By Brennan, B.S. Engineering · Published · Updated
With a double major, you finish the requirements for two majors and earn one bachelor's degree. With a dual degree (also called a double degree), you earn two separate bachelor's degrees, often a BA and a BS, and that usually takes at least 30 extra credits, about one more year. At many colleges a double major fits in the usual 120 credits if the majors overlap, while a dual degree usually pushes you toward 150.
What is a double major?
A double major is one bachelor's degree with two majors. You complete every requirement for both majors, but you graduate with one degree. At UT Permian Basin, for example, "only one degree will be awarded, and one diploma will be issued," and both majors are recorded on your transcript.
It's more common than many students expect. About 20% of college graduates double major, and most pick two related fields, according to a 2016 study of the 2010 National Survey of College Graduates.
What is a dual degree?
A dual degree is two separate bachelor's degrees earned together, such as a Bachelor of Arts in one field and a Bachelor of Science in another. You meet the full requirements of both degrees and usually receive two diplomas. Because you're earning a second degree, schools require extra credits on top of the first one: Lehigh University and the University of Northern Colorado both require at least 30 more. Lehigh also requires those extra credits to be taken at Lehigh, and it lists several ways to earn two degrees in five years of study. Not sure how a BA and a BS differ? See BA vs. BS: what's the difference.
What's the difference between a double major and a dual degree?
A double major gives you one degree; a dual degree gives you two, and it costs more credits and usually more time. This is how they compare at the colleges whose rules are cited below:
| Double major | Dual degree | |
|---|---|---|
| Degrees earned | One | Two |
| Diplomas | Usually one (some schools issue two) | Two |
| Credits | Usually the standard 120, sometimes more | Usually 150 or more (at least 30 extra) |
| Typical time | Four years if the majors overlap a lot; often longer | Often about five years |
| Degree types | Usually two majors in the same degree, such as two BA majors | Two different degrees, such as a BA and a BS |
| Approval | Your college | Often both colleges |
Sources: current catalogs from UT Permian Basin, the University of Northern Colorado, Lehigh University and the University of North Florida (listed below). Rules vary, so check your own school's catalog.
If you double major, do you get two degrees?
Usually no. At most colleges a double major is one degree with both majors listed on your transcript. Some schools do it differently: the University of North Florida issues a diploma for each major, and the University of Northern Colorado awards two degrees if a student with two majors also reaches 150 credits. My own college was another exception: engineering students who double majored in two engineering fields earned two separate degrees. Your school's catalog has the final word.
How does a double major work in college?
You declare both majors, then fit both sets of required classes into your schedule. Classes that count toward both majors save time, which is why majors that overlap are much easier to combine.
None of my own engineering classmates double majored, but peers in other class years did. Some combined computer and electrical engineering, and others combined mechanical and electrical engineering. Most of them took five years instead of four. How long it takes really depends on how fast you can get through the courses. From what I saw, it's very difficult. If you're set on it, choose majors whose classes overlap: electrical and mechanical engineering share far more coursework than chemical and civil engineering do.
Should you double major or get a dual degree?
Pick based on how your two interests fit together and how much time you have:
- Lean toward a double major if your two interests share classes, you want to finish in about four years, or the second field mainly adds skills to the first.
- Lean toward a dual degree if the two fields need different degree types, such as a BS in engineering and a BA in a language, or you want two full credentials and can take on the extra year.
In my opinion, a dual degree makes sense when both degrees line up closely with the field you want to work in. Otherwise, a double major may be enough, as long as you've researched the career you want and which classes will prepare you for it.
Not sure which fields to pair? Look at your top few results on our free quiz. They can point to two interests worth combining.
Is a double major worth it?
It depends on the pairing. A 2008 study of 2003 survey data put the average pay bump at 2.3%, and a 2024 working paper found double majors were better shielded when earnings in one field dropped. The full breakdown of pay, cost and workload is on is a double major worth it?
Double major and dual degree questions
Is a dual degree the same as a double degree?
Yes. Colleges use both names for earning two separate bachelor's degrees at the same time.
Can you double major in two different colleges?
It depends on the school. At the University of North Florida, a double major must be within the same degree program and college; two different degrees, such as a BA and a BS, count as a dual degree and need both colleges' approval.
Does a double major show on your diploma?
It varies. UT Permian Basin issues one diploma and records both majors on your transcript, while the University of North Florida issues a diploma for each major.
Other options
If two full majors sound like too much, a minor is a lighter way to study a second subject: see what a minor is and whether you need one. Or start from the top with how to choose a college major.
Sources
The school rules are from each college's catalog, and the earnings figures are from the papers below. Each one was checked against the original, but a college near you may handle this differently.
- University of Texas Permian Basin. 2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog: Double Major. utpb.smartcatalogiq.com
- University of Northern Colorado. Undergraduate Catalog: Concurrent Degrees and Multiple Majors. unco.smartcatalogiq.com
- Lehigh University. Catalog: Five-Year Programs (second degrees). catalog.lehigh.edu
- University of North Florida. Catalog: Dual Degrees and Double Majors. unf.edu
- Del Rossi, A. F., and Hersch, J. (2016). The private and social benefits of double majors. Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis, 7(2), 292-325. cambridge.org
- Del Rossi, A. F., and Hersch, J. (2008). Double your major, double your return? Economics of Education Review, 27(4), 375-386. ideas.repec.org
- Hanks, A. S., Jiang, S., Qian, X., Wang, B., and Weinberg, B. A. (2024). Do double majors face less risk? An analysis of human capital diversification. NBER Working Paper 32095. nber.org