Programs & majors brief

University of Chicago Majors & Programs

Updated

Which majors earn the most at UChicago?

Economics awards the most bachelor's degrees at University of Chicago, with 634 degrees a year and median earnings of $159,578 four years after completion. Azimuth ranks it #1 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field.

The highest earnings come from a smaller program. Computer Science graduates earn $178,068, from 126 degrees awarded.

Mathematics follows at $172,826, with 169 degrees awarded and a national rank of #3. Further down the earnings scale, Biology graduates earn $59,794 from 136 degrees awarded.

Azimuth places it #114 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field.

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 sciences876 · 36.3%
  • Mathematics244 · 10.1%
  • Biological sciences211 · 8.7%
  • Physical sciences161 · 6.7%
  • Psychology140 · 5.8%
  • Other783 · 32.4%

40 of 40 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs
Computer Science 126 degrees awarded
$178,068
Mathematics 169 degrees awarded
$172,826
Economics 634 degrees awarded
$159,578
Statistics 75 degrees awarded
$130,189
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities 20 degrees awarded
$96,510
Public Policy Analysis 114 degrees awarded
$94,237

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
ProgramDegrees awarded4-yr earningsField rank
Computer Science126$178,068—
Mathematics169$172,826#3
Economics634$159,578#1
Statistics75$130,189—
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities20$96,510—
Public Policy Analysis114$94,237#4
Political Science and Government109$87,869#22
English Language and Literature, General54$78,169—
Research and Experimental Psychology105$73,483#7
Philosophy77$71,709#4
History79$64,330—
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology35$59,898#6
Biology, General136$59,794#114
Natural Resources Conservation and Research34Too few graduates to report—
Area Studies small degree count19Too few graduates to report—
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies small degree count11Too few graduates to report—
Chemical Engineering37Too few graduates to report—
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services28Too few graduates to report—
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics22Too few graduates to report—
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count18Too few graduates to report—
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count11Too few graduates to report—
Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count9Too few graduates to report—
Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count7Too few graduates to report—
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies37Too few graduates to report—
Neurobiology and Neurosciences75Too few graduates to report—
Theological and Ministerial Studies small degree count11Too few graduates to report—
Physics66Too few graduates to report—
Chemistry62Too few graduates to report—
Astronomy and Astrophysics24Too few graduates to report—
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences small degree count9Too few graduates to report—
Sociology50Too few graduates to report—
Anthropology33Too few graduates to report—
Social Sciences, Other27Too few graduates to report—
International Relations and National Security Studies small degree count13Too few graduates to report—
Geography and Cartography small degree count10Too few graduates to report—
Film/Video and Photographic Arts21Too few graduates to report—
Visual and Performing Arts, Other small degree count16Too few graduates to report—
Fine and Studio Arts small degree count13Too few graduates to report—
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft small degree count11Too few graduates to report—
Music small degree count8Too few graduates to report—

Program data and definitions · How to evaluate program rankings

What are the largest programs at UChicago?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded
Economics
634
Mathematics
169
Biology, General
136
Computer Science
126
Public Policy Analysis
114
Political Science and Government
109
Research and Experimental Psychology
105
History
79
Philosophy
77
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
75

Counts describe degrees awarded in the reporting period, not current enrollment. Program data and definitions

How do UChicago majors rank nationally?

National program rankings

  1. Economics#1
  2. Mathematics#3
  3. Philosophy#4
  4. Public Policy Analysis#4
  5. Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology#6
  6. Research and Experimental Psychology#7
  7. Political Science and Government#22
  8. Biology, General Included by program size#114

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

Further analysis

Social Sciences accounts for 36.3% of degrees awarded at University of Chicago. Mathematics & Statistics and Biological Sciences account for 10.1% and 8.7% respectively.

Program rankings rest on four-year earnings among federally aided completers, debt and cohort size, not reputation. 13 programs publish earnings data, and 8 carry an Azimuth national rank.

Economics leads by volume at 634 degrees awarded, ranking #1 nationally in its field, and its graduates earn $159,578 four years after completion. Program earnings cover federally aided completers.

Mathematics ranks #3 nationally with earnings of $172,826. Public Policy Analysis ranks #4 nationally and reports $94,237 four years after completion.

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.