Quad
Stanford UniversityStanford, CA · Private nonprofit

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Computer Science (21% of graduates). 6 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 95% of colleges. 99% of faculty are full-time. Spends $154,517 a year on instruction per student.

Most popular majors

2,117 bachelor's degrees, 2024–25 graduates

The top 5 programs account for 43% of graduates; 60 programs in 17 fields awarded at least one.

  1. Computer Science 11.070121% 446
    Graduates in this field earn $214,907 4 years out
  2. Human Biology 30.27016.7% 141
    Graduates in this field earn $81,529 4 years out
  3. Cognitive Science, General 30.25015.3% 113
    Graduates in this field earn $131,650 4 years out
  4. Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 45.06035.3% 112
    Graduates in this field earn $112,700 4 years out
  5. Engineering, Other 14.99994.2% 89
    Graduates in this field earn $115,206 4 years out

Fastest-growing field: Computer science, 13% → 21% of graduates since 2014–15 (446 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 Science$214,907 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $138,613

    4 years after completion$214,907
    National median: $107,009Above typical

    4 years out, Pell: $202,830 · Non-Pell: $199,517(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $10,399 · 570 graduates, two most recent years combined

  2. Cognitive Science$131,650 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $105,695

    4 years after completion$131,650
    National median: $81,496Above typical

    Median federal debt: $7,500 · 147 graduates, two most recent years combined

  3. Mechanical Engineering$117,072 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: Too few graduates to report

    4 years after completion$117,072
    National median: $92,135Above typical

    4 years out, Pell: $114,588 · Non-Pell: Too few graduates to report(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: Too few graduates to report · 105 graduates, two most recent years combined

  4. Engineering, Other$115,206 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $49,741

    4 years after completion$115,206
    National median: $93,989Above typical

    4 years out, Pell: $73,906 · Non-Pell: $114,164(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $7,500 · 180 graduates, two most recent years combined

  5. Economics$112,700 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $98,104

    4 years after completion$112,700
    National median: $82,686Above typical

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

    Median federal debt: $12,500 · 220 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 college6 to 1
6 to 1
← Fewer students per facultyfewer students per faculty member than 95% of 1,892More students per faculty →

The college also reports 10 to 1 in its Common Data Set (14,211 students, 1,359 faculty).

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

Class sizes

70%

of classes have fewer than 20 students; 13% have 50 or more

Under 20 students 20 or moreStudents per class section
Undergraduate class sections by number of students
StudentssectionsShare
2–959934%
10–1962736%
20–2916810%
30–39805%
40–49613%
50–991448%
100+805%

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

  • Distance learning
  • Double major
  • Dual enrollment
  • Domestic exchange program
  • Honors program
  • Independent study
  • Internships
  • Student-designed major
  • Teacher certification
  • Study abroad
  • Undergraduate research

Requires coursework in a foreign language and intensive writing.

Full-time faculty99%
National median: 67%Above typical
Average faculty salary

$226,584

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$154,517
$154,517
← Lessmore than 100% of 1,199More →
Endowment per student$1,991,167
$1,991,167
← Lessmore than 100% 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;Stanford University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;Stanford 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)