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Programs & majors brief

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# West Virginia University Majors & Programs

Updated September 30, 2026

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

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at West Virginia University?

At West Virginia University, median earnings four years after completion vary markedly across the fields shown here. Industrial Engineering recorded $99,180 and 105 degrees awarded; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #26 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field.

Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences had median earnings of $70,165 across 167 degrees awarded, with an Azimuth national rank of #8 among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Nursing posted $83,750 with 223 degrees awarded; Azimuth places it #202 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field.

At a more moderate earnings level, Kinesiology and Physical Education recorded $57,359 and 200 degrees awarded, ranking #79 nationally by Azimuth among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. The figures show distinct earnings levels even among programs with substantial numbers of 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.

-   Engineering**710 · 16.0%**
-   Business**708 · 16.0%**
-   Health professions**434 · 9.8%**
-   Biological sciences**372 · 8.4%**
-   Social sciences**286 · 6.5%**
-   Other**1,914 · 43.3%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

73 of 73 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs

**Mining and Mineral Engineering 17 degrees awarded**
$109,619

**Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering 50 degrees awarded**
$99,542

**Industrial Engineering 105 degrees awarded**
$99,180

**Computer Engineering 41 degrees awarded**
$99,048

**Computer Science 65 degrees awarded**
$98,277

**Chemical Engineering 34 degrees awarded**
$96,503

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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Mining and Mineral Engineering small degree count | 17 | $109,619 | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 50 | $99,542 | #103 |
| Industrial Engineering | 105 | $99,180 | #26 |
| Computer Engineering | 41 | $99,048 | #101 |
| Computer Science | 65 | $98,277 | #128 |
| Chemical Engineering | 34 | $96,503 | #84 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 50 | $95,324 | #20 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 79 | $94,750 | #36 |
| Petroleum Engineering | 64 | $91,142 | #16 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 182 | $90,461 | #138 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 223 | $83,750 | #202 |
| Civil Engineering | 96 | $82,117 | #115 |
| Mathematics | 21 | $77,144 | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 149 | $76,959 | #118 |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | 20 | $76,662 | #11 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 88 | $76,135 | #139 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | 21 | $76,034 | #34 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | 26 | $75,022 | #1 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 139 | $73,646 | #137 |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 167 | $70,165 | #8 |
| Marketing | 136 | $69,357 | #101 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management small degree count | 12 | $68,473 | — |
| Business/Managerial Economics | 20 | $68,161 | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences small degree count | 13 | $66,798 | — |
| Agricultural Business and Management | 49 | $66,022 | #36 |
| Business/Commerce, General | 101 | $65,372 | #43 |
| Public Health | 51 | $64,888 | #44 |
| Forestry small degree count | 13 | $64,568 | — |
| Security Science and Technology | 69 | $62,455 | #8 |
| Journalism | 150 | $58,454 | #28 |
| Biology, General | 115 | $57,486 | #201 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 200 | $57,359 | #79 |
| Geography and Cartography small degree count | 9 | $57,075 | — |
| Philosophy small degree count | 11 | $57,041 | — |
| Political Science and Government | 67 | $56,969 | #208 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 150 | $56,132 | #63 |
| Design and Applied Arts | 50 | $55,669 | #70 |
| Sociology small degree count | 15 | $54,596 | — |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 73 | $54,252 | #111 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other small degree count | 15 | $53,836 | — |
| Animal Sciences | 69 | $52,548 | #24 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 42 | $51,537 | #111 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 54 | $51,403 | #93 |
| Psychology, General | 149 | $51,263 | #184 |
| Plant Sciences | 44 | $50,249 | #26 |
| Social Work | 47 | $50,130 | #141 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 32 | $48,893 | #57 |
| Music | 48 | $48,226 | #47 |
| History | 34 | $45,388 | #231 |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | 54 | $45,348 | #11 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 49 | $44,180 | #96 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 50 | $41,920 | #247 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 43 | $40,942 | #59 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | 20 | $38,649 | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research small degree count | 19 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 64 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management small degree count | 9 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 42 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 9 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 34 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 33 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences small degree count | 16 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | 191 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Sustainability Studies small degree count | 17 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Chemistry | 25 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Physics small degree count | 13 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Criminology | 152 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 30 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Anthropology small degree count | 13 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 31 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General small degree count | 15 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations small degree count | 13 | 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 West Virginia University?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**
223

**Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness**
200

**Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General**
191

**Mechanical Engineering**
182

**Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences**
167

**Criminology**
152

**Journalism**
150

**Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities**
150

**Psychology, General**
149

**Finance and Financial Management Services**
149

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

## How do West Virginia University majors rank nationally?

### National program rankings

1.  Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy**#1**
2.  Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences**#8**
3.  Security Science and Technology**#8**
4.  Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management**#11**
5.  Dental Support Services and Allied Professions**#11**
6.  Petroleum Engineering**#16**
7.  Management Information Systems and Services**#20**
8.  Animal Sciences**#24**
9.  Plant Sciences**#26**
10.  Industrial Engineering**#26**
11.  Journalism**#28**
12.  Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions**#34**
13.  Agricultural Business and Management**#36**
14.  Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering**#36**
15.  Business/Commerce, General**#43**
16.  Public Health**#44**
17.  Music**#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

At West Virginia University, the choice of field matters: 54 programs have published earnings data, and outcomes vary across the catalog. The degree mix is led by Engineering at 16.1% of bachelor's degrees awarded, with Business close behind at 16.0% and Health Professions third at 9.8%.

The largest single program is Nursing, at 223 degrees awarded in a year and median earnings of $83,750 four years after completion; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #202 nationally within its field. Industrial Engineering earns $99,180 and ranks #26 nationally, while Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy carries the university's strongest national rank at #1 with earnings of $75,022.

Award counts here are degrees conferred in one academic year, not distinct students, and program earnings cover federally aided completers four years after completion.

## 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/).