All Northwestern University majors by area
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 17
- Humanities & Languages · 16
- Engineering · 14
- Science & Math · 13
- Arts & Design · 5
- Education · 5
- Business & Finance · 4
- Communications & Media · 4
- Technology & Computing · 4
- Health & Medicine · 3
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts / General Studies | — | $93,180 | — |
| History | $50,161 | $78,966 | $15,917 |
| English | $31,748 | $62,147 | $15,564 |
| Ethnic / Gender Studies | $39,012 | $59,372 | — |
| Area Studies | — | — | — |
| Classics | — | — | — |
| East Asian Languages (Chinese / Japanese / Korean) | — | — | — |
| German | — | — | — |
| Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Middle / Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | — | — | — |
| Philosophy | — | — | — |
| Religious Studies | — | — | — |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | — | — | — |
| Writing | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Engineering | $89,811 | $138,720 | $17,912 |
| Chemical Engineering | $80,709 | $111,040 | $16,500 |
| Biomedical Engineering | $68,592 | $102,994 | $17,063 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $75,253 | $98,277 | $15,334 |
| Manufacturing Engineering | — | $97,819 | — |
| Architecture and Related Services, Other | — | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | — | — | — |
| Computer Engineering | — | — | — |
| Electrical Engineering | — | — | — |
| Engineering | — | — | — |
| Engineering Science | — | — | — |
| Engineering, Other | — | — | — |
| Environmental Engineering | — | — | — |
| Materials Engineering | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Mathematics | $94,684 | $148,740 | — |
| Statistics | $77,917 | $122,682 | $14,000 |
| Mathematics | $79,530 | $107,072 | $12,418 |
| Biology | — | $71,181 | $14,800 |
| Neuroscience | $35,334 | $54,279 | $16,948 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | — | — | — |
| Chemistry | — | — | — |
| Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | — | — | — |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | — | — | — |
| Geology / Earth Science | — | — | — |
| Materials Sciences | — | — | — |
| Physics | — | — | — |
| Sustainability Studies | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Music | $34,823 | $53,875 | $18,166 |
| Theatre | $19,245 | $49,316 | $17,000 |
| Dance | — | — | — |
| Studio Art | — | — | — |
| Visual and Performing Arts | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education | — | — | — |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | — | — | — |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | — | — | — |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | — | — | — |
| Special Education | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economics | $84,932 | $126,006 | $16,227 |
| Human Resources | $82,255 | $108,498 | $38,832 |
| Business | — | — | — |
| Entrepreneurship | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communications | $52,210 | $93,541 | $18,112 |
| Journalism | $50,426 | $80,258 | $15,333 |
| Broadcasting / Digital Media | $24,611 | $51,471 | $15,500 |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Science / Studies | $102,998 | $163,740 | $12,000 |
| Computer Science | $99,981 | $155,106 | $14,600 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | — | — | — |
| Data Science | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Med / Pre-Health | — | — | — |
| Public Health | $39,956 | — | $14,684 |
| Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders | — | — | — |
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
Journalism → Reporter / journalist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job. U.S. jobs projected to shrink 5.9% from 2025 to 2035. Typical entry education: bachelor's degree.
BLS OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Communications → Public relations specialist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job. U.S. jobs projected to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035. Typical entry education: bachelor's degree.
BLS OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Across all majors, former Northwestern University students earn a median $89,363 ten years after starting college, more than 98% of Illinois colleges we cover. 95% graduate within six years.
Northwestern University majors questions
How many majors does Northwestern University offer?
Northwestern University offers 85 bachelor's majors across 10 areas; the most majors are in Social Sciences & Public Service and Humanities & Languages.
What is the highest-paying major at Northwestern University?
Information Science / Studies graduates from Northwestern University earn a median $163,740 four years after graduating, the highest of the 30 majors with reported earnings. Their median debt is $12,000.
Which Northwestern University majors earn the least?
Among majors with reported earnings, Theatre graduates earn the least: a median $49,316 four years after graduating.
Is Northwestern University the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing Northwestern University with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections). Back to Northwestern University overview