earn a median of $149,190 four years after completion, with 161 degrees awarded. Computer Engineering follows at $144,703 on 72 degrees awarded.

Among the largest programs, Economics shows a median of $98,178 and an Azimuth national rank of #42 on 656 degrees awarded. Communication and Media Studies reaches $72,976 and ranks #13 nationally on 582 degrees awarded.

The largest program, Sociology, awarded 672 degrees and reports a median of $60,013, ranking #16 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**1,825 · 26.7%**
-   Biological sciences**701 · 10.3%**
-   Mathematics**638 · 9.3%**
-   Psychology**616 · 9.0%**
-   Communication**582 · 8.5%**
-   Other**2,472 · 36.2%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

45 of 45 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs

**Computer Science 161 degrees awarded**
$149,190

**Computer Engineering 72 degrees awarded**
$144,703

**Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering 68 degrees awarded**
$117,215

**Chemical Engineering 53 degrees awarded**
$113,317

**Applied Mathematics 215 degrees awarded**
$109,360

**Mechanical Engineering 78 degrees awarded**
$104,336

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 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](#page-sources) · [How to evaluate program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)

## What are the largest programs at UCSB?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Sociology**
672

**Economics**
656

**Research and Experimental Psychology**
616

**Communication and Media Studies**
582

**Biology, General**
384

**Natural Resources Conservation and Research**
318

**Statistics**
291

**Political Science and Government**
257

**Applied Mathematics**
215

**International/Globalization Studies**
188

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

## How do UCSB majors rank nationally?

### National program rankings

1.  Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology**#1**
2.  Pharmacology and Toxicology**#1**
3.  Microbiological Sciences and Immunology**#2**
4.  Philosophy**#5**
5.  International/Globalization Studies**#6**
6.  Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services**#7**
7.  Religion/Religious Studies**#7**
8.  Geography and Cartography**#7**
9.  Applied Mathematics**#8**
10.  Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies**#9**
11.  Research and Experimental Psychology**#10**
12.  Chemical Engineering**#11**
13.  Anthropology**#11**
14.  Physics**#12**
15.  Communication and Media Studies**#13**
16.  Film/Video and Photographic Arts**#13**
17.  Computer Engineering**#14**
18.  Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics**#14**
19.  Statistics**#15**
20.  Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering**#16**
21.  Sociology**#16**
22.  Natural Resources Conservation and Research**#17**
23.  Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology**#17**
24.  Chemistry**#17**
25.  Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences**#17**
26.  Mechanical Engineering**#21**
27.  Area Studies**#22**
28.  Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods**#27**
29.  English Language and Literature, General**#30**
30.  Computer Science**#31**
31.  History**#35**
32.  Mathematics**#36**
33.  Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft**#36**
34.  Fine and Studio Arts**#39**
35.  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.

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

## 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](/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/).