Field of study · CIP 11.04
Information Science/Studies
Offered at 584 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 47 | $53,356 | $98,030 | $11,721 |
| Associate | 77 | $49,860 | $67,465 | $16,253 |
| Bachelor's | 237 | $66,430 | $91,142 | $25,000 |
| Post-bacc certificate | 2 | — | — | — |
| Master's | 152 | $86,636 | $110,358 | — |
| Doctoral | 32 | — | — | — |
| Professional | 1 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 36 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
Our read
One year after finishing, a typical certificate program in this field reports median earnings of $53,356, versus $66,430 for a typical bachelor's program.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | PA | — | $111,213 | — |
| 2 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | MA | — | $103,731 | — |
| 3 | University of Maryland Global Campus | MD | — | $98,030 | $11,875 |
| 4 | University of Maryland-Baltimore County | MD | $70,141 | $96,041 | — |
| 5 | Ivy Tech Community College | IN | $53,356 | — | $11,721 |
| 6 | Ace Institute of Technology | NY | $40,695 | $43,809 | $6,067 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | MA | — | $89,075 | $19,750 |
| 2 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | OH | $44,711 | $79,221 | $16,253 |
| 3 | University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College | OH | $44,711 | $79,221 | $16,253 |
| 4 | Hudson Valley Community College | NY | $41,475 | $69,141 | $12,000 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre | PA | $49,860 | $67,465 | — |
| 6 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Scranton | PA | $49,860 | $67,465 | — |
| 7 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | PA | $49,860 | $67,465 | — |
| 8 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | PA | $49,860 | $67,465 | — |
| 9 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State DuBois | PA | $49,860 | $67,465 | — |
| 10 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton | PA | $49,860 | $67,465 | — |
| 11 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | PA | $49,860 | $67,465 | — |
| 12 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto | PA | $49,860 | $67,465 | — |
| 13 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York | PA | $49,860 | $67,465 | — |
| 14 | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus | PA | $49,860 | $67,465 | — |
| 15 | Florida Institute of Technology | FL | — | $66,910 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwestern University | IL | $114,519 | $180,786 | $18,250 |
| 2 | Boston College | MA | $85,192 | $138,569 | $19,000 |
| 3 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | $94,193 | $133,888 | $21,500 |
| 4 | James Madison University | VA | $77,208 | $132,465 | $18,828 |
| 5 | George Washington University | DC | — | $131,680 | — |
| 6 | Clemson University | SC | $82,608 | $122,195 | $26,780 |
| 7 | University of Maryland-College Park | MD | $77,023 | $120,318 | $14,500 |
| 8 | Utah Valley University | UT | $75,907 | $119,399 | $20,063 |
| 9 | Syracuse University | NY | $81,572 | $114,594 | $20,500 |
| 10 | Stevenson University | MD | — | $112,220 | — |
| 11 | University of Maryland Global Campus | MD | $76,006 | $111,560 | $16,862 |
| 12 | Texas Tech University | TX | $65,743 | $104,009 | — |
| 13 | University of Maryland-Baltimore County | MD | $66,313 | $103,811 | $19,759 |
| 14 | Wentworth Institute of Technology | MA | $72,859 | $103,670 | $25,000 |
| 15 | Drexel University | PA | $73,172 | $103,335 | $23,119 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning post-bacc certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | PA | $114,402 | $164,257 | $22,778 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | NY | — | $166,059 | — |
| 2 | Southern Methodist University | TX | $134,755 | $162,729 | — |
| 3 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | WA | $122,251 | $159,514 | — |
| 4 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | NE | — | $152,802 | — |
| 5 | George Washington University | DC | $113,033 | $150,946 | — |
| 6 | Northwestern University | IL | $127,279 | $149,166 | — |
| 7 | Virginia Commonwealth University | VA | — | $149,108 | — |
| 8 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | NJ | $95,967 | $148,933 | — |
| 9 | Boston University | MA | $119,179 | $147,627 | — |
| 10 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Great Valley | PA | $129,630 | $143,282 | — |
| 11 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | PA | $129,630 | $143,282 | — |
| 12 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | PA | $129,630 | $143,282 | — |
| 13 | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus | PA | $129,630 | $143,282 | — |
| 14 | Norwich University | VT | $102,045 | $141,516 | — |
| 15 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | TX | $89,809 | $138,336 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning professional programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $174,454 | $206,045 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning graduate certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Maryland Global Campus | MD | — | $114,207 | — |
| 2 | Johns Hopkins University | MD | $67,467 | — | — |
| 3 | University of North Texas | TX | $49,624 | $58,179 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $92,749Computer/Information Technology Administration and ManagementBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $85,974Computer Software and Media ApplicationsBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $61,095Computer ScienceBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $108,513Computer ProgrammingBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $82,259Computer Systems Networking and TelecommunicationsBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $78,370Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, OtherBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $98,371Computer Systems AnalysisBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $79,327
Quick answers
- How much do information science/studies graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in information science/studies reports median earnings of $66,430. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
