Quad
Elon UniversityElon, NC · Private nonprofit

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Communication Management and Strategic Communications (9% of graduates). 11 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 68% of colleges. 82% of faculty are full-time. Spends $19,988 a year on instruction per student.

Most popular majors

1,443 bachelor's degrees, 2024–25 graduates

The top 5 programs account for 36% of graduates; 65 programs in 22 fields awarded at least one.

  1. Communication Management and Strategic Communications 09.09099.5% 137
  2. Finance, General 52.08019.3% 134
    Graduates in this field earn $103,426 4 years out
  3. Psychology, General 42.01016.7% 97
    Graduates in this field earn $69,856 4 years out
  4. Marketing/Marketing Management, General 52.14016.7% 96
    Graduates in this field earn $95,163 4 years out
  5. Exercise Science and Kinesiology 31.05054.1% 59
    Graduates in this field earn $68,178 4 years out

Fastest-growing field: Health professions, 0.0% → 5.1% of graduates since 2014–15 (73 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. Economics$112,303 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $69,298

    4 years after completion$112,303
    National median: $82,686Above typical

    Median federal debt: $19,500 · 81 graduates, two most recent years combined

  2. Computer Programming$111,448 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $79,819

    4 years after completion$111,448
    National median: $83,439Above typical

    Median federal debt: $19,500

  3. Accounting and Related Services$105,707 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $69,764

    4 years after completion$105,707
    National median: $76,194Above typical

    4 years out, Pell: Too few graduates to report · Non-Pell: $86,131(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $20,000 · 88 graduates, two most recent years combined

  4. Finance and Financial Management Services$103,426 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $66,614

    4 years after completion$103,426
    National median: $83,343Above typical

    4 years out, Pell: Too few graduates to report · Non-Pell: $91,676(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $19,500 · 286 graduates, two most recent years combined

  5. Marketing$95,163 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $55,893

    4 years after completion$95,163
    National median: $69,303Above typical

    4 years out, Pell: Too few graduates to report · Non-Pell: $69,455(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $20,500 · 266 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 college11 to 1
11 to 1
← Fewer students per facultyfewer students per faculty member than 68% of 1,892More students per faculty →

The college also reports 11 to 1 in its Common Data Set (6,172 students, 546 faculty).

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

Class sizes

51%

of classes have fewer than 20 students

Under 20 students 20 or moreStudents per class section
Undergraduate class sections by number of students
StudentssectionsShare
2–917014%
10–1945938%
20–2935129%
30–3924320%
40–4910%
50–9900%
100+00%

This counts class sections, not students: a lecture of 300 is one section, so a student is more likely to sit in a large class than the share of sections suggests. Labs and discussion sections are counted separately and left out here.

Programs & curriculum

  • Accelerated program
  • Cross-registration
  • Distance learning
  • Double major
  • Dual enrollment
  • English as a Second Language
  • Domestic exchange program
  • Honors program
  • Independent study
  • Internships
  • Liberal arts/career combination
  • Student-designed major
  • Teacher certification
  • Study abroad
  • Undergraduate research

Requires coursework in English composition, a foreign language, humanities, math, a natural science, and social science.

Full-time faculty82%
National median: 67%Above typical
Average faculty salary

$94,816

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 private nonprofit colleges: public and private colleges report finances on different accounting forms that aren't comparable.

Instruction spending per student$19,988
$19,988
← Lessmore than 86% of 1,199More →
Endowment per student$52,078
$52,078
← Lessmore than 61% of 1,065More →

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;Elon University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;Elon University Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)