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Programs & majors brief

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# Western Michigan University Majors & Programs

Updated October 1, 2026

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

**On this page**+

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

Western Michigan University's largest programs span fields with markedly different earnings four years after completion. Air Transportation, with 214 degrees awarded, shows a median of $89,564 and an Azimuth national rank of #7 in its field, the best in Michigan.

Marketing and Business Administration and Management, the two largest programs by degrees awarded, reach $71,371 and $75,143 respectively, with national ranks of #62 and #114. In contrast, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies reports a median of $54,597 on 175 degrees awarded, ranking #57 nationally.

The spread between the highest- and lowest-earning large programs reflects the range of fields the university serves, from technical disciplines to broader liberal-arts and interdisciplinary study.

### 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**985 · 25.9%**
-   Health professions**346 · 9.1%**
-   Engineering**291 · 7.6%**
-   Visual and performing arts**244 · 6.4%**
-   Transportation**214 · 5.6%**
-   Other**1,730 · 45.4%**

Find a field

Sort programsLargest programsHighest four-year earningsBest national field rankProgram name

74 of 74 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs

**Paper Science and Engineering 15 degrees awarded**
$102,825

**Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering 34 degrees awarded**
$95,469

**Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering 41 degrees awarded**
$94,177

**Industrial Engineering 34 degrees awarded**
$92,306

**Chemical Engineering 47 degrees awarded**
$91,777

**Computer Science 47 degrees awarded**
$90,876

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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Paper Science and Engineering small degree count | 15 | $102,825 | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 34 | $95,469 | #170 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 41 | $94,177 | #43 |
| Industrial Engineering | 34 | $92,306 | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 47 | $91,777 | #113 |
| Computer Science | 47 | $90,876 | #154 |
| Air Transportation | 214 | $89,564 | #7 |
| Engineering-Related Fields small degree count | 13 | $88,746 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 82 | $87,477 | #209 |
| Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians | 20 | $84,622 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 115 | $83,449 | #249 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | 27 | $82,740 | #19 |
| Civil Engineering | 28 | $78,368 | #167 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 239 | $75,143 | #114 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 28 | $74,566 | #196 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 194 | $72,353 | #131 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 44 | $71,870 | #36 |
| Marketing | 277 | $71,371 | #62 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 65 | $68,351 | #8 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 172 | $66,666 | #205 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 70 | $64,679 | #5 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 66 | $64,127 | #46 |
| Biology, General | 143 | $59,249 | #182 |
| Design and Applied Arts | 64 | $58,634 | #54 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences small degree count | 14 | $58,164 | — |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 31 | $58,023 | #100 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 119 | $57,012 | #87 |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | 27 | $56,449 | #20 |
| Political Science and Government | 51 | $54,840 | #233 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 175 | $54,597 | #57 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 51 | $54,265 | #62 |
| Sociology small degree count | 18 | $51,835 | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 39 | $51,446 | #192 |
| Special Education and Teaching small degree count | 15 | $50,665 | — |
| Psychology, General | 116 | $50,655 | #211 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 146 | $50,134 | #161 |
| Geography and Cartography | 22 | $49,921 | #76 |
| Social Work | 73 | $49,850 | #133 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 111 | $49,340 | #102 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 77 | $49,286 | #52 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions small degree count | 11 | $48,065 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 70 | $47,898 | #173 |
| History small degree count | 17 | $46,909 | — |
| Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations | 29 | $46,543 | #11 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 32 | $45,391 | #50 |
| Dance small degree count | 16 | $45,108 | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 37 | $44,694 | #34 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 20 | $43,628 | #256 |
| Anthropology small degree count | 13 | $41,490 | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 27 | $40,792 | #42 |
| International/Globalization Studies small degree count | 8 | $40,663 | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 27 | $37,013 | #132 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 27 | $36,615 | #201 |
| Music | 68 | $36,254 | #133 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 30 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication small degree count | 12 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Education, Other small degree count | 14 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Computer Engineering small degree count | 10 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count | 6 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Legal Professions and Studies, Other small degree count | 18 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology small degree count | 10 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology small degree count | 10 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Statistics small degree count | 6 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Mathematics small degree count | 5 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Applied Mathematics small degree count | 5 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management small degree count | 5 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Philosophy small degree count | 9 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Chemistry small degree count | 8 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Physics small degree count | 8 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Economics small degree count | 12 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | 33 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Public Health small degree count | 13 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 20 | Too few graduates to report | — |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations small degree count | 10 | 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 Michigan University?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded

**Marketing**
277

**Business Administration, Management and Operations**
239

**Air Transportation**
214

**Finance and Financial Management Services**
194

**Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other**
175

**Accounting and Related Services**
172

**Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness**
146

**Biology, General**
143

**Criminal Justice and Corrections**
119

**Psychology, General**
116

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

## How do Western Michigan University majors rank nationally?

### National program rankings

1.  Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology**#5**
2.  Air Transportation**#7**
3.  Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions**#8**
4.  Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations**#11**
5.  Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians**#19**
6.  Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services**#20**
7.  Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft**#34**
8.  Human Resources Management and Services**#36**
9.  Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies**#42**
10.  Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering**#43**
11.  Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication**#46**
12.  Film/Video and Photographic Arts**#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](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)

## Further analysis

Outcomes at Western Michigan University vary sharply by field of study, and [Azimuth's program ranking](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)s evaluate four-year earnings among federally aided completers, median debt, and cohort size rather than reputation. The university has 42 ranked programs and publishes earnings data for 54 fields.

The degree mix is led by Business, which accounts for 25.9% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Health Professions at 9.1% and Engineering at 7.6%. The largest single program is Marketing, with 277 degrees awarded and median earnings of $71,371 four years after completion.

It ranks #62 nationally and #2 in Michigan. Paper Science and Engineering completers earn a median of $102,825 four years after completion, though the program awards only 15 degrees a year.

Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology holds the strongest national rank at #5, with 70 degrees awarded and earnings of $64,679. Across all fields, 16.0% of degrees awarded are in STEM.

## 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/).