Programs & majors brief

University of Maryland-College Park Majors & Programs

Updated

Which majors earn the most at UMD?

University of Maryland-College Park fields 48 nationally ranked bachelor's programs, led by Criminology at #1 with 397 degrees awarded and median earnings of $67,258 four years after completion. Agricultural Engineering ranks #3 nationally and #1 in Maryland, awarding 95 degrees with a median of $93,440.

The highest-earning large program is Computer Science, which awards 954 degrees and reaches a median of $137,931, ranking #29 nationally. By contrast, Biology awards 554 degrees and reports median earnings of $64,867, with an Azimuth national rank of #56.

Psychology rounds out the largest programs at $57,575 and a national rank of #57 on 408 degrees awarded.

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.

  • Computer science1,577 · 17.2%
  • Social sciences1,258 · 13.7%
  • Business1,185 · 12.9%
  • Engineering1,088 · 11.9%
  • Biological sciences720 · 7.9%
  • Other3,340 · 36.4%

69 of 69 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs
Computer Engineering 117 degrees awarded
$152,422
Computer Science 954 degrees awarded
$137,931
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods 131 degrees awarded
$111,649
Finance and Financial Management Services 376 degrees awarded
$110,648
Information Science/Studies 623 degrees awarded
$109,092
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering 112 degrees awarded
$107,834

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 Engineering117$152,422#9
Computer Science954$137,931#29
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods131$111,649#9
Finance and Financial Management Services376$110,648#20
Information Science/Studies623$109,092#4
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering112$107,834#31
Chemical Engineering63$102,149#43
Mechanical Engineering360$100,003#27
Mathematics260$99,689#21
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering140$98,044#20
Materials Engineering33$97,714—
Accounting and Related Services154$97,314#33
Marketing252$93,782#10
Agricultural Engineering95$93,440#3
Civil Engineering120$93,280#26
Engineering, Other48$92,653#8
Physics71$90,900#14
International Business38$90,333#14
Business Administration, Management and Operations234$86,590#39
Economics400$83,880#72
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology57$80,470#8
Chemistry42$79,869#12
Agricultural Business and Management39$78,577#7
Political Science and Government329$74,437#44
Communication and Media Studies354$74,402#14
Food Science and Technology45$73,677#11
Public Health458$72,328#14
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services73$69,033#12
Architecture124$68,527#11
Journalism142$68,128#10
Criminology397$67,258#1
Sociology73$65,974#20
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology75$65,639#1
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services101$65,136#4
Biology, General554$64,867#56
Philosophy65$64,846#16
Geography and Cartography33$63,835#29
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness204$62,362#40
History85$60,089#47
Area Studies small degree count11$59,469—
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies small degree count8$59,461—
Natural Resources Conservation and Research52$59,329#53
English Language and Literature, General118$59,288#38
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics47$59,193#47
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods83$58,086#25
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count17$58,063—
Psychology, General408$57,575#57
Animal Sciences68$56,248#9
Fine and Studio Arts92$55,713#9
Anthropology26$53,038#36
Film/Video and Photographic Arts small degree count14$50,713—
Music42$47,654#55
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft30$41,742#61
Agriculture, General22Too few graduates to report—
Plant Sciences small degree count11Too few graduates to report—
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas small degree count15Too few graduates to report—
Special Education and Teaching small degree count9Too few graduates to report—
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services small degree count17Too few graduates to report—
Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count9Too few graduates to report—
Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count7Too few graduates to report—
Neurobiology and Neurosciences34Too few graduates to report—
Sustainability Studies small degree count16Too few graduates to report—
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other small degree count13Too few graduates to report—
Astronomy and Astrophysics20Too few graduates to report—
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences small degree count15Too few graduates to report—
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology small degree count9Too few graduates to report—
Research and Experimental Psychology small degree count14Too few graduates to report—
Public Policy Analysis101Too few graduates to report—
Dance small degree count9Too few graduates to report—

Program data and definitions · How to evaluate program rankings

What are the largest programs at UMD?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded
Computer Science
954
Information Science/Studies
623
Biology, General
554
Public Health
458
Psychology, General
408
Economics
400
Criminology
397
Finance and Financial Management Services
376
Mechanical Engineering
360
Communication and Media Studies
354

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

How do UMD majors rank nationally?

National program rankings

  1. Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology#1
  2. Criminology#1
  3. Agricultural Engineering#3
  4. Information Science/Studies#4
  5. Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services#4
  6. Agricultural Business and Management#7
  7. Engineering, Other#8
  8. Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology#8
  9. Animal Sciences#9
  10. Computer Engineering#9
  11. Fine and Studio Arts#9
  12. Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods#9
  13. Journalism#10
  14. Marketing#10
  15. Food Science and Technology#11
  16. Architecture#11
  17. Chemistry#12
  18. Communication Disorders Sciences and Services#12
  19. Communication and Media Studies#14
  20. Physics#14
  21. Public Health#14
  22. International Business#14
  23. Philosophy#16
  24. Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering#20
  25. Sociology#20
  26. Finance and Financial Management Services#20
  27. Mathematics#21
  28. Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods#25
  29. Civil Engineering#26
  30. Mechanical Engineering#27
  31. Computer Science#29
  32. Geography and Cartography#29
  33. Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering#31
  34. Accounting and Related Services#33
  35. Anthropology#36
  36. English Language and Literature, General#38
  37. Business Administration, Management and Operations#39
  38. Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness#40
  39. Chemical Engineering#43
  40. Political Science and Government#44
  41. Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics#47
  42. History#47

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

Outcomes at University of Maryland-College Park vary sharply by field, and Azimuth's program rankings are designed to make those differences clear. The rankings evaluate four-year earnings among federally aided completers, median debt, and cohort size rather than reputation.

The university has 48 ranked programs and 53 with published earnings data. The three largest program families are Computer & Information Sciences, at 17.2% of bachelor's degrees awarded, Social Sciences at 13.7%, and Business at 12.9%.

Award counts reflect degrees conferred in one academic year, not distinct students, and program earnings cover federally aided completers four years after completion. Computer Science is the largest single program, with 954 degrees awarded and median earnings of $137,931.

Azimuth ranks it #29 nationally and #1 in Maryland. The highest earnings belong to Computer Engineering graduates, at $152,422, from a much smaller cohort of 117 degrees a year.

Criminology holds the strongest national rank at #1, with 397 degrees awarded and earnings of $67,258.

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.