All ISU majors by area
- Science & Math · 21
- Engineering · 16
- Business & Finance · 13
- Humanities & Languages · 13
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 10
- Health & Medicine · 6
- Arts & Design · 4
- Communications & Media · 3
- Education · 3
- Technology & Computing · 3
- Trades & Applied Technology · 1
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Mechanization | $63,321 | $78,890 | $20,946 |
| Statistics | $53,132 | $72,581 | $23,625 |
| Chemistry | $43,870 | $66,486 | $23,250 |
| Food Science and Technology | $60,351 | $65,943 | $26,254 |
| Geology / Earth Science | $50,150 | $65,204 | $26,250 |
| Biochemistry | $43,520 | $63,026 | $19,477 |
| Mathematics | $51,422 | $62,261 | $22,942 |
| Plant Sciences | $49,393 | $60,997 | $20,500 |
| International Agriculture | $52,068 | $56,405 | $22,250 |
| Genetics | $33,330 | $55,037 | $21,631 |
| Biology | $32,528 | $53,447 | $24,614 |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | — | $52,786 | — |
| Forestry | $39,337 | $52,650 | $19,437 |
| Animal Sciences | $39,567 | $51,644 | $21,500 |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | $37,890 | $51,387 | $22,227 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | $39,019 | $49,875 | $22,500 |
| Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | $29,842 | $39,143 | $24,347 |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | — | — | — |
| Physics | — | — | — |
| Sustainability Studies | — | — | — |
| Zoology / Animal Biology | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $79,182 | $105,753 | $24,337 |
| Construction Engineering | $77,845 | $100,676 | $20,500 |
| Electrical Engineering | $84,913 | $99,705 | $26,997 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering | $75,036 | $94,089 | $26,572 |
| Industrial Engineering | $74,310 | $92,914 | $23,750 |
| Chemical Engineering | $76,184 | $92,773 | $20,188 |
| Agricultural Engineering | $72,376 | $88,576 | $21,500 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $72,900 | $85,938 | $23,500 |
| Civil Engineering | $72,502 | $85,427 | $25,250 |
| Materials Engineering | $65,831 | $83,416 | $23,125 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | $62,416 | $82,548 | $25,236 |
| Architecture | $54,957 | $69,310 | $31,000 |
| Landscape Architecture | $53,355 | $61,364 | $29,750 |
| City / Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | $44,146 | $61,173 | $27,000 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | $57,928 | — | $31,000 |
| Environmental Engineering | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Economics | — | $93,379 | — |
| Management Information Systems | — | $87,413 | — |
| Business Administration | $57,188 | $78,304 | $22,250 |
| Finance | $56,974 | $75,360 | $21,750 |
| Economics | $57,619 | $75,355 | $23,414 |
| Accounting | $58,479 | $70,706 | $23,250 |
| Agricultural Business | $53,967 | $67,529 | $16,972 |
| Marketing | $48,304 | $66,482 | $23,250 |
| Hospitality Management | $36,743 | $55,491 | $20,998 |
| Entrepreneurship | $46,374 | — | $21,500 |
| Human Resources | — | — | — |
| International Business | — | — | — |
| Management Science / Analytics | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Writing | — | $69,673 | — |
| Area Studies | — | $61,860 | — |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | $37,909 | $61,697 | $23,748 |
| Liberal Arts / General Studies | $36,532 | $54,889 | $28,623 |
| Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $36,006 | $54,064 | $25,687 |
| History | $41,294 | $52,934 | $26,007 |
| English | $38,375 | $49,626 | $24,000 |
| Linguistics | $25,065 | $40,726 | $24,793 |
| Classics | — | — | — |
| Ethnic / Gender Studies | — | — | — |
| German | — | — | — |
| Philosophy | — | — | $21,906 |
| Religious Studies | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $36,492 | $60,059 | $25,425 |
| Dietetics | $33,958 | $54,391 | $21,000 |
| Nutrition Science | — | $53,933 | $16,474 |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | — | $49,493 | $22,059 |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | — | $44,892 | $27,000 |
| Nursing | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design | $37,565 | $52,671 | $27,000 |
| Visual and Performing Arts | — | $39,403 | — |
| Dance | — | — | — |
| Music | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Relations and Advertising | $42,530 | $62,965 | $24,750 |
| Communications | $40,497 | $57,110 | $19,425 |
| Journalism | $39,347 | $53,633 | $23,250 |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Subject Teaching) | $47,559 | $52,622 | $19,000 |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $45,512 | $47,462 | $25,000 |
| Education | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $78,517 | $104,211 | $24,663 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $60,397 | $83,267 | $24,438 |
| Computational Science | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations | — | — | — |
College Scorecard field of study, latest release: median earnings of graduates who received federal aid, 1 and 4 years after graduating; median federal loan debt. — means too few graduates to report.
From major to career
Mechanical Engineering → Mechanical engineer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job. U.S. jobs projected to grow 11.2% from 2025 to 2035. Typical entry education: bachelor's degree.
BLS OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Marketing → Marketing specialist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job. U.S. jobs projected to grow 7.0% from 2025 to 2035. Typical entry education: bachelor's degree.
BLS OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Across all majors, former ISU students earn a median $63,386 ten years after starting college, more than 90% of Iowa colleges we cover. 75% graduate within six years.
ISU majors questions
How many majors does ISU offer?
Iowa State University offers 93 bachelor's majors across 11 areas; the most majors are in Science & Math and Engineering.
What is the highest-paying major at ISU?
Computer Engineering graduates from Iowa State University earn a median $105,753 four years after graduating, the highest of the 71 majors with reported earnings. Their median debt is $24,337.
Which ISU majors earn the least?
Among majors with reported earnings, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology graduates earn the least: a median $39,143 four years after graduating.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections). Back to Iowa State University overview