1.  [College research](/)
2.  /
3.  [Western Kentucky University](/school/western-kentucky-university/)
4.  /
5.  Programs & majors brief

Programs & majors brief

Copy linkPrint brief

# Western Kentucky University Majors & Programs

Updated October 1, 2026

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

**On this page**+

## Which majors earn the most at Western Kentucky University?

At Western Kentucky University, program choice makes the earnings picture uneven across several large fields. Nursing has median earnings of $73,496 four years after completion, with 170 degrees awarded; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #293 nationally within its field.

Marketing records $60,222 and 136 degrees awarded, with an Azimuth national rank of #148. Business Administration and Management posts $59,362 across 209 degrees awarded and ranks #258 nationally by Azimuth.

Teacher Education is lower at $38,656, with 131 degrees awarded and an Azimuth national rank of #226. The higher and moderate earning fields sit alongside a lower-earning education field, so program selection matters when reading the university's overall earnings.

### 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**604 · 20.3%**
-   Health professions**364 · 12.2%**
-   Social sciences**257 · 8.6%**
-   Education**203 · 6.8%**
-   Communication**195 · 6.6%**
-   Other**1,354 · 45.5%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

66 of 66 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs

**Mechanical Engineering 46 degrees awarded**
$86,624

**Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians 37 degrees awarded**
$86,033

**Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering 12 degrees awarded**
$85,772

**Civil Engineering 33 degrees awarded**
$75,732

**Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 170 degrees awarded**
$73,496

**Computer and Information Sciences, General 60 degrees awarded**
$73,300

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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Mechanical Engineering | 46 | $86,624 | #216 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | 37 | $86,033 | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering small degree count | 12 | $85,772 | — |
| Civil Engineering | 33 | $75,732 | #172 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 170 | $73,496 | #293 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 60 | $73,300 | #170 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 74 | $71,274 | #185 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 22 | $71,240 | #12 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 78 | $70,313 | #141 |
| Economics | 38 | $68,051 | — |
| International Relations and National Security Studies small degree count | 15 | $64,710 | — |
| Marketing | 136 | $60,222 | #148 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 72 | $60,103 | #47 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 209 | $59,362 | #258 |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | 21 | $57,958 | #39 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 33 | $57,844 | #87 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | 53 | $57,271 | #44 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 116 | $54,396 | #121 |
| Political Science and Government | 41 | $54,333 | #230 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 14 | $53,921 | — |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 87 | $53,839 | #65 |
| Biology, General | 102 | $52,487 | #285 |
| Agriculture, General | 73 | $51,065 | #15 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 29 | $50,712 | #68 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 40 | $50,392 | #201 |
| Social Work | 87 | $48,771 | #134 |
| Journalism | 59 | $47,661 | #93 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 138 | $46,583 | #150 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 63 | $45,957 | #69 |
| Apparel and Textiles | 40 | $45,420 | #32 |
| Criminology | 83 | $45,124 | #47 |
| Psychology, General | 118 | $44,848 | #288 |
| Public Health small degree count | 15 | $43,605 | — |
| Sociology | 38 | $43,520 | #238 |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 15 | $43,210 | — |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management small degree count | 14 | $42,600 | — |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication small degree count | 9 | $41,791 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 45 | $40,838 | #153 |
| Special Education and Teaching | 27 | $40,705 | #79 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 33 | $40,616 | #260 |
| Anthropology small degree count | 13 | $40,415 | — |
| History | 27 | $38,836 | #272 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 131 | $38,656 | #226 |
| Mathematics | 22 | $38,434 | — |
| Music | 38 | $38,377 | #126 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 22 | $34,987 | #120 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research small degree count | 8 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Computer Science | 26 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 5 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Legal Support Services small degree count | 9 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| English Language and Literature/Letters, Other small degree count | 10 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology small degree count | 10 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Data Analytics | 34 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis small degree count | 10 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Chemistry | 30 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences small degree count | 9 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology small degree count | 7 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 38 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Geography and Cartography small degree count | 18 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Social Sciences, General small degree count | 11 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Dance small degree count | 15 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts small degree count | 11 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Construction Management | 31 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| International Business small degree count | 17 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Business/Managerial Economics small degree count | 16 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations small degree count | 14 | 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 Western Kentucky University?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Business Administration, Management and Operations**
209

**Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing**
170

**Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities**
138

**Marketing**
136

**Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods**
131

**Psychology, General**
118

**Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness**
116

**Biology, General**
102

**Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication**
87

**Social Work**
87

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

## How do Western Kentucky University majors rank nationally?

### National program rankings

1.  Architectural Sciences and Technology**#12**
2.  Agriculture, General**#15**
3.  Apparel and Textiles**#32**
4.  Dental Support Services and Allied Professions**#39**
5.  Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General**#44**
6.  Criminology**#47**
7.  Health and Medical Administrative Services**#47**
8.  Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Included by program size**#150**
9.  Business Administration, Management and Operations Included by program size**#258**
10.  Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Included by program size**#293**

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

Program-level outcomes at Western Kentucky University depend heavily on field. Azimuth evaluates programs using four-year earnings among federally aided completers, debt, and cohort size rather than reputation.

46 programs carry published earnings data, and 35 of those have a national rank. Business leads the degree mix at 20.3% of bachelor's degrees awarded.

Health Professions comes next at 12.2%, and Social Sciences accounts for 8.6%. Architectural Sciences and Technology ranks #12 nationally in its field, with graduates reporting median earnings of $71,240 four years after completion.

Business Administration and Management, the largest program, ranks #258 nationally and reports earnings of $59,362 from 209 degrees awarded. Nursing ranks #293 nationally and shows earnings of $73,496 from 170 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/).