10 Most Popular Majors at Dartmouth

Every year, Dartmouth students wrap up their studies in fields that define much of the school’s academic reputation. For the 2023–2024 academic year, a total of 1,156 bachelor’s degrees were awarded. 

This blog covers the 10 most popular majors at Dartmouth, ranked by their percentage of graduates. Along the way, you’ll see which disciplines dominate the Dartmouth list of majors and which programs are most often associated with the college’s strengths.

• What Are the Most Popular Majors at Dartmouth?
• Social Sciences at Dartmouth
• Interdisciplinary Studies at Dartmouth
• Mathematics and Statistics at Dartmouth
• Biological and Life Sciences at Dartmouth
• Engineering at Dartmouth
• Computer and Information Sciences at Dartmouth
• Psychology at Dartmouth
• Area, Ethnic, and Gender Studies at Dartmouth
• Physical Sciences at Dartmouth
• Visual and Performing Arts at Dartmouth
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

What Are the Most Popular Majors at Dartmouth?

The numbers below come directly from the 2024–2025 Dartmouth Common Data Set. Out of 1,156 bachelor’s degrees granted, the following majors accounted for the largest shares. The table shows the percentage of degrees conferred, along with an estimate of how many students graduated in each discipline:

Nearly a third of Dartmouth graduates in 2024 earned their degree in the Social Sciences. That level of interest makes sense given Dartmouth’s reputation in fields like Economics and Government, both of which are nationally ranked and connected to resources such as the Rockefeller Center for Public Policy.

With those resources and strong recruiting ties to consulting, finance, and law, students see this field as both intellectually rewarding and career-focused. That combination explains why the Social Sciences remain the most popular majors at Dartmouth.

Social Sciences at Dartmouth

Social sciences dominate the Dartmouth list of majors, with nearly a third of all graduates in 2024 choosing this path. Within this category, Economics, Government, and Sociology stand out the most. Economics in particular is seen as Dartmouth’s flagship major, with a large share of undergraduates taking at least one course in the department during their time on campus.

Students in these majors often combine theory with practice. For example, Economics students frequently take part in the Political Economy Project, which funds research and brings visiting scholars to campus. 

Government majors participate in the Dartmouth Washington Program, where they live, study, and intern in D.C. for a term, gaining firsthand exposure to policymaking. Sociology students engage with issues of inequality, migration, and health, often tying their coursework to Dartmouth’s local partnerships in the Upper Valley community.

The strength of these programs shows up in national rankings as well, with Economics holding the #15 spot in U.S. News.

The popularity of these majors also connects to Dartmouth’s culture of access. Faculty regularly involve undergraduates in their research, whether through econometric studies, international relations projects, or sociological fieldwork.

Interdisciplinary Studies at Dartmouth

Interdisciplinary Studies attracts about 8.5% of Dartmouth’s bachelor’s degrees. This category is uniquely Dartmouth, as the college actively encourages students to design a path that crosses traditional boundaries. Programs like Cognitive Science, Environmental Studies, and Human-Centered Design are popular ways to combine disciplines.

Program highlights include:

• Flexibility to combine departments into one course of study, such as Neuroscience and Philosophy for students interested in cognitive science, or Engineering and Studio Art for those pursuing human-centered design.
• Dedicated advising through the Major Modification process, where faculty committees approve and mentor students on self-designed majors to ensure academic rigor and coherence.
• Research opportunities supported by centers like the Institute of Arctic Studies (for Environmental Studies majors) and the Neukom Institute for Computational Science (for students combining data science with the humanities).

Students in this track often pursue double majors, and many take advantage of Dartmouth’s Off-Campus Programs to gain perspective abroad. For example, Environmental Studies students can spend a term at the Dartmouth Organic Farm or in Costa Rica studying tropical ecosystems.

If you are scanning the Dartmouth list of majors for something flexible and customizable, Interdisciplinary Studies clearly earns its place among the most popular majors at Dartmouth.

Mathematics and Statistics at Dartmouth

Mathematics and Statistics represent about 6.8% of degrees, which makes it one of Dartmouth’s best majors for students drawn to quantitative reasoning. Dartmouth structures the major to serve both pure math enthusiasts and those aiming for applied work in finance, data science, or economics.

