Management Information Systems and Services: 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 219 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Management Information Systems and Services pays
Career outlook for Management Information Systems and Services graduates
The job market for the occupations Management Information Systems and Services 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and information systems managers | 667,100 | +15.2% | $171,200 | Bachelor's degree |
| Computer programmers | 121,200 | -6.0% | $98,670 | 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.
Management Information Systems and Services vs similar majors
How Management Information Systems and Services stacks up against the closest fields in Business, Management & Marketing on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Management Information Systems and Services Business, Management & Marketing · this major | Taxation | Real Estate | Construction Management | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 84 A | 86 A | 89 A | 91 A |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $83,266 | $115,802 | $106,858 | $93,418 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $62,995 | $82,899 | $75,222 | $72,735 |
| ROI vs cost | +369% | +744% | +657% | +500% |
| Typical debt | $26,429 | $32,642 | $26,560 | $23,977 |
| Colleges offering it | 219 | 30 | 27 | 47 |
Management Information Systems and Services 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 Management Information Systems and Services
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 | Capella University Minneapolis, MN | Master's | $151,713 | — | +2,872% | Strong return |
| 2 | Ohio University-Eastern Campus Saint Clairsville, OH | Associate's | $89,251 | $25,309 | +2,492% | Strong return |
| 3 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA | Associate's | $114,328 | — | +2,360% | Strong return |
| 4 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | Associate's | $129,344 | $16,500 | +2,344% | Strong return |
| 5 | Central Piedmont Community College Charlotte, NC | Certificate | $52,953 | — | +2,278% | Strong return |
| 6 | Ohio University-Lancaster Campus Lancaster, OH | Associate's | $89,251 | $25,309 | +2,056% | Strong return |
| 7 | San Jose State University San Jose, CA | Associate's | $104,129 | — | +2,049% | Strong return |
| 8 | Ohio University-Zanesville Campus Zanesville, OH | Associate's | $89,251 | $25,309 | +2,036% | Strong return |
| 9 | Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus Chillicothe, OH | Associate's | $89,251 | $25,309 | +2,034% | Strong return |
| 10 | Ohio University-Southern Campus Ironton, OH | Associate's | $89,251 | $25,309 | +1,986% | Strong return |
| 11 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL | Associate's | $115,128 | $19,300 | +1,862% | Strong return |
| 12 | University of Georgia Athens, GA | Associate's | $111,592 | $17,261 | +1,849% | Strong return |
| 13 | University of Phoenix-Arizona Phoenix, AZ | Master's | $150,717 | $76,775 | +1,822% | Strong return |
| 14 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC | Associate's | $101,637 | — | +1,735% | Strong return |
| 15 | California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA | Associate's | $84,481 | $21,125 | +1,716% | Strong return |
| 16 | Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY | Associate's | $88,946 | $22,125 | +1,698% | Strong return |
| 17 | Northeastern State University Tahlequah, OK | Associate's | $89,588 | — | +1,654% | Strong return |
| 18 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FL | Associate's | $95,233 | $17,318 | +1,638% | Strong return |
| 19 | Weber State University Ogden, UT | Associate's | $88,576 | $15,000 | +1,577% | Strong return |
| 20 | University of Michigan-Dearborn Dearborn, MI | Associate's | $91,680 | $24,735 | +1,567% | Strong return |
| 21 | Dalton State College Dalton, GA | Associate's | $61,485 | — | +1,545% | Strong return |
| 22 | University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN | Associate's | $129,875 | — | +1,485% | Strong return |
| 23 | Colorado State University Global Denver, CO | Associate's | $109,460 | $23,854 | +1,445% | Strong return |
| 24 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Norman, OK | Associate's | $100,678 | $17,662 | +1,403% | Strong return |
| 25 | The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, TX | Associate's | $89,324 | $21,500 | +1,402% | 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.