Appalachian State University
Academics

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How strong are the academics at Appalachian State University?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

16:1
Student to faculty ratio
26
Average class size
59%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

App State has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 16:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Class Sizes
2-9
402
10-19
1,078
20-29
1,168
30-39
521
40-49
200
50-99
208
100+
44

Honors Programs

Appalachian State University has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on App State's website.

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at Appalachian State University:

84%
First-year retention rate
59%
4-year grad rate
75%
6-year grad rate

The average base annual salary of students who were employed within six months of graduation is $47,507. This is less than the national average of $48,300.

$47,507
$48,300 (National Average)

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are Appalachian State University's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Psychology, General
Business Administration and Management, General
Marketing/Marketing Management, General
Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
155.6
196.88
238.16
279.44
320.72
362

The Full List

Major Graduates
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science And Related Fields
  • Food Science and Technology, Other 6
  • Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant 3
Architecture And Related Services
  • City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning 3
  • City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning 3
Area
  • Women's Studies 4
  • Women's Studies 2
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology 197
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 190
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 3
  • Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology 1
Business
  • Business Administration and Management, General 236
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 232
  • Construction Management, General 143
  • Finance, General 114
  • Accounting 99
  • Management Information Systems, General 82
  • Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management 64
  • Business/Managerial Economics 29
  • Insurance 26
  • International Business/Trade/Commerce 18
  • Finance, General 17
  • Insurance 16
  • Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management 14
  • Actuarial Science 13
  • Hospitality Administration/Management, General 9
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 7
  • Business Administration and Management, General 6
  • Business/Managerial Economics 5
  • Management Information Systems, General 4
  • International Business/Trade/Commerce 2
  • Hospitality Administration/Management, General 2
  • Accounting 2
Communication
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 84
  • Advertising 79
  • Public Relations/Image Management 62
  • Radio and Television 62
  • Journalism 28
  • Public Relations/Image Management 3
  • Journalism 2
  • Advertising 1
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 1
Communications Technologies/Technicians And Support Services
  • Graphic Communications, General 15
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer Science 87
  • Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance 0
Education
  • Elementary Education and Teaching 177
  • History Teacher Education 35
  • Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Other 35
  • Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching 26
  • Education/Teaching of Individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities 22
  • Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 20
  • Music Teacher Education 20
  • English/Language Arts Teacher Education 20
  • Art Teacher Education 15
  • Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas, Other 2
  • Art Teacher Education 1
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
  • Environmental/Environmental Engineering Technology/Technician 45
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 88
  • English Language and Literature, General 1
Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
  • Child Development 36
  • Apparel and Textiles, General 14
  • Child Development 1
Foreign Languages
  • Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services, Other 22
  • Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services, Other 5
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 90
  • Communication Sciences and Disorders, General 74
  • Health/Health Care Administration/Management 65
  • Public Health, General 52
  • Dietetics/Dietitian 46
  • Music Therapy/Therapist 9
  • Public Health Education and Promotion 2
  • Health/Health Care Administration/Management 1
  • Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 0
  • Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 0
  • HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS 0
History
  • History, General 44
  • History, General 2
Homeland Security
  • Criminal Justice/Safety Studies 107
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 21
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 29
  • Mathematics, General 1
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • International/Globalization Studies 7
  • Geography and Environmental Studies 0
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental Studies 90
  • Environmental Science 34
Parks
  • Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, General 67
  • Exercise Science and Kinesiology 67
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 14
  • Religion/Religious Studies 6
Physical Sciences
  • Chemistry, General 56
  • Physics, General 25
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 22
  • Chemistry, General 3
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 362
  • Psychology, General 1
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Social Work 95
Social Sciences
  • Political Science and Government, General 90
  • Anthropology, General 44
  • Sociology, General 32
  • Geography 22
  • Anthropology, General 2
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Industrial and Product Design 37
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 32
  • Art/Art Studies, General 30
  • Interior Design 30
  • Commercial Photography 28
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 27
  • Graphic Design 24
  • Music Management 19
  • Music Performance, General 8
  • Dance, General 6
  • Art/Art Studies, General 1
  • Commercial Photography 1
  • Photography 1
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 1
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