A few program highlights:

• Course pathways range from Math 75 (Applied Topics in Number Theory and Algebra) to advanced electives like Math 11 (Accelerated Multivariable Calculus), while statistics students take applied courses in Regression and Time Series Analysis that link directly to data science.
• Students frequently combine math with Economics through the Mathematical Data Science track or with Computer Science in the Quantitative Social Science minor, creating a pathway toward careers in finance, machine learning, or actuarial work.
• Faculty research includes projects in number theory with applications to cryptography, algebraic geometry in connection to string theory, and biostatistics collaborations with the Geisel School of Medicine, which open undergraduate research spots as early as sophomore year.

With its balance of theory, applied work, and cross-disciplinary options, Math and Statistics give students both flexibility and rigor. That combination explains why the field continues to rank among the most popular majors at Dartmouth.

Biological and Life Sciences at Dartmouth

Biological and Life Sciences accounted for about 76 degrees in 2024, or 6.6% of the class. Students can choose tracks such as Biology and Neuroscience, and the department is closely tied to the Geisel School of Medicine and the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.

Here’s why this program stands out:

• Students can join research labs at the Geisel School of Medicine and the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, with projects ranging from cancer immunotherapy to neurodegenerative disease studies.
• Lab work begins early, with foundational courses like BIOL 16 (Ecology) leading into advanced electives such as BIOL 50 (Advanced Topics in Ecology) and BIOL 66 (Molecular Basis of Cancer) where students design experiments and analyze data.
• Ecology students participate in field terms at the Dartmouth Organic Farm, study forest ecosystems through the Harvard Forest partnership, or spend a term abroad in Costa Rica examining tropical biodiversity.

Dartmouth’s national reputation adds weight to the program’s appeal, with Biological Sciences ranked #37 by U.S. News. This recognition reflects the strength of its faculty research, lab facilities, and strong pre-health advising.

Faculty research often includes undergraduates, which means you can be listed as a co-author on papers before graduation. Graduates from this field move into biotech, research labs, or advanced degrees in medicine and public health.

If you are browsing the Dartmouth best majors for health-related paths, Biological and Life Sciences is a proven option.

Engineering at Dartmouth

Engineering is a standout at Dartmouth, accounting for about 96 graduates in 2024, or 8.3% of bachelor’s degrees. 

The program is unique because Dartmouth has one of the few Ivy League schools where every engineering major graduates with a Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) in Engineering Sciences, with the option to continue for a fifth year to earn the Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.). This structure reflects Dartmouth’s liberal arts foundation, while still delivering rigorous technical training.

What sets engineering here apart is the Thayer School of Engineering, which emphasizes human-centered problem solving. Students are encouraged to work on real projects from their very first year, often through design courses that place them in collaborative, team-based environments.

Thayer also holds national recognition, ranked # 59 out of 198 in “Best Engineering Schools” by U.S. News.

Engineering students benefit from access to the Dartmouth Design Initiative, where undergraduates work on solutions to pressing global challenges. The program also offers opportunities for dual degrees, which allows students to combine engineering with fields such as economics or computer science.

In addition, Dartmouth’s strong ties to entrepreneurship, through the Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship and the Dartmouth Technology Transfer Office, give students a direct pathway to turning their ideas into real-world ventures.

If you are wondering what majors Dartmouth is known for within STEM, engineering is one of the clearest answers.

Computer and Information Sciences at Dartmouth

Computer and Information Sciences accounted for about 118 degrees in 2024, or just over 10% of the class. This makes it one of the fastest-growing and most popular majors at Dartmouth. The program is anchored in the Department of Computer Science, part of the Dartmouth Arts and Sciences division, and has a reputation for being both rigorous and flexible.

The program’s strengths come through in several ways:

• Courses range from introductory programming in CS1 and CS10 to advanced tracks in machine learning, AI, and cybersecurity.
• Research opportunities begin early, with students often joining labs at Dartmouth’s Neukom Institute for Computational Science.
• Joint majors are encouraged, such as computer science and psychology, or computer science and engineering.

Dartmouth’s reputation in computer science goes back decades, as it was the birthplace of the BASIC programming language in 1964. Today, it remains innovative, with faculty leading projects in areas like digital health, robotics, and applied data science.

Dartmouth’s reputation in computer science is backed by national rankings, with the program placed at #45 in Computer Science by U.S. News. 

