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Programs & majors brief

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# University of Missouri-Columbia Majors & Programs

Updated September 30, 2026

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

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at University of Missouri-Columbia?

The University of Missouri-Columbia awards bachelor's degrees across 53 fields with published four-year earnings, and [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 46 of them nationally. The largest program, Business/Commerce, awarded 627 degrees and its completers earn a median of $84,534 four years after completion.

That ranks #8 nationally and #1 in Missouri. Health Sciences follows with 439 degrees awarded and median earnings of $69,333, ranking #11 nationally.

Journalism, at 390 degrees awarded, shows median earnings of $69,016 and an Azimuth national rank of #5. By contrast, Psychology awarded 278 degrees and reports a more moderate median of $55,839, ranking #86 nationally.

The earnings spread between these fields shows how much the return picture can vary by program at this public university.

### 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.

-   Business**911 · 17.9%**
-   Health professions**906 · 17.8%**
-   Communication**574 · 11.3%**
-   Engineering**366 · 7.2%**
-   Social sciences**308 · 6.1%**
-   Other**2,017 · 39.7%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

67 of 67 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs

**Computer Engineering 17 degrees awarded**
$112,696

**Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering 38 degrees awarded**
$105,034

**Industrial Engineering 28 degrees awarded**
$101,380

**Computer and Information Sciences, General 172 degrees awarded**
$100,234

**Chemical Engineering 39 degrees awarded**
$95,989

**Accounting and Related Services 141 degrees awarded**
$95,415

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 small degree count | 17 | $112,696 | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 38 | $105,034 | #72 |
| Industrial Engineering | 28 | $101,380 | #33 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 172 | $100,234 | #63 |
| Chemical Engineering | 39 | $95,989 | #93 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 141 | $95,415 | #40 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 127 | $94,629 | #84 |
| Biological/Biosystems Engineering small degree count | 14 | $86,844 | — |
| Business/Commerce, General | 627 | $84,534 | #8 |
| Civil Engineering | 65 | $83,684 | #109 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 253 | $83,231 | #194 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | 44 | $82,831 | #5 |
| Mathematics | 43 | $81,518 | #63 |
| Statistics | 23 | $76,037 | #35 |
| Agricultural Mechanization small degree count | 13 | $75,958 | — |
| Area Studies | 47 | $75,230 | #4 |
| Economics | 96 | $74,661 | #120 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 77 | $73,861 | #35 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | 439 | $69,333 | #11 |
| Journalism | 390 | $69,016 | #5 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 85 | $65,029 | #24 |
| Political Science and Government | 122 | $64,747 | #107 |
| Plant Sciences | 33 | $62,957 | #10 |
| Chemistry | 23 | $61,884 | #108 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 49 | $61,713 | #61 |
| Housing and Human Environments | 47 | $61,683 | #3 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 48 | $61,441 | #30 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 34 | $61,080 | #13 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 184 | $61,007 | #69 |
| Biology, General | 210 | $60,424 | #136 |
| History | 30 | $56,632 | #103 |
| Geography and Cartography small degree count | 14 | $56,191 | — |
| Social Work small degree count | 17 | $56,157 | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 57 | $56,003 | #78 |
| Psychology, General | 278 | $55,839 | #86 |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | 29 | $55,790 | #6 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | 83 | $55,280 | #11 |
| Sociology | 39 | $55,098 | #117 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 53 | $54,133 | #74 |
| Special Education and Teaching | 20 | $51,901 | #46 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 30 | $51,254 | #31 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | 46 | $50,205 | #5 |
| Agriculture, General | 29 | $49,480 | — |
| Anthropology | 29 | $49,351 | #47 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 32 | $49,192 | #30 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 39 | $49,013 | #123 |
| Animal Sciences | 81 | $47,983 | #40 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 52 | $47,487 | #189 |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 8 | $46,920 | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 32 | $46,853 | #67 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 21 | $45,263 | #135 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 180 | $44,681 | #172 |
| Music | 24 | $39,241 | #130 |
| Food Science and Technology small degree count | 5 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Education, General | 23 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 38 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 6 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Philosophy small degree count | 12 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies small degree count | 8 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Physics | 22 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences small degree count | 12 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Archeology small degree count | 8 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft small degree count | 14 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | 61 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Public Health | 27 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations | 63 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 32 | 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 University of Missouri-Columbia?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Business/Commerce, General**
627

**Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General**
439

**Journalism**
390

**Psychology, General**
278

**Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**
253

**Biology, General**
210

**Communication and Media Studies**
184

**Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods**
180

**Computer and Information Sciences, General**
172

**Accounting and Related Services**
141

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

## How do University of Missouri-Columbia majors rank nationally?

### National program rankings

1.  Housing and Human Environments**#3**
2.  Area Studies**#4**
3.  Agricultural Business and Management**#5**
4.  Journalism**#5**
5.  Visual and Performing Arts, General**#5**
6.  Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology**#6**
7.  Business/Commerce, General**#8**
8.  Plant Sciences**#10**
9.  Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies**#11**
10.  Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General**#11**
11.  Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services**#13**
12.  Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities**#24**
13.  Film/Video and Photographic Arts**#30**
14.  Hospitality Administration/Management**#30**
15.  Fine and Studio Arts**#31**
16.  Industrial Engineering**#33**
17.  Statistics**#35**
18.  Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions**#35**
19.  Animal Sciences**#40**
20.  Accounting and Related Services**#40**
21.  Special Education and Teaching**#46**
22.  Anthropology**#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 Missouri-Columbia vary sharply by field, and [Azimuth's program ranking](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)s evaluate four-year earnings among federally aided completers, median debt, and cohort size rather than reputation. The university has 46 ranked programs, with earnings data published for 53 fields.

The degree mix is led by Business, which accounts for 17.9% of bachelor's degrees awarded, closely followed by Health Professions at 17.8% and Communication & Journalism at 11.3%. Award counts reflect degrees conferred in one academic year, not the number of students enrolled.

Among the largest programs, Business/Commerce awards 627 degrees a year and Azimuth ranks it #8 nationally, with completers earning a median of $84,534 four years after completion. Housing and Human Environments is ranked #3 nationally, with earnings of $61,683.

The top earner is Computer Engineering at $112,696 from a much smaller cohort of 17 degrees awarded.

## 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/).