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Stanford University
Academics

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How strong are the academics at Stanford University?

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

6:1
Student to faculty ratio
23
Average class size
58%
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.

Stanford has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 6:1. 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
611
10-19
695
20-29
182
30-39
108
40-49
71
50-99
140
100+
82

Honors Programs

Stanford 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 Stanford'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 Stanford University:

98%
First-year retention rate
58%
4-year grad rate
93%
6-year grad rate

The average base annual salary of students who were employed within six months of graduation is $78,000. This is higher than the national average of $48,300.

$78,000
$48,300 (National Average)

Majors

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

Computer Science
Human Biology
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics
Engineering, Other
Engineering/Industrial Management
35.4
82.92
130.44
177.96
225.48
273

The Full List

Major Graduates
Area
  • Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other 20
  • American/United States Studies/Civilization 10
  • African-American/Black Studies 7
  • East Asian Studies 3
  • Area Studies, Other 3
  • East Asian Studies 1
  • American Indian/Native American Studies 1
  • American Indian/Native American Studies 1
  • Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American/Chicano Studies 1
  • Asian-American Studies 1
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 62
Communication
  • Communication and Media Studies, Other 25
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer Science 273
  • Computer Science 4
Engineering
  • Engineering, Other 90
  • Mechanical Engineering 48
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 43
  • Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 33
  • Chemical Engineering 12
  • Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering 11
  • Materials Engineering 10
  • Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General 6
  • Civil Engineering, General 6
  • Engineering, Other 1
  • Mechanical Engineering 1
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
  • Engineering/Industrial Management 75
  • Engineering/Industrial Management 2
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 27
  • English Language and Literature, General 6
Foreign Languages
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 15
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 15
  • Comparative Literature 8
  • Linguistics 5
  • Linguistics 3
  • German Language and Literature 3
  • Russian Language and Literature 2
  • Italian Language and Literature 1
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 1
  • Comparative Literature 1
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 1
  • Italian Language and Literature 0
  • Chinese Language and Literature 0
  • Japanese Language and Literature 0
  • German Language and Literature 0
  • Spanish Language and Literature 0
  • French Language and Literature 0
History
  • History, General 25
  • History, General 2
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 60
  • Applied Mathematics, Other 41
  • Mathematics, General 11
  • Applied Mathematics, Other 2
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Human Biology 113
  • Cognitive Science, General 63
  • Science, Technology and Society 40
  • Human Biology 1
  • Cognitive Science, General 1
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 14
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other 4
  • Philosophy 3
  • Religion/Religious Studies 2
Physical Sciences
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 34
  • Physics, General 20
  • Chemistry, General 11
  • Physics, General 7
  • Geophysics and Seismology 3
  • Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Other 1
Psychology
  • Research and Experimental Psychology, Other 57
  • Research and Experimental Psychology, Other 14
  • Psychology, General 0
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Public Policy Analysis, General 15
  • Public Policy Analysis, General 3
Social Sciences
  • Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 106
  • Political Science and Government, General 68
  • International Relations and Affairs 57
  • Sociology, General 12
  • Urban Studies/Affairs 11
  • Political Science and Government, General 10
  • International Relations and Affairs 7
  • Anthropology, General 5
  • Sociology, General 5
  • Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 2
  • Economics, General 0
  • Archeology 0
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 16
  • Music, General 11
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation 6
  • Film/Cinema/Media Studies 6
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 4
  • Film/Cinema/Media Studies 2
  • Music, General 1
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 1
  • Art/Art Studies, General 0

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