Programs & majors brief

University of Houston Majors & Programs

Updated

Which majors earn the most at UH?

Among University of Houston programs with a reported four-year earnings value, the highest medians are: Chemical Engineering ($110,184); Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($107,399); Computer Engineering ($107,283); Computer and Information Sciences, General ($98,790); Construction Engineering Technology/Technician ($97,201). 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.

Azimuth ranks 55 bachelor's programs at University of Houston, and the highest-earning fields sit well above the university's overall median of $68,091 four years after completion. Chemical Engineering leads at $110,184 with 74 degrees awarded, followed by Electrical Engineering at $107,399 and 84 degrees awarded.

Among the largest programs, earnings spread across a wide range. Finance reaches $78,009 on 412 degrees awarded, while Business Administration and Management reports $73,125 and an Azimuth national rank of #85 on 543 degrees awarded.

Psychology, the largest program with 605 degrees awarded, shows a more moderate median of $52,892 and ranks #97 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.

  • Business2,293 · 28.2%
  • Psychology605 · 7.4%
  • Computer science577 · 7.1%
  • Engineering573 · 7.0%
  • Biological sciences558 · 6.9%
  • Other3,530 · 43.4%

69 of 69 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs
Chemical Engineering 74 degrees awarded
$110,184
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering 84 degrees awarded
$107,399
Computer Engineering 30 degrees awarded
$107,283
Computer and Information Sciences, General 318 degrees awarded
$98,790
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician 191 degrees awarded
$97,201
Industrial Engineering 24 degrees awarded
$94,814

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
Chemical Engineering74$110,184#14
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering84$107,399#43
Computer Engineering30$107,283#76
Computer and Information Sciences, General318$98,790#53
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician191$97,201#8
Industrial Engineering24$94,814#48
Petroleum Engineering27$94,651#14
Mechanical Engineering211$93,275#73
Management Information Systems and Services307$91,983#13
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing96$91,276#145
Civil Engineering73$89,653#45
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians36$87,022#10
Physics24$86,078#32
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians68$84,692#17
Accounting and Related Services269$84,668#57
Computer Systems Analysis190$82,416#2
Biotechnology82$78,750#5
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians65$78,396#6
Economics181$78,204#93
Finance and Financial Management Services412$78,009#72
Business Administration, Management and Operations543$73,125#85
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations131$72,199#8
Architecture95$70,616#10
Human Resources Management and Services106$69,010#29
Chemistry31$68,504#57
Marketing274$68,139#81
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences27$68,127#24
Design and Applied Arts51$64,612#35
Business/Corporate Communications small degree count14$64,374—
Mathematics93$62,833#126
Political Science and Government187$61,533#118
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology88$61,122#57
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication208$60,180#43
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other291$58,705#24
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities48$58,450#67
Biology, General388$57,716#139
Music77$56,667#13
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics25$56,442#74
Philosophy28$55,875#40
History87$55,475#76
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services99$54,871#18
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General241$54,471#42
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services77$54,126#98
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness404$53,483#95
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services54$53,410#4
Hospitality Administration/Management216$53,344#43
Journalism59$53,195#61
Psychology, General605$52,892#97
Computer Software and Media Applications69$51,596#9
English Language and Literature, General106$49,884#123
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services149$49,724#24
Communication and Media Studies35$49,545#208
Sociology62$45,530#195
Fine and Studio Arts84$45,446#64
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft25$42,301—
Anthropology28$42,146#104
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication101$40,419#55
Natural Resources Conservation and Research small degree count17Too few graduates to report—
Environmental Design small degree count7Too few graduates to report—
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies small degree count7Too few graduates to report—
Area Studies small degree count6Too few graduates to report—
Biomedical/Medical Engineering50Too few graduates to report—
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services small degree count8Too few graduates to report—
American Sign Language small degree count8Too few graduates to report—
Applied Mathematics small degree count11Too few graduates to report—
Religion/Religious Studies small degree count8Too few graduates to report—
Film/Video and Photographic Arts small degree count18Too few graduates to report—
Dance small degree count7Too few graduates to report—
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations21Too few graduates to report—

Program data and definitions · How to evaluate program rankings

What are the largest programs at UH?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded
Psychology, General
605
Business Administration, Management and Operations
543
Finance and Financial Management Services
412
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
404
Biology, General
388
Computer and Information Sciences, General
318
Management Information Systems and Services
307
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
291
Marketing
274
Accounting and Related Services
269

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

The largest program records at University of Houston, by reported degrees awarded, are: Psychology, General (605 awards); Business Administration, Management and Operations (543 awards); Finance and Financial Management Services (412 awards); Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness (404 awards); Biology, General (388 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 Psychology, General at $52,892; Business Administration, Management and Operations at $73,125; Finance and Financial Management Services at $78,009. Program size and earnings answer different questions; the largest program need not have the highest earnings.

How do UH majors rank nationally?

University of Houston’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 Houston 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 Houston.

National program rankings

  1. Computer Systems Analysis#2
  2. Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services#4
  3. Biotechnology#5
  4. Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians#6
  5. Construction Engineering Technology/Technician#8
  6. General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations#8
  7. Computer Software and Media Applications#9
  8. Architecture#10
  9. Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians#10
  10. Music#13
  11. Management Information Systems and Services#13
  12. Chemical Engineering#14
  13. Petroleum Engineering#14
  14. Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians#17
  15. Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services#18
  16. Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services#24
  17. Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other#24
  18. Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences#24
  19. Human Resources Management and Services#29
  20. Physics#32
  21. Design and Applied Arts#35
  22. Philosophy#40
  23. Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General#42
  24. Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication#43
  25. Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering#43
  26. Hospitality Administration/Management#43
  27. Civil Engineering#45
  28. Industrial Engineering#48

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 Houston 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 Houston programs; they are not necessarily ranked in the national top 50.

How Azimuth compares programs across colleges

Further analysis

Outcomes at University of Houston vary sharply by field, and Azimuth's program rankings measure what completers earn rather than a department's reputation. The rankings evaluate four-year earnings among completers, median debt, and cohort size.

Of the 57 programs with published earnings data, 55 carry an Azimuth national rank. The degree mix centers on Business, which accounts for 28.2% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Psychology at 7.4% and Computer & Information Sciences at 7.1%.

The largest single program is Psychology, at 605 degrees awarded a year, with a median of $52,892 four years after completion and a national rank of #97 in its field. Business Administration and Management, the second-largest, awards 543 degrees and ranks #85 nationally, with completers earning a median of $73,125 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.

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.