All Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University majors by area
- Science & Math · 21
- Engineering · 18
- Business & Finance · 11
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 8
- Humanities & Languages · 5
- Arts & Design · 4
- Health & Medicine · 2
- Technology & Computing · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Mathematics | $82,275 | $117,990 | $20,500 |
| Statistics | $62,598 | $94,300 | $15,500 |
| Physics | $58,061 | $92,746 | $27,000 |
| Food Science and Technology | $56,274 | $80,161 | $26,875 |
| Chemistry | $45,513 | $73,395 | $26,497 |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | $43,494 | $67,892 | $23,500 |
| Mathematics | $55,731 | $67,763 | $23,250 |
| Biochemistry | $35,927 | $67,621 | $24,125 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | — | $67,253 | $24,135 |
| Forestry | $45,817 | $64,204 | $20,919 |
| Biology | $28,239 | $61,703 | $20,500 |
| Geology / Earth Science | — | $59,969 | — |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | $39,361 | $59,868 | $26,408 |
| Neuroscience | $29,081 | $59,714 | $23,000 |
| Plant Sciences | $42,861 | $56,630 | $20,687 |
| Agriculture | — | $53,568 | — |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | $25,563 | $47,496 | $21,500 |
| Animal Sciences | $28,729 | $47,224 | $22,631 |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | — | — | — |
| Environmental / Natural Resources Management and Policy | — | — | — |
| Physical Sciences, Other | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $86,636 | $122,026 | $26,000 |
| Industrial Engineering | $82,437 | $116,641 | $22,870 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering | $76,856 | $106,633 | $26,000 |
| Chemical Engineering | $82,382 | $106,011 | $25,350 |
| Electrical Engineering | $83,364 | $104,839 | $25,849 |
| Construction Engineering | $82,627 | $102,699 | $26,698 |
| Engineering Mechanics | $81,735 | $101,509 | $27,500 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $78,280 | $96,376 | $23,000 |
| Mining and Mineral Engineering | $74,793 | $94,397 | $20,907 |
| Materials Engineering | $66,888 | $90,828 | $27,000 |
| Agricultural Engineering | $75,434 | $88,315 | $26,625 |
| Civil Engineering | $74,285 | $88,142 | $25,760 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | $56,513 | $81,618 | $23,750 |
| Architecture | $56,708 | $75,074 | $29,000 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | $56,797 | — | $30,750 |
| Biomedical Engineering | — | — | — |
| Landscape Architecture | — | — | — |
| Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management Science / Analytics | $77,877 | $108,726 | $21,700 |
| Finance | $66,601 | $102,902 | $22,500 |
| Accounting | $70,303 | $99,528 | $18,500 |
| Real Estate | $68,078 | $95,576 | $27,000 |
| Business Economics | — | $95,271 | — |
| Construction Management | $76,246 | $95,165 | $27,000 |
| Economics | $56,261 | $92,653 | $22,500 |
| Marketing | $56,417 | $86,338 | $22,500 |
| Business Administration | $60,678 | $80,023 | $22,535 |
| Hospitality Management | $45,771 | $72,817 | $25,680 |
| Agricultural Business | $48,557 | $62,398 | $22,999 |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linguistics | $37,389 | $68,263 | $22,500 |
| English | $39,155 | $64,225 | $21,625 |
| History | $33,319 | $59,819 | $20,499 |
| Philosophy | — | — | — |
| Religious Studies | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design | $46,761 | $72,213 | $25,802 |
| Studio Art | $36,927 | $58,652 | $26,323 |
| Music | — | $48,028 | $27,000 |
| Theatre | $36,557 | — | $24,637 |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | $25,414 | $74,005 | $25,000 |
| Public Health | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | $96,432 | $144,103 | $20,500 |
| Data Science | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communications | $44,309 | $66,106 | $20,613 |
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
Management Science / Analytics → Operations research analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job. U.S. jobs projected to grow 11.9% from 2025 to 2035. Typical entry education: bachelor's degree.
BLS OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
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
Across all majors, former Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University students earn a median $81,698 ten years after starting college, more than 95% of Virginia colleges we cover. 86% graduate within six years.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University majors questions
How many majors does Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University offer?
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University offers 72 bachelor's majors across 9 areas; the most majors are in Science & Math and Engineering.
What is the highest-paying major at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University?
Computer and Information Sciences graduates from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University earn a median $144,103 four years after graduating, the highest of the 60 majors with reported earnings. Their median debt is $20,500.
Which Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University majors earn the least?
Among majors with reported earnings, Animal Sciences graduates earn the least: a median $47,224 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 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University overview