by our College Data Analytics TeamFind out more about how Vanderbilt University ranks, how diverse it is, what majors it offers, and other essential facts below.
At Vanderbilt University, students can earn anything from bachelor’s degrees through the doctor’s degree - research/scholarship and professional practice.
| Degree Level | Offered |
|---|---|
| Certificate | — |
| Associate | — |
| Bachelor’s | ✓ |
| Master’s | ✓ |
| Doctorate | ✓ |
Completions: 5,274 undergraduate · 5,316 graduate (10,590 total)
The most popular majors at Vanderbilt University, measured by the number of graduates, are listed below.
| Most Popular Majors | Graduates |
|---|---|
| Multi-Disciplinary Studies | 5,295 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 486 |
| Computer Science. | 351 |
| Social Sciences, General. | 328 |
| Economics. | 318 |
These majors at Vanderbilt University report the highest average early-career salaries for their graduates.
| Highest-Paying Majors | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Law. | $132,293 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services. | $131,102 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services. | $129,825 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | $128,494 |
| Public Health. | $124,176 |
Explore the full list of majors at Vanderbilt University, sorted by study area.
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-Disciplinary Studies | 5,295 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Social Sciences, General. ↳ Social Sciences, General. · Research Methodology and Quantitative Methods. |
328 | $56,276 |
| Economics. ↳ Econometrics and Quantitative Economics. · Applied Economics. |
318 | $72,741 |
| Political Science and Government. ↳ Political Science and Government, General. |
129 | $43,927 |
| Sociology. ↳ Sociology, General. |
36 | NA |
| Anthropology. ↳ Anthropology, General. |
16 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. ↳ Family Practice Nurse/Nursing. · Pediatric Nurse/Nursing. · Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing. · Nursing Practice. · Critical Care Nursing. · Women's Health Nurse/Nursing. · Adult Health Nurse/Nursing. · Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse. · Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery. · Nursing Science. · Emergency Room/Trauma Nursing. · Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing. · Nursing Administration. |
486 | $103,521 |
| Medicine. | 95 | $57,409 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services. ↳ Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist. · Audiology/Audiologist. · Audiology/Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist. |
40 | $57,873 |
| Public Health. ↳ Health Services Administration. · Health/Medical Physics. |
35 | $124,176 |
| Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies. ↳ Medical Science/Scientist. |
16 | $101,041 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services. ↳ Health/Health Care Administration/Management. |
11 | $129,825 |
| Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities. ↳ Nursing Education. |
10 | NA |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions. ↳ Genetic Counseling/Counselor. |
7 | NA |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics. ↳ Medical Informatics. |
6 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. ↳ Organizational Leadership. · Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other. · Business Administration and Management, General. |
266 | $128,494 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. ↳ Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other. · Management Science. |
119 | NA |
| Accounting and Related Services. ↳ Accounting. · Accounting and Finance. |
42 | $63,852 |
| Human Resources Management and Services. ↳ Organizational Behavior Studies. |
32 | $108,703 |
| Marketing. ↳ Marketing/Marketing Management, General. |
11 | $108,764 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services. ↳ Finance, General. |
2 | $131,102 |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. ↳ Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. |
284 | $27,160 |
| Cognitive Science. ↳ Cognitive Science, General. |
72 | NA |
| Computational Science. | 39 | NA |
| Science, Technology and Society. | 33 | NA |
| Sustainability Studies. | 18 | NA |
| Systems Science and Theory. | 8 | NA |
| Classical and Ancient Studies. ↳ Classical, Ancient Mediterranean, and Near Eastern Studies and Archaeology. |
7 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences. ↳ Neuroscience. |
112 | $21,492 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology. ↳ Molecular Biology. · Biochemistry. · Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. |
90 | $14,373 |
| Biology, General. ↳ Biology/Biological Sciences, General. · Biomedical Sciences, General. |
52 | NA |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology. ↳ Epidemiology. · Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. |
22 | NA |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences. ↳ Molecular Physiology. · Oncology and Cancer Biology. · Pathology/Experimental Pathology. |
21 | $48,106 |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology. ↳ Biostatistics. · Bioinformatics. |
18 | NA |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences. ↳ Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology. |
15 | NA |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology. ↳ Microbiology, General. · Infectious Disease and Global Health. |
15 | NA |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other. | 13 | NA |
| Genetics. ↳ Human/Medical Genetics. |
8 | NA |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology. ↳ Pharmacology. |
5 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science. | 351 | $101,714 |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering. ↳ Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering. |
