Programs & majors brief

Yale University Majors & Programs

Updated

Which majors earn the most at Yale University?

The largest programs at Yale University show a wide earnings spread four years after completion, from $90,764 in Political Science to $188,157 in Computer and Information Sciences. Economics awards the most degrees, at 204 a year, and its graduates earn a median of $142,936.

Azimuth ranks the program #8 nationally in its field. Computer and Information Sciences awarded 121 degrees and has a median of $188,157.

Azimuth ranks it #3 in its field. History, a more moderate-earning field, awards 94 degrees and its graduates earn $109,947, with a national rank of #2.

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 sciences437 · 25.8%
  • Biological sciences185 · 10.9%
  • Computer science130 · 7.7%
  • Mathematics127 · 7.5%
  • Interdisciplinary studies121 · 7.2%
  • Other692 · 40.9%

46 of 46 programs shown

Four-year earnings · first six matching programs
Computer and Information Sciences, General 121 degrees awarded
$188,157
Economics 204 degrees awarded
$142,936
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities 16 degrees awarded
$113,788
History 94 degrees awarded
$109,947
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences 89 degrees awarded
$92,646
Political Science and Government 137 degrees awarded
$90,764

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
ProgramDegrees awarded4-yr earningsField rank
Computer and Information Sciences, General121$188,157#3
Economics204$142,936#8
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities small degree count16$113,788—
History94$109,947#2
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences89$92,646#2
Political Science and Government137$90,764#11
Area Studies42$67,230—
Research and Experimental Psychology81$65,752—
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies40$65,213#3
English Language and Literature, General56$62,440—
Natural Resources Conservation and Research33Too few graduates to report—
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning small degree count11Too few graduates to report—
Architecture small degree count8Too few graduates to report—
Computer Programming small degree count9Too few graduates to report—
Biomedical/Medical Engineering25Too few graduates to report—
Engineering Science small degree count16Too few graduates to report—
Mechanical Engineering small degree count16Too few graduates to report—
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering small degree count12Too few graduates to report—
Chemical Engineering small degree count10Too few graduates to report—
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering small degree count5Too few graduates to report—
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services21Too few graduates to report—
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count10Too few graduates to report—
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics small degree count6Too few graduates to report—
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology33Too few graduates to report—
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology32Too few graduates to report—
Neurobiology and Neurosciences31Too few graduates to report—
Mathematics59Too few graduates to report—
Statistics56Too few graduates to report—
Applied Mathematics small degree count12Too few graduates to report—
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other68Too few graduates to report—
Cognitive Science42Too few graduates to report—
Mathematics and Computer Science small degree count11Too few graduates to report—
Philosophy29Too few graduates to report—
Religion/Religious Studies small degree count5Too few graduates to report—
Physics36Too few graduates to report—
Chemistry23Too few graduates to report—
Astronomy and Astrophysics small degree count9Too few graduates to report—
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences small degree count8Too few graduates to report—
International Relations and National Security Studies56Too few graduates to report—
Sociology20Too few graduates to report—
Anthropology small degree count15Too few graduates to report—
Archeology small degree count5Too few graduates to report—
Fine and Studio Arts39Too few graduates to report—
Film/Video and Photographic Arts small degree count17Too few graduates to report—
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft small degree count13Too few graduates to report—
Music small degree count11Too few graduates to report—

Program data and definitions · How to evaluate program rankings

What are the largest programs at Yale University?

Ten largest programs by degrees awarded
Economics
204
Political Science and Government
137
Computer and Information Sciences, General
121
History
94
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
89
Research and Experimental Psychology
81
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
68
Mathematics
59
English Language and Literature, General
56
Statistics
56

Counts describe degrees awarded in the reporting period, not current enrollment. Program data and definitions

How do Yale University majors rank nationally?

National program rankings

  1. Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences#2
  2. History#2
  3. Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies#3
  4. Computer and Information Sciences, General#3
  5. Economics#8
  6. Political Science and Government#11

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

Further analysis

Program rankings at Azimuth rest on four-year earnings among completers, debt, and cohort size, not reputation. Outcomes differ by field at Yale University.

Earnings data cover 10 programs, and 6 have an Azimuth national rank. The degree mix is led by Social Sciences, at 25.8% of degrees awarded, with Biological Sciences next at 10.9% and Computer & Information Sciences at 7.7%.

Program earnings cover federally aided completers. Computer and Information Sciences ranks #3 nationally within its field, with median earnings of $188,157 four years after completion.

History ranks #2 nationally, with graduates earning $109,947. No program awards more degrees than Economics, at 204 a year; it ranks #8 nationally and shows median earnings of $142,936.

Data & methodology

Sources and reporting periods: methodology.

Analysis and methodology by Daniel Rogers, 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.