With its focus on innovation and real-world impact, computer science continues to rank among the most popular majors at Dartmouth.

Psychology at Dartmouth

Psychology made up 4.2% of Dartmouth’s bachelor’s degrees in 2024, with about 49 students completing the program. The Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences is one of the oldest at Dartmouth and is known for combining psychology with neuroscience and cognitive science.

The program covers a wide range of subfields, from social and developmental psychology to cognitive neuroscience. Students have the option to pursue a standard psychology major or a neuroscience track, which leans more heavily into biological mechanisms of behavior.

Some highlights include:

• Research opportunities at the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, where undergraduates use advanced tools like fMRI and EEG to study topics such as decision-making, memory, and visual perception. Students often co-author papers with faculty in journals like Cognitive Neuroscience and Journal of Experimental Psychology.
• Interdisciplinary pathways that link psychology with Computer Science through cognitive modeling, with Biology through neuroscience labs on neural circuits, and with Philosophy through the Cognitive Science minor. These connections give students multiple ways to shape their studies.
• A strong senior thesis tradition, with students running their own experiments in labs like the Social Perception Lab (focused on group bias and face recognition) or the Learning Lab (examining how humans and animals adapt to new environments). Theses often lead to presentations at the annual Society for Neuroscience conference.

Additionally, national rankings reflect the program’s reputation:

• Ranked #41 in the U.S. by Times Higher Education.
• Ranked #30 in Psychology nationally by U.S. News.

Strong showings in national rankings underline Dartmouth’s commitment to psychology as both a research and teaching field. It is this foundation that keeps the program firmly within the most popular majors at Dartmouth.

Area, Ethnic, and Gender Studies at Dartmouth

About 47 Dartmouth students graduated in Area, Ethnic, and Gender Studies in 2024, or 4.1% of all bachelor’s degrees.  

This area is deeply tied to Dartmouth’s identity, since the college was one of the first in the Ivy League to launch a Native American Studies program, which later became a full department. The program reflects Dartmouth’s ongoing commitment to Indigenous scholarship and community engagement, with courses on Native history, sovereignty, and contemporary policy issues.

Students also find strong programs in African and African American Studies, which regularly hosts visiting scholars and activists, and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, where undergraduates explore gender, sexuality, and power structures through interdisciplinary methods. 

Many students pair these majors with government, history, or sociology to deepen both their analytical and applied perspectives.

Some of the specific opportunities include:

• Participation in the Indigenous Studies Department’s annual Powwow, one of the oldest student-run events of its kind in the country.
• Access to the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Senior Seminar, which gives students a chance to complete original research projects on topics like reproductive rights, queer theory, or global feminism.
• Internships through the African and African American Studies Program, which connects students with organizations in Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C. working on racial justice and equity.

If you are scanning the Dartmouth list of majors for fields tied to social justice and identity, this category is central. It is also one of Dartmouth’s best-known contributions to the study of culture and equity in higher education.

Physical Sciences at Dartmouth

Physical Sciences accounted for about 46 graduates in 2024, or 4% e class. This includes programs in Chemistry, Physics, and Earth Sciences. Dartmouth’s approach combines liberal arts breadth with deep scientific training, which helps prepare students for both graduate school and industry.

The program is well supported by research centers like the Dartmouth Electron Microscope Facility and the Dartmouth Observatory. Students in Earth Sciences often conduct fieldwork in the nearby White Mountains, while physics and chemistry students have access to advanced lab facilities on campus.

Key program strengths include:

• Faculty research spans areas like quantum materials in the Physics department, where undergraduates work on superconductivity projects, and climate science in Earth Sciences, which connects to Dartmouth’s Institute of Arctic Studies and ongoing work in Greenland and Alaska.
• Small upper-level classes such as PHYS 75 (Quantum Computation and Information) or CHEM 76 (Physical Chemistry II), which often have fewer than 15 students, allow for close faculty mentorship and collaborative problem solving.
• Hands-on learning extends beyond the classroom through fieldwork in the White Mountains for geology courses, access to the Dartmouth Electron Microscope Facility, and participation in summer research through the Women in Science Project (WISP), which pairs students with labs as early as their first year.

