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Programs & majors brief

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# Vanderbilt University Majors & Programs

Updated October 1, 2026

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

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at Vanderbilt University?

[Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) four of Vanderbilt University's bachelor's programs nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions, and the contrast between higher- and moderate-earning fields is sharp. Computer Science leads the largest programs with a median of $160,021 four years after completion, on 205 degrees awarded.

Economics follows at $140,337 with 251 degrees awarded and an Azimuth national rank of #9 in its field. Social Sciences — the university's top-ranked program at #1 nationally — reports $103,229 on 245 degrees awarded.

The largest program by degrees, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, sits at a more moderate $86,559 with 279 degrees awarded and an Azimuth national rank of #5.

### 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.

-   Social sciences**657 · 27.0%**
-   Interdisciplinary studies**361 · 14.9%**
-   Computer science**205 · 8.4%**
-   Engineering**204 · 8.4%**
-   Biological sciences**185 · 7.6%**
-   Other**818 · 33.7%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

45 of 45 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs

**Computer Science 205 degrees awarded**
$160,021

**Mathematics 151 degrees awarded**
$141,171

**Economics 251 degrees awarded**
$140,337

**Chemical Engineering 26 degrees awarded**
$121,641

**Biomedical/Medical Engineering 50 degrees awarded**
$116,662

**Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 59 degrees awarded**
$114,368

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 Science | 205 | $160,021 | #21 |
| Mathematics | 151 | $141,171 | #5 |
| Economics | 251 | $140,337 | #9 |
| Chemical Engineering | 26 | $121,641 | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 50 | $116,662 | #4 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 59 | $114,368 | #1 |
| Social Sciences, General | 245 | $103,229 | #1 |
| Political Science and Government | 104 | $102,789 | #3 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 52 | $101,345 | #31 |
| Public Policy Analysis | 42 | $91,265 | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 279 | $86,559 | #5 |
| Sociology | 38 | $83,649 | — |
| Civil Engineering small degree count | 13 | $82,744 | — |
| Psychology, General | 100 | $71,584 | #14 |
| History | 49 | $69,820 | #23 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 63 | $60,439 | #31 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 103 | $59,575 | #25 |
| Music | 44 | $59,217 | #6 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 35 | $55,188 | — |
| Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation small degree count | 5 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Area Studies small degree count | 17 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies small degree count | 11 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 28 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Education, General small degree count | 18 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Special Education and Teaching small degree count | 12 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas small degree count | 9 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Engineering Science | 37 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Computer Engineering small degree count | 13 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering small degree count | 13 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 21 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | 21 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 68 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Biology, General small degree count | 14 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Cognitive Science | 45 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Science, Technology and Society | 25 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Classical and Ancient Studies small degree count | 12 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Philosophy | 21 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Chemistry | 21 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Physics small degree count | 12 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences small degree count | 11 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 29 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Anthropology small degree count | 19 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 23 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts small degree count | 11 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft small degree count | 5 | 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 Vanderbilt University?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other**
279

**Economics**
251

**Social Sciences, General**
245

**Computer Science**
205

**Mathematics**
151

**Political Science and Government**
104

**Neurobiology and Neurosciences**
103

**Psychology, General**
100

**Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology**
68

**English Language and Literature, General**
63

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

## How do Vanderbilt University majors rank nationally?

### National program rankings

1.  Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics**#1**
2.  Social Sciences, General**#1**
3.  Political Science and Government**#3**
4.  Biomedical/Medical Engineering**#4**
5.  Mathematics**#5**
6.  Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other**#5**
7.  Music**#6**
8.  Economics**#9**
9.  Psychology, General**#14**
10.  Computer Science**#21**
11.  History**#23**
12.  Neurobiology and Neurosciences**#25**
13.  Mechanical Engineering**#31**
14.  English Language and Literature, General**#31**

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

At Vanderbilt University, what graduates earn four years after completion depends heavily on field of study. 19 programs carry published earnings data, and 14 of those have an Azimuth national rank.

Social Sciences is the largest degree family, accounting for 27.0% of bachelor's degrees awarded. Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies follows at 14.9%, and Computer & Information Sciences at 8.4%.

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies leads in volume at 279 degrees awarded a year and ranks #5 nationally within its field, with completers earning $86,559 four years after completion. Economics ranks #9 nationally, with completers earning $140,337 from 251 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/).