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Programs & majors brief

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# University of Maryland-College Park Majors & Programs

Updated September 30, 2026

[Overview](/school/university-of-maryland-college-park/)[Cost & aid](/school/university-of-maryland-college-park/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/university-of-maryland-college-park/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/university-of-maryland-college-park/admissions/)Majors[Similar schools](/school/university-of-maryland-college-park/similar/)

**On this page**+

## 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 science**1,577 · 17.2%**
-   Social sciences**1,258 · 13.7%**
-   Business**1,185 · 12.9%**
-   Engineering**1,088 · 11.9%**
-   Biological sciences**720 · 7.9%**
-   Other**3,340 · 36.4%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

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

| Program | Degrees awarded | 4-yr earnings | Field rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Computer Engineering | 117 | $152,422 | #9 |
| Computer Science | 954 | $137,931 | #29 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 131 | $111,649 | #9 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 376 | $110,648 | #20 |
| Information Science/Studies | 623 | $109,092 | #4 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 112 | $107,834 | #31 |
| Chemical Engineering | 63 | $102,149 | #43 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 360 | $100,003 | #27 |
| Mathematics | 260 | $99,689 | #21 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 140 | $98,044 | #20 |
| Materials Engineering | 33 | $97,714 | — |
| Accounting and Related Services | 154 | $97,314 | #33 |
| Marketing | 252 | $93,782 | #10 |
| Agricultural Engineering | 95 | $93,440 | #3 |
| Civil Engineering | 120 | $93,280 | #26 |
| Engineering, Other | 48 | $92,653 | #8 |
| Physics | 71 | $90,900 | #14 |
| International Business | 38 | $90,333 | #14 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 234 | $86,590 | #39 |
| Economics | 400 | $83,880 | #72 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 57 | $80,470 | #8 |
| Chemistry | 42 | $79,869 | #12 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | 39 | $78,577 | #7 |
| Political Science and Government | 329 | $74,437 | #44 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 354 | $74,402 | #14 |
| Food Science and Technology | 45 | $73,677 | #11 |
| Public Health | 458 | $72,328 | #14 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 73 | $69,033 | #12 |
| Architecture | 124 | $68,527 | #11 |
| Journalism | 142 | $68,128 | #10 |
| Criminology | 397 | $67,258 | #1 |
| Sociology | 73 | $65,974 | #20 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 75 | $65,639 | #1 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 101 | $65,136 | #4 |
| Biology, General | 554 | $64,867 | #56 |
| Philosophy | 65 | $64,846 | #16 |
| Geography and Cartography | 33 | $63,835 | #29 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 204 | $62,362 | #40 |
| History | 85 | $60,089 | #47 |
| Area Studies small degree count | 11 | $59,469 | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies small degree count | 8 | $59,461 | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 52 | $59,329 | #53 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 118 | $59,288 | #38 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 47 | $59,193 | #47 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 83 | $58,086 | #25 |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 17 | $58,063 | — |
| Psychology, General | 408 | $57,575 | #57 |
| Animal Sciences | 68 | $56,248 | #9 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 92 | $55,713 | #9 |
| Anthropology | 26 | $53,038 | #36 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts small degree count | 14 | $50,713 | — |
| Music | 42 | $47,654 | #55 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 30 | $41,742 | #61 |
| Agriculture, General | 22 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Plant Sciences small degree count | 11 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas small degree count | 15 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Special Education and Teaching small degree count | 9 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services small degree count | 17 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 9 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 34 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Sustainability Studies small degree count | 16 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other small degree count | 13 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 20 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences small degree count | 15 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology small degree count | 9 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology small degree count | 14 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Public Policy Analysis | 101 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Dance small degree count | 9 | 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 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](#page-sources)

## 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](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)

## Further analysis

Outcomes at University of Maryland-College Park vary sharply by field, and [Azimuth's program ranking](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)s 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](/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/).