Information Science/Studies: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 220 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Information Science/Studies pays
Career outlook for Information Science/Studies graduates
The job market for the occupations Information Science/Studies graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software developers | 1,693,800 | +15.8% | $133,080 | Bachelor's degree |
| Computer and information systems managers | 667,100 | +15.2% | $171,200 | Bachelor's degree |
| Computer occupations, all other | 472,000 | +8.2% | $108,970 | Bachelor's degree |
| Web and digital interface designers | 128,900 | +7.0% | $98,090 | Bachelor's degree |
| Database architects | 66,900 | +8.7% | $135,980 | Bachelor's degree |
| Computer science teachers, postsecondary | 44,800 | +5.3% | $96,690 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Information Science/Studies vs similar majors
How Information Science/Studies stacks up against the closest fields in Computer & Information Sciences on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Information Science/Studies Computer & Information Sciences · this major | Computer Science | Computer and Information Sciences, General | Computer Systems Analysis | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 86 A | 91 A | 87 A | 80 A |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $90,493 | $112,491 | $85,293 | $84,199 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $65,420 | $78,962 | $63,699 | $59,806 |
| ROI vs cost | +441% | +743% | +399% | +362% |
| Typical debt | $33,157 | $22,058 | $23,998 | $35,459 |
| Colleges offering it | 220 | 309 | 579 | 34 |
Information Science/Studies earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Information Science/Studies
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY | Certificate | $163,850 | — | +9,696% | Strong return |
| 2 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY | Associate's | $88,714 | $10,750 | +4,279% | Strong return |
| 3 | Cuyahoga Community College District Cleveland, OH | Certificate | $63,631 | — | +4,267% | Strong return |
| 4 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | Certificate | $214,399 | — | +3,041% | Strong return |
| 5 | Utah Valley University Orem, UT | Associate's | $101,604 | $17,125 | +2,880% | Strong return |
| 6 | CUNY Lehman College Bronx, NY | Associate's | $74,891 | $13,400 | +2,574% | Strong return |
| 7 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | Associate's | $125,257 | $17,592 | +2,355% | Strong return |
| 8 | University of Maryland-Baltimore County Baltimore, MD | Certificate | $101,507 | $20,625 | +2,256% | Strong return |
| 9 | Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale, FL | Master's | $178,444 | — | +2,097% | Strong return |
| 10 | University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, MD | Certificate | $90,630 | — | +1,968% | Strong return |
| 11 | University of Houston Houston, TX | Associate's | $103,467 | — | +1,948% | Strong return |
| 12 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | Associate's | $102,438 | $13,197 | +1,943% | Strong return |
| 13 | Lake Land College Mattoon, IL | Certificate | $49,295 | — | +1,806% | Strong return |
| 14 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA | Certificate | $178,595 | $47,253 | +1,716% | Strong return |
| 15 | University of Maryland-College Park College Park, MD | Associate's | $113,785 | $19,500 | +1,688% | Strong return |
| 16 | CUNY New York City College of Technology Brooklyn, NY | Associate's | $70,732 | $11,750 | +1,670% | Strong return |
| 17 | Murray State University Murray, KY | Associate's | $89,111 | $19,037 | +1,655% | Strong return |
| 18 | Utah State University Logan, UT | Associate's | $100,906 | $13,500 | +1,507% | Strong return |
| 19 | Hudson Valley Community College Troy, NY | Certificate | $63,937 | $9,317 | +1,492% | Strong return |
| 20 | University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT | Associate's | $110,079 | $23,920 | +1,483% | Strong return |
| 21 | Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, NY | Associate's | $79,033 | — | +1,466% | Strong return |
| 22 | University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, NE | Certificate | $124,484 | — | +1,378% | Strong return |
| 23 | George Mason University Fairfax, VA | Certificate | $149,317 | — | +1,356% | Strong return |
| 24 | California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA | Associate's | $70,302 | $13,071 | +1,316% | Strong return |
| 25 | Texas A&M University-College Station College Station, TX | Associate's | $103,984 | — | +1,284% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.