SDSU's top 10 degrees among 2025 graduates

More than 12,000 San Diego State University students are crossing the stage during commencement ceremonies this week at SDSU and SDSU Imperial Valley, ready to pursue their aspirations with confidence and determination.

Each year around commencement time, SDSU NewsCenter compiles a list of the most popular degrees among the newest batch Aztecs. Here are the top 10 for 2025:

10. Business Administration - Information Systems

This major, offered by the Fowler College of Business, prepared 211 graduates for their first job in information systems where they will use information technology and the internet to solve business problems and in devising new and more efficient solutions.

9. Business Administration - Management

Managers are responsible for achieving organizational objectives by coordinating money, materials, machines, and most important of all, the efforts of people. There are 214 new Aztecs who can claim readiness for these tasks after earning this degree.

8. Liberal Studies - Elementary Education

These 247 students earned a degree focused on hands-on instruction, problem-based learning and issue-centered curriculum, emphasizing reflection during the teaching process. In addition, the coursework links theory and classroom practice to assist teachers in learning how to teach with an inquiry-based focus in elementary and secondary classrooms. This major added 46 new graduates compared with last year’s total.

7. Kinesiology - Pre-physical therapy

With this degree in hand, 260 Aztecs meet the academic requirements necessary for entry to postgraduate education for rehabilitative professions such as physical therapy, chiropractic care, occupational therapy, physician assistant and podiatry.

6. Business Administration - Marketing

The 328 newest marketing degree holders studied how products and services are developed, priced, promoted, distributed and sold. The process requires an understanding of buyer and seller behavior within the context of the overall market environment. Added emphasis in this Fowler College of Business discipline is given to the important area of global markets with their own special challenges and opportunities.

5. Computer Science

These 366 students learned essential skills in computer science, including how to store and retrieve information and how to use and design programming languages. Required coursework also covers the hardware systems that interpret such languages and the theoretical principles in data structures and architecture that form the foundations of computing. The degree offers a variety of specialized electives in areas such as artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, robotics, graphics, systems programming, simulation, and computer networks. Computer Science saw 122 more graduates than last year and climbed two spots on the list.

4. Business Administration - General Business

Positions available to the 367 newest degree holders in this Fowler College of Business discipline are those requiring a broad, overarching understanding of business functions, rather than specialized knowledge within a particular business sub-discipline. Examples are in retailing, sales, and other service industries. General Business held onto its no. 4 spot, adding 33 new graduates to last year’s total.

3. Business Administration - Finance

Within the Fowler College of Business, 382 finance majors studied both the sources and the uses of capital, with curriculum revolving around the valuation process in a free market system. Adding 82 graduates, this major jumped up two spots from no. 5 on last year’s list of the top 10 degrees.

2. Criminal Justice 

The criminal justice major is designed to encourage thoughtful exploration of the ways criminal justice systems provide justice, or fail to do so. These 443 graduates, studying under the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts, learned the criminal justice system from a social justice policy perspective, taking into account the impact of the criminal justice system on individuals, groups, and organizations in society. Criminal Justice was also slated in the no. 2 spot in spring 2024.

1. Psychology

This major helped 559 students discover the intricacies of human behavior, and learn how human beings develop, learn, think and feel. The skills gained will open up a variety of career opportunities. Psychology retained its top spot from 2024, adding 52 more graduates.