How much do USC grads earn, by major?
Issue 015 · October 23, 2026
I analyzed the latest available federal data on USC grads’ median annual earnings five years after graduation. The records cover graduates who received federal aid.
Computer science: about $195,000 a year. Business administration: $116,000. Film: $64,000.
How USC compares
USC’s median was higher in 94% of fields with available data, compared with the same field nationally. The gaps were about 68% in CS, 62% in business administration and 35% in film.
| Same field | USC | National |
|---|---|---|
| Computer science | $195k | $116k |
| Business administration | $116k | $71k |
| Film/video & photographic arts | $64k | $47k |
Dollar amounts are rounded to $1,000; percentage differences use unrounded figures.
Only three fields had lower USC medians than the national median for the same field: cognitive science, music and real estate development.
These graduates left USC in 2017 and 2018, before the AI boom. Their earnings were measured in 2022 and 2023, the latest federal five-year figures available.
My bet: today’s CS grads will have a harder time making $195k five years out. And music majors deserve better than a $33k median.
Which number surprised you? Tell me, or send this to the friend whose field you checked first.
Earnings by field
Find your field below, from highest to lowest. Federal categories can combine majors; fields without available figures aren’t listed.
Federal field names can differ from USC’s major names.
| Bachelor’s field | USC | National |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $195,000 | $116,000 |
| Computer Engineering | $178,000 | $118,000 |
| Real Estate | $170,000 | $90,000 |
| Computer Software & Media Applications | $152,000 | $60,000 |
| Industrial Engineering | $148,000 | $104,000 |
| Electrical, Electronics & Communications Engineering | $140,000 | $107,000 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical & Astronautical/Space Engineering | $139,000 | $102,000 |
| Physics | $131,000 | $82,000 |
| Accounting & Related Services | $130,000 | $80,000 |
| Real Estate Development | $128,000 | $133,000 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $117,000 | $99,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $116,000 | $98,000 |
| Business Administration, Management & Operations | $116,000 | $71,000 |
| Chemical Engineering | $115,000 | $103,000 |
| Civil Engineering | $113,000 | $91,000 |
| Economics | $112,000 | $90,000 |
| Applied Mathematics | $107,000 | $97,000 |
| Public Relations, Advertising & Applied Communication | $102,000 | $68,000 |
| Neurobiology & Neurosciences | $99,000 | $70,000 |
| International Relations & National Security Studies | $99,000 | $71,000 |
| Design & Applied Arts | $99,000 | $55,000 |
| Engineering, General | $96,000 | $94,000 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures & Linguistics | $95,000 | $59,000 |
| Public Health | $91,000 | $63,000 |
| Mathematics | $89,000 | $74,000 |
| Political Science & Government | $89,000 | $69,000 |
| Architecture | $87,000 | $71,000 |
| Architectural Sciences & Technology | $86,000 | $74,000 |
| Communication & Media Studies | $85,000 | $60,000 |
| Dental Support Services & Allied Professions | $84,000 | $68,000 |
| Human Biology | $82,000 | $70,000 |
| Chemistry | $82,000 | $70,000 |
| Journalism | $82,000 | $60,000 |
| Biology, General | $81,000 | $65,000 |
| Visual & Performing Arts, General | $80,000 | $45,000 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology | $79,000 | $71,000 |
| Area Studies | $79,000 | $62,000 |
| History | $78,000 | $54,000 |
| Philosophy | $77,000 | $59,000 |
| Sociology | $76,000 | $56,000 |
| Natural Resources Conservation & Research | $76,000 | $59,000 |
| English Language & Literature, General | $75,000 | $51,000 |
| Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies & Humanities | $74,000 | $55,000 |
| Cognitive Science | $73,000 | $86,000 |
| Psychology, General | $72,000 | $54,000 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender & Group Studies | $70,000 | $55,000 |
| Social Sciences, General | $67,000 | $56,000 |
| Arts, Entertainment & Media Management | $67,000 | $52,000 |
| Fine & Studio Arts | $66,000 | $44,000 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $64,000 | $57,000 |
| Film/Video & Photographic Arts | $64,000 | $47,000 |
| Rhetoric & Composition/Writing Studies | $57,000 | $52,000 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts & Stagecraft | $48,000 | $43,000 |
| Music | $33,000 | $45,000 |
Median annual earnings, rounded to the nearest $1,000 in 2024 dollars. These are federal field categories; names can differ from USC’s current majors.
About the numbers
Graduation cohorts: 2016–17 and 2017–18. Earnings measured in 2022 and 2023. These figures cover graduates who received federal financial aid, were working, and weren’t enrolled in the earnings year. Some also earned advanced degrees; earnings can come from any job.
The national comparison shows how these graduates fared; it doesn’t establish how much USC itself added to their earnings. The 94% figure is 51 of 54 published fields, rounded to the nearest whole percent.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard — field-of-study data, October 15, 2026 release. USC bachelor’s fields and national earnings medians, based on federal tax records.
- College Scorecard data dictionary — graduation cohorts, measurement years, and variable definitions.
- Field-of-study methodology — included graduates, earnings measures, privacy protections, and limitations.