Outcomes-based program rankings.
Program outcomes at Valparaiso University vary significantly by field of study. These rankings evaluate each program by post-graduation earnings, debt burden, and return on investment — not prestige or reputation.
Use this analysis to compare programs and understand which fields deliver the strongest outcomes.
Analyzing 32 programs with available earnings data.
recent graduates
This bar shows the range of median earnings across all majors at this school.
The tables below compare programs in each category by earnings, rank, debt, and cohort size.
These sections represent the complete set of ranked undergraduate programs at Valparaiso University.
Computer Engineering. leads engineering & technology with 96K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering.Small sample | — | $96,079★ | — | 10 |
| Computer Science. | — | $94,111 |
Program rankings are derived entirely from post-graduation outcomes. We do not use reputation surveys, selectivity metrics, or SAT scores. This means some programs may rank differently than you'd expect based on prestige — and that's intentional.
Median earnings 10 years post-enrollment
Debt burden relative to earnings
Institutional contribution to outcomes
Resources, cohort size, and graduation rates
Trajectory from early to mid-career
| — |
| 22 |
| Mechanical Engineering. | — | $90,583 | — | 42 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering.Small sample | — | $87,944 | — | 12 |
| Civil Engineering. | — | $80,173 | — | 27 |
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. leads business & economics with 86K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods.Small sample | — | $86,317★ | — | 16 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations.Small sample | — | $78,163 | — | 17 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services. | — | $73,880 | — | 25 |
| Accounting and Related Services.Small sample | — | $71,848 | — | 13 |
| Marketing. | — | $66,773 | — | 25 |
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General. leads health with 115K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General. | — | $115,095★ | — | 28 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | — | $81,278 | $26,043 | 147 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services.Small sample | — | $55,485 | — | 19 |
Chemistry. leads sciences & mathematics with 62K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemistry.Small sample | — | $62,245★ | — | 15 |
| Mathematics.Small sample | — | $61,564 | — | 8 |
| Biology, General. | — | $61,072 | — | 36 |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology.Small sample | — | $60,092 | — | 11 |
Criminology. leads social sciences & policy with 64K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Criminology.Small sample | — | $63,772★ | — | 6 |
| Psychology, General. | — | $58,104 | — | 39 |
| Social Work.Small sample | — | $57,609 | — | 6 |
| Political Science and Government.Small sample | — | $56,054 | — | 14 |
| Economics.Small sample | — | $40,467 | — | 6 |
Communication and Media Studies. leads communications with 50K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communication and Media Studies.Small sample | — | $50,325 | — | 18 |
English Language and Literature, General. leads humanities & arts with 52K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language and Literature, General.Small sample | — | $52,439★ | — | 8 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics.Small sample | — | $50,588 | — | 10 |
| Music.Small sample | — | $32,925 | — | 6 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies.Small sample | — | $28,598 | — | 6 |
| History.Small sample | — | $24,035 | — | 6 |
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas. leads education with 55K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas.Small sample | — | $54,933★ | — | 17 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. | — | $53,495 | — | 28 |
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness. leads other & interdisciplinary with 48K in median earnings.
| Program | National Rank | Median Earnings | Median Debt | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness.Small sample | — | $47,644★ | — | 16 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other.Small sample | — | $33,281 | — | 5 |
Why rankings may differ by program: A university's nursing program and business program can have entirely different outcome profiles. Our methodology surfaces these differences so you can evaluate programs — not just institutions.
