Programs & majors brief

University of Rhode Island Majors & Programs

Updated

Which majors earn the most at University of Rhode Island?

At University of Rhode Island, prominent programs range from higher-earning engineering and health fields to a more moderate-earning social science option. Chemical Engineering reports median earnings of $103,525 four years after completion and 28 degrees awarded; Azimuth ranks it #54 nationally in its field.

Biomedical Engineering posts $96,532 in median earnings, with 30 degrees awarded and an Azimuth national rank of #55 in its field. Nursing pairs median earnings of $96,020 four years after completion with 290 degrees awarded, and Azimuth ranks it #79 nationally in its field.

Psychology sits at the more moderate end, reporting $56,571 in median earnings, 224 degrees awarded, and an Azimuth national rank of #78 in its field. The figures show a clear earnings contrast across these prominent fields.

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.

  • Health professions522 · 14.9%
  • Business481 · 13.7%
  • Engineering300 · 8.5%
  • Social sciences292 · 8.3%
  • Communication291 · 8.3%
  • Other1,628 · 46.3%

63 of 63 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering 27 degrees awarded
$106,153
Chemical Engineering 28 degrees awarded
$103,525
Computer Engineering 22 degrees awarded
$100,975
Biomedical/Medical Engineering 30 degrees awarded
$96,532
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 290 degrees awarded
$96,020
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 5 degrees awarded
$90,953

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
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering27$106,153#67
Chemical Engineering28$103,525#54
Computer Engineering22$100,975#110
Biomedical/Medical Engineering30$96,532#55
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing290$96,020#79
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count5$90,953—
Ocean Engineering26$90,901#2
Industrial Engineering small degree count13$90,399—
Mechanical Engineering120$89,901#151
Computer and Information Sciences, General96$88,915#103
Finance and Financial Management Services111$87,196#73
Accounting and Related Services74$86,076#89
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions small degree count12$80,478—
Biology, General193$80,379#13
Business Administration, Management and Operations154$79,692#79
Civil Engineering34$79,457#156
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences42$77,681#7
Economics47$77,225#130
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count15$77,224—
Marketing107$75,011#68
Landscape Architecture small degree count16$74,488—
Mathematics26$73,746#110
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication97$72,328#19
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy small degree count16$72,311—
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics47$67,384#20
Communication and Media Studies170$64,520#50
Apparel and Textiles64$64,328#7
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services35$61,079#8
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services59$60,922#54
Political Science and Government108$60,559#145
Natural Resources Conservation and Research small degree count12$59,964—
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods120$56,999#31
Psychology, General224$56,571#78
English Language and Literature, General48$54,524#103
History51$54,001#104
Sociology small degree count12$53,802—
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies small degree count18$52,625—
Music small degree count12$52,346—
Journalism24$52,115#87
Public Policy Analysis41$51,697#24
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services92$51,416#38
Animal Sciences75$50,203#29
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology30$48,446#27
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services small degree count13$48,403—
Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management small degree count6$48,348—
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management35$45,571#12
Film/Video and Photographic Arts65$44,983#36
Fine and Studio Arts22$44,272—
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences small degree count9$40,858—
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft small degree count13$33,972—
Agricultural Production Operations small degree count7Too few graduates to report—
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies20Too few graduates to report—
Biotechnology small degree count18Too few graduates to report—
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other small degree count11Too few graduates to report—
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness142Too few graduates to report—
Philosophy small degree count11Too few graduates to report—
Chemistry small degree count13Too few graduates to report—
Criminology110Too few graduates to report—
Anthropology small degree count15Too few graduates to report—
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General126Too few graduates to report—
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations small degree count12Too few graduates to report—
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations small degree count12Too few graduates to report—
International Business small degree count11Too few graduates to report—

Program data and definitions · How to evaluate program rankings

What are the largest programs at University of Rhode Island?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
290
Psychology, General
224
Biology, General
193
Communication and Media Studies
170
Business Administration, Management and Operations
154
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
142
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
126
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
120
Mechanical Engineering
120
Finance and Financial Management Services
111

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

How do University of Rhode Island majors rank nationally?

National program rankings

  1. Ocean Engineering#2
  2. Apparel and Textiles#7
  3. Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences#7
  4. Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services#8
  5. Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management#12
  6. Biology, General#13
  7. Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication#19
  8. Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics#20
  9. Public Policy Analysis#24
  10. Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology#27
  11. Animal Sciences#29
  12. Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods#31
  13. Film/Video and Photographic Arts#36
  14. Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services#38
  15. Communication and Media Studies#50

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

Azimuth's program rankings evaluate four-year earnings among federally aided completers, median debt, and cohort size rather than reputation, and the spread at University of Rhode Island shows why that matters. The university has 35 ranked programs and earnings data for 50 fields.

The degree mix is led by Health Professions, which accounts for 14.8% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Business at 13.7% and Engineering at 8.5%. The largest single program is Nursing, at 290 degrees a year, with median earnings of $96,020 and a national rank of #79.

Biology is smaller at 193 degrees but ranks #13 nationally and earns $80,379. The highest-earning program is Electrical Engineering, where graduates earn $106,153 four years out, though it awards only 27 degrees a year.

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.