All University of California-San Diego majors by area
- Science & Math · 18
- Humanities & Languages · 14
- Engineering · 13
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 11
- Arts & Design · 7
- Technology & Computing · 3
- Business & Finance · 2
- Education · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
- Health & Medicine · 1
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | $76,592 | $123,320 | $19,724 |
| Statistics | $36,676 | $96,746 | $19,237 |
| Physics | $48,951 | $95,018 | $16,800 |
| Applied Mathematics | $42,859 | $85,233 | $15,516 |
| Cognitive Science | $39,839 | $81,160 | $17,481 |
| Mathematics | $52,339 | $79,015 | $16,250 |
| Chemistry | $45,310 | $77,249 | $16,100 |
| Biochemistry | $45,066 | $72,491 | $17,500 |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | $37,524 | $69,061 | $18,000 |
| Biology | $34,504 | $64,437 | $17,667 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | $43,608 | $64,428 | $13,811 |
| Neuroscience | $32,081 | $61,799 | $19,000 |
| Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | $31,088 | $52,701 | $18,834 |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | — | — | — |
| Cell / Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | — | — | — |
| Geology / Earth Science | — | — | — |
| Physical Sciences, Other | — | — | — |
| Zoology / Animal Biology | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| International / Global Studies | $45,168 | $81,174 | $16,500 |
| History | $21,713 | $61,745 | $17,467 |
| English Language and Literature / Letters, Other | $21,788 | $57,900 | $19,281 |
| English | $24,523 | $56,097 | $14,800 |
| Linguistics | $19,809 | $55,776 | $13,998 |
| Ethnic / Gender Studies | $30,984 | $53,319 | $23,747 |
| Area Studies | — | — | $11,300 |
| Classics | — | — | — |
| Liberal Arts / General Studies | — | — | — |
| Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | — | — | — |
| Philosophy | $24,669 | — | $15,832 |
| Religious Studies | — | — | — |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $96,256 | $149,139 | $18,497 |
| Electrical Engineering | $80,687 | $118,150 | $20,342 |
| Biological / Biosystems Engineering | $67,016 | $111,677 | $14,933 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $69,555 | $104,229 | $20,000 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering | $65,401 | $100,173 | $21,305 |
| Biomedical Engineering | $65,045 | $98,687 | $20,000 |
| Chemical Engineering | $59,508 | $96,798 | $18,157 |
| Civil Engineering | $65,478 | $91,745 | $16,400 |
| Engineering, Other | $56,522 | $88,159 | $19,250 |
| Engineering Physics | — | — | — |
| Engineering Science | — | — | — |
| Environmental Engineering | — | — | — |
| Real Estate Development | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual and Performing Arts, Other | $34,401 | $64,822 | $20,000 |
| Music | $21,592 | $58,071 | $18,938 |
| Studio Art | $21,777 | $48,506 | $15,218 |
| Visual and Performing Arts | — | $45,915 | $15,000 |
| Theatre | $18,026 | $41,389 | $14,650 |
| Dance | — | — | — |
| Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design | — | — | $16,787 |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $112,006 | $159,487 | $16,550 |
| Mathematics and Computer Science | $89,651 | $137,218 | $18,887 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management Science / Analytics | $60,973 | $89,451 | $17,500 |
| Economics | $51,192 | $87,307 | $15,000 |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education | — | — | — |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communications | $33,046 | $67,302 | $14,568 |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Health | $39,144 | $66,110 | $15,280 |
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
Biology → Biological technician
Median annual wage for all workers in this job. U.S. jobs projected to grow 7.4% from 2025 to 2035. Typical entry education: bachelor's degree.
BLS OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Computer Science → Software developer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.2% from 2025 to 2035. Typical entry education: bachelor's degree.
BLS OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Across all majors, former University of California-San Diego students earn a median $84,943 ten years after starting college, more than 87% of California colleges we cover. 86% graduate within six years.
University of California-San Diego majors questions
How many majors does University of California-San Diego offer?
University of California-San Diego offers 72 bachelor's majors across 10 areas; the most majors are in Science & Math and Humanities & Languages.
What is the highest-paying major at University of California-San Diego?
Computer Science graduates from University of California-San Diego earn a median $159,487 four years after graduating, the highest of the 47 majors with reported earnings. Their median debt is $16,550.
Which University of California-San Diego majors earn the least?
Among majors with reported earnings, Theatre graduates earn the least: a median $41,389 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 University of California-San Diego overview