Quad
University of California-DavisDavis, CA · Public

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Research and Experimental Psychology, Other (10% of graduates). 22 students for every faculty member, more than at 95% of colleges. 88% of faculty are full-time. Spends $34,097 a year on instruction per student.

Most popular majors

9,107 bachelor's degrees, 2024–25 graduates

The top 5 programs account for 29% of graduates; 103 programs in 23 fields awarded at least one.

  1. Research and Experimental Psychology, Other 42.27999.9% 903
    Graduates in this field earn $57,378 4 years out
  2. Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other 52.13996.1% 556
    Graduates in this field earn $86,155 4 years out
  3. Neurobiology and Anatomy 26.15034.6% 420
    Graduates in this field earn $63,720 4 years out
  4. Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 45.06034.4% 404
    Graduates in this field earn $83,248 4 years out
  5. Human Development and Family Studies, General 19.07013.9% 353

Fastest-growing field: Computer science, 2.2% → 5.3% of graduates since 2014–15 (481 graduates in 2024–25).

Source:IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2014–15 to 2024–25About the data(built 2026-10-12; CPI retrieved 2026-10-12)

Bachelor's degrees awarded July through June, by federal program name (), which can differ from what the college calls a major. A double major counts once, under the ; its other field is a . Earnings are College Scorecard's median for graduates of the program's broader field (), 4 years after completion; see Top-earning majors below.

Top-earning majors here

By earnings 4 years after completion

  1. Computer Engineering$145,422 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $96,418

    4 years after completion$145,422
    National median: $109,015Above typical

    4 years out, Pell: $104,816 · Non-Pell: $142,908(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $12,703 · 221 graduates, two most recent years combined

  2. Computer and Information Sciences, General$138,673 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $84,343

    4 years after completion$138,673
    National median: $92,374Above typical

    4 years out, Pell: $126,792 · Non-Pell: $139,822(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $14,000

  3. Engineering, General$114,228 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $82,956

    4 years after completion$114,228
    National median: $89,359Above typical

    4 years out, Pell: $98,627 · Non-Pell: $116,832(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $14,939 · 14 graduates, two most recent years combined

  4. Chemical Engineering$102,649 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $68,337

    4 years after completion$102,649
    National median: $98,158Above typical

    4 years out, Pell: $88,795 · Non-Pell: $91,394(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $15,750 · 123 graduates, two most recent years combined

  5. Mechanical Engineering$102,161 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $75,231

    4 years after completion$102,161
    National median: $92,135Above typical

    4 years out, Pell: $84,962 · Non-Pell: $88,796(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $13,867 · 319 graduates, two most recent years combined

Bachelor's programs only, among graduates who received federal financial aid and were working (not enrolled in school) in the measurement year.

Students per faculty member vs. every college22 to 1
22 to 1
← Fewer students per facultymore students per faculty member than 95% of 1,892More students per faculty →

Not the average class size: faculty also teach graduate students and do research, and large lectures can sit alongside small seminars.

Full-time faculty88%
National median: 67%Above typical
Average faculty salary

$165,182

9-month equated, all ranks combined. Pay tracks local cost of living as much as a college's generosity.

Spending and endowment

Fiscal 2023–24. Compared only against other public colleges: public and private colleges report finances on different accounting forms that aren't comparable. Many public universities' endowments sit mostly in a separate foundation this survey doesn't count, so this likely understates what's actually available.

Instruction spending per student$34,097
$34,097
← Lessmore than 96% of 557More →
Endowment per student$19,496
$19,496
← Lessmore than 68% of 537More →

Sources:IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard Field of Study data, most recent release;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks), Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)