National rankings further highlight the program’s reputation:

• #58 in Chemistry (U.S. News)
• #42 in Earth Sciences (U.S. News)
• #55 in Physics (U.S. News)

This major is a strong choice for students drawn to discovery and experimentation. It stands as one of the most popular majors at Dartmouth for those who want to pursue science at a high level in a liberal arts environment.

Visual and Performing Arts at Dartmouth

Visual and Performing Arts made up about 62 graduates in 2024, or 5.4% of Dartmouth’s bachelor’s degrees. The college has long prioritized the arts, both through academics and vibrant extracurricular opportunities.

Programs here cover Studio Art, Theater, Film & Media Studies, and Music. The Hopkins Center for the Arts (known as “the Hop”) anchors the campus arts scene, hosting student productions, visiting performers, and festivals throughout the year.

Highlights of the program include:

• Access to the Black Family Visual Arts Center, which houses modern studios, digital labs, the Loew Auditorium, and student gallery spaces where undergraduates exhibit their work alongside visiting artists.
• A Film and Media Studies program that links creative practice with critical theory, offering courses like FS 37 (Directing for the Camera) and FS 39 (Advanced Videomaking: Documentary and Experimental). Students regularly screen projects at the White River Indie Film Festival.
• Theater productions at the Hopkins Center for the Arts (the Hop), which involve collaborations with the American Repertory Theater and professional playwrights. Students perform in productions ranging from Shakespeare to contemporary premieres, with faculty often directing shows.

For students who want to combine creativity with academic study, Visual and Performing Arts are firmly among the most popular majors at Dartmouth. The program reflects the school’s commitment to supporting the arts as a vital part of a liberal arts education.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What majors is Dartmouth known for?

Dartmouth is best known for its strength in the liberal arts, with highly regarded programs in Economics, Government, and Sociology leading the way. The college is also recognized nationally in Computer Science, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Psychology. Its distinctive approach allows students to connect fields across the humanities, sciences, and social sciences, which has long been part of Dartmouth’s identity.

2. What majors does Dartmouth offer?

Dartmouth offers more than 60 undergraduate majors through the Arts & Sciences division and the Thayer School of Engineering. Students can pursue traditional fields like History, English, or Chemistry, as well as specialized programs such as Cognitive Science, Native American and Indigenous Studies, and Environmental Studies.

Dartmouth also allows students to design individualized majors through its Interdisciplinary Studies option, which is one reason it stands out among the Ivy League.

3. Where can I find a Dartmouth list of majors?

The full list of undergraduate majors is available on Dartmouth’s website under the Majors and Minors section. Each entry outlines the program’s curriculum, advising, and research opportunities, along with study abroad options. This gives students a detailed look into both academic and practical training.

4. What are considered Dartmouth’s best majors?

Dartmouth consistently ranks highly for programs in Economics, Government, Computer Science, and Biological Sciences. The college’s focus on undergraduate teaching, combined with strong research opportunities, makes these among the Dartmouth best majors. Programs like Psychology, Engineering, and Interdisciplinary Studies are also consistently popular and nationally recognized.

5. Are the most popular majors at Dartmouth all in the liberal arts?

No. While liberal arts programs such as Economics, Government, and Sociology dominate, Dartmouth also attracts many students in the sciences, engineering, and computer science. Biology and Psychology remain strong draws, and majors in Mathematics, Physics, and the Arts also make the list.

Takeaways

Here are the key points to remember about the most popular majors at Dartmouth:

• The most popular majors at Dartmouth are led by the Social Sciences, where nearly a third of graduates concentrate. Economics, Government, and Sociology dominate because of the program’s national rankings and strong career outcomes.
• STEM fields remain strong, with Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, and the Physical Sciences all ranking as some of the most popular majors at Dartmouth. These programs give students access to cutting-edge labs, faculty research, and interdisciplinary tracks.
• The Biological and Life Sciences continue to hold weight among the most popular majors at Dartmouth thanks to ties with the Geisel School of Medicine, the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, and research that prepares students for careers in healthcare and biotech.
• Dartmouth also shines in Interdisciplinary Studies and the Arts, where students design unique majors, study abroad, or build professional portfolios in film, theater, and studio art. Both remain staples among the most popular majors at Dartmouth because they combine creativity and flexibility.
• For students deciding how to approach the most popular majors at Dartmouth, expert guidance can make all the difference. A college admissions consultant offers personalized support to help you choose the right program, strengthen your application, and build a clear plan for college success.