78 | $58,939 |
| Mechanical Engineering. | 58 | $69,605 |
| Engineering Science. | 42 | NA |
| Chemical Engineering. | 38 | $73,971 |
| Engineering, General. | 36 | NA |
| Civil Engineering. ↳ Civil Engineering, General. |
31 | NA |
| Electrical and Computer Engineering. | 26 | NA |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering. ↳ Electrical and Electronics Engineering. |
24 | NA |
| Computer Engineering. ↳ Computer Engineering, General. |
7 | NA |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering. | 6 | NA |
| Engineering, Other. | 4 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Special Education and Teaching. ↳ Special Education and Teaching, General. · Education/Teaching of Individuals with Hearing Impairments Including Deafness. |
74 | $47,195 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision. ↳ Educational Leadership and Administration, General. · Higher Education/Higher Education Administration. · Urban Education and Leadership. |
71 | $66,583 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. ↳ Secondary Education and Teaching. · Elementary Education and Teaching. · Teacher Education, Multiple Levels. · Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Other. |
63 | $40,872 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas. ↳ Music Teacher Education. · Reading Teacher Education. · Foreign Language Teacher Education. |
31 | NA |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research. ↳ Educational Evaluation and Research. |
29 | NA |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language. ↳ Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor. |
19 | NA |
| Education, General. | 16 | NA |
| Curriculum and Instruction. | 8 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics. ↳ Mathematics, General. |
156 | $76,609 |
| Applied Mathematics. ↳ Financial Mathematics. |
146 | $89,253 |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 117 | $28,292 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology. ↳ Developmental and Child Psychology. · Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology. · Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics. · Research and Experimental Psychology, Other. |
103 | NA |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology. ↳ Industrial and Organizational Psychology. · Community Psychology. · Applied Behavior Analysis. |
16 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Law. | 167 | $132,293 |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies. | 41 | NA |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies. ↳ Programs for Foreign Lawyers. |
25 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Chemistry. ↳ Chemistry, General. |
52 | NA |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences. ↳ Geology/Earth Science, General. |
25 | NA |
| Physics. ↳ Physics, General. |
23 | NA |
| Materials Sciences. ↳ Materials Science. |
4 | NA |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics. ↳ Astrophysics. |
2 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Music. ↳ Stringed Instruments. · Music, General. · Brass Instruments. · Voice and Opera. · Woodwind Instruments. · Music Theory and Composition. · Keyboard Instruments. · Music, Other. |
55 | $26,788 |
| Fine and Studio Arts. ↳ Fine/Studio Arts, General. · Art History, Criticism and Conservation. · Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other. |
22 | NA |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts. ↳ Film/Cinema/Media Studies. |
16 | NA |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft. ↳ Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General. |
2 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| History. ↳ History, General. · History, Other. |
72 | $40,458 |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services. ↳ Child Development. · Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services, Other. · Human Development and Family Studies, General. |
70 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Theological and Ministerial Studies. ↳ Divinity/Ministry. · Theology/Theological Studies. |
62 | $40,854 |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| English Language and Literature, General. | 49 | $31,190 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies. ↳ Creative Writing. |
8 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Analysis. ↳ Public Policy Analysis, General. · Education Policy Analysis. |
33 | $38,876 |
| Community Organization and Advocacy. | 15 | $43,063 |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. ↳ Spanish Language and Literature. · French Language and Literature. · Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. |
41 | $31,649 |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. ↳ Russian Language and Literature. |
2 | NA |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. ↳ German Language and Literature. |
2 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Area Studies. ↳ American/United States Studies/Civilization. · German Studies. · Asian Studies/Civilization. · European Studies/Civilization. · Latin American Studies. |
27 | NA |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies. ↳ Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other. · African-American/Black Studies. · Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American/Chicano Studies. · Asian-American Studies. |
15 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Philosophy. | 17 | $31,978 |
| Religion/Religious Studies. | 16 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Communication, General. ↳ Speech Communication and Rhetoric. |
24 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation. ↳ Architectural History and Criticism, General. |
14 | NA |
| Major | Graduates | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. ↳ Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. |
7 | NA |
Footnotes
*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.