All OU majors by area
- Health & Medicine · 12
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 12
- Humanities & Languages · 11
- Business & Finance · 10
- Science & Math · 9
- Arts & Design · 7
- Engineering · 7
- Communications & Media · 3
- Education · 2
- Technology & Computing · 1
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Health | $59,330 | $85,266 | $30,750 |
| Nursing | $74,917 | $81,667 | $29,430 |
| Medical Laboratory Science | $55,992 | $70,486 | $28,021 |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | $62,452 | $63,925 | $28,000 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | $29,225 | $54,767 | $25,000 |
| Dietetics | — | — | — |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | — | — | — |
| Health Sciences | — | — | — |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | — | — | — |
| Nutrition Science | — | — | — |
| Pre-Med / Pre-Health | — | — | — |
| Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts / General Studies | $36,157 | $63,534 | $28,000 |
| History | $36,257 | $48,990 | $22,875 |
| English | $31,746 | $48,101 | $25,990 |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | $35,411 | $41,443 | $25,428 |
| Area Studies | — | — | — |
| East Asian Languages (Chinese / Japanese / Korean) | — | — | — |
| Ethnic / Gender Studies | — | — | — |
| German | — | — | — |
| Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Philosophy | — | — | — |
| Writing | $34,464 | — | $25,500 |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management Information Systems | $65,128 | $88,497 | $26,000 |
| Management Science / Analytics | $69,446 | $87,119 | — |
| Business Administration | $62,359 | $84,052 | $26,000 |
| Accounting | $59,833 | $82,699 | $23,500 |
| Finance | $61,804 | $79,127 | $23,944 |
| Economics | — | $71,874 | — |
| Human Resources | $51,010 | $70,347 | $25,480 |
| Marketing | $50,087 | $69,448 | $25,715 |
| Business | $56,118 | $68,496 | $27,250 |
| Business Economics | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Science / Conservation | $31,201 | $59,922 | $25,171 |
| Mathematics | — | $57,531 | — |
| Biology | $27,497 | $55,991 | $25,435 |
| Biochemistry | — | — | — |
| Cell / Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | — | — | — |
| Chemistry | — | — | — |
| Physics | — | — | — |
| Physiology | — | — | — |
| Statistics | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design | $30,687 | $47,432 | $27,954 |
| Studio Art | $22,840 | $44,270 | — |
| Film and Photography | $22,011 | $43,186 | $27,000 |
| Theatre | $15,579 | $39,442 | $26,678 |
| Dance | $31,999 | — | $27,500 |
| Music | — | — | — |
| Visual and Performing Arts | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Engineering | $77,169 | $102,222 | $29,750 |
| Electrical Engineering | $80,623 | $99,967 | $26,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $78,213 | $97,444 | $25,000 |
| Computer Engineering | $78,709 | $95,843 | $26,125 |
| Biological / Biosystems Engineering | $57,337 | — | — |
| Engineering Chemistry | — | — | — |
| Engineering Physics | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communications | $37,795 | $55,662 | $24,125 |
| Journalism | $35,545 | $46,680 | $26,000 |
| Public Relations and Advertising | $40,299 | — | $24,975 |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $42,440 | $48,396 | $29,019 |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | $66,537 | $90,737 | $26,500 |
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
Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035. Typical entry education: bachelor's degree.
BLS OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Human Resources → HR specialist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job. U.S. jobs projected to grow 6.4% from 2025 to 2035. Typical entry education: bachelor's degree.
BLS OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Across all majors, former OU students earn a median $58,612 ten years after starting college, more than 75% of Michigan colleges we cover. 58% graduate within six years.
OU majors questions
How many majors does OU offer?
Oakland University offers 74 bachelor's majors across 10 areas; the most majors are in Health & Medicine and Social Sciences & Public Service.
What is the highest-paying major at OU?
Industrial Engineering graduates from Oakland University earn a median $102,222 four years after graduating, the highest of the 41 majors with reported earnings. Their median debt is $29,750.
Which OU majors earn the least?
Among majors with reported earnings, Theatre graduates earn the least: a median $39,442 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 Oakland University overview