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Academic Field / Computer & Information Sciences

Information Science

Students study how information is organized, stored, retrieved, and used, drawing from computer science, library science, and cognitive science. Graduates typically pursue careers as information architects, UX researchers, data analysts, knowledge managers, and information consultants. This interdisciplinary field is increasingly important as organizations struggle to manage and extract value from massive amounts of data.

Compare Schools

Schools

129

Programs analyzed

Earnings

$59,434

Avg 1-yr grad earnings

Range $25,534–$102,998

Outlook

70/100

Avg DegreeOutlook Score

AI Risk

Very High

59% task exposure

Field Overview

What Information Science graduates do

Your Information Science degree places you in the engine room of the digital economy. Many graduates become software developers, spending their days translating user needs into functional code, debugging complex systems, and collaborating on new features. Others advance into management, where you’ll lead technical teams, oversee IT budgets, and make critical decisions about your company’s technology strategy. You might also specialize in designing and maintaining the vast databases that store and organize critical information, a role blending deep technical skill with big-picture architectural thinking.

Career paths often begin with hands-on coding or systems analysis before progressing to senior roles like database architect or leadership positions. While fields like software development and research are growing rapidly, AI is fundamentally reshaping this landscape. With high AI exposure across most roles, routine coding and data management tasks are being automated. This shrinks the number of entry-level jobs focused on simple tasks. Your value will come from designing complex systems, critically evaluating AI-generated work, and making the high-level judgment calls machines can’t. Success now depends on becoming the person who directs the AI, not the person it replaces.

You may also want to evaluate Information Science against Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, and Information Sciences on salary and long-run job outlook.

Career Trajectories

Where Information Science graduates work

Common career paths for Information Science graduates, with median salaries, projected growth, and AI exposure per role. Roughly 221,900 combined openings per year across these roles.

Role	Median Pay	Annual Openings	10-yr Growth	AI Exposure
Computer and information systems managers	$171,200 $134K–$216K	55,600	+15.2%	High · 53%
Computer and information research scientists	$140,910 $103K–$181K	3,200	+19.7%	High · 63%
Database architects	$135,980 $108K–$169K	4,000	+8.7%	Very High · 94%
Software developers	$133,080 $103K–$169K	115,200	+15.8%	Very High · 87%
Computer occupations, all other	$108,970 $76K–$148K	31,300	+8.2%	High · 57%
Web and digital interface designers	$98,090 $65K–$142K	9,100	+7.0%	High · 67%
Computer science teachers, postsecondary	$96,690 $65K–$132K	3,500	+5.3%	High · 51%

Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. Salary range shows 25th–median–75th percentile (national).

Top Institutions

Best schools for Information Science

Schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score (earnings × AI resilience × ROI × job-market size). Top 10 of 129.

Rank #1 · DegreeOutlook Score 86

Utah Valley University

Orem, UT · Public

$79,918 1-yr earnings

39.5x ROI multiple

Very High AI risk

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI · #2

$88,515/yr · 17.2x ROI

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, VA · #3

$80,173/yr · 19.5x ROI

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC · #4

$75,834/yr · 27.5x ROI

#	School	DW Score	1-yr Earnings	ROI
5	University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, MD · Public	84	$72,140	29.7x
6	University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT · Public	84	$70,833	28.5x
7	University of Maryland-College Park College Park, MD · Public	84	$70,344	23.7x
8	Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY · Public	83	$68,007	23.1x
9	Utah State University Logan, UT · Public	82	$61,896	26.3x
10	Colorado State University-Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO · Public	81	$67,827	18.5x
11	Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA · Public	81	$63,986	35.1x
12	Florida Institute of Technology-Online Melbourne, FL · Private nonprofit	81	$59,368	20.3x
13	Metropolitan State University Saint Paul, MN · Public	80	$64,382	20.0x
14	University of Maryland-Baltimore County Baltimore, MD · Public	80	$63,334	18.2x
15	Strayer University-District of Columbia Washington, DC · Private for-profit	79	$71,167	14.7x
16	Strayer University-Virginia Arlington, VA · Private for-profit	79	$71,167	14.7x
17	Strayer University-Maryland Suitland, MD · Private for-profit	79	$71,167	14.7x
18	Strayer University-Tennessee Memphis, TN · Private for-profit	79	$71,167	14.7x
19	Strayer University-Pennsylvania Trevose, PA · Private for-profit	79	$71,167	14.7x
20	Strayer University-Florida Tampa, FL · Private for-profit	79	$71,167	14.7x
21	Strayer University-Delaware Wilmington, DE · Private for-profit	79	$71,167	14.7x
22	Strayer University-Alabama Birmingham, AL · Private for-profit	79	$71,167	14.7x
23	Strayer University-North Carolina Greensboro, NC · Private for-profit	79	$71,167	14.7x
24	Strayer University-New Jersey Piscataway, NJ · Private for-profit	79	$71,167	14.7x
25	Strayer University-West Virginia Scott Depot, WV · Private for-profit	79	$71,167	14.7x
26	Strayer University-Arkansas Little Rock, AR · Private for-profit	79	$71,167	14.7x
27	Strayer University-Georgia Chamblee, GA · Private for-profit	79	$71,167	14.7x
28	Strayer University-Mississippi Jackson, MS · Private for-profit	79	$71,167	14.7x
29	Strayer University-South Carolina Greenville, SC · Private for-profit	79	$71,167	14.7x
30	Strayer University-Texas Farmers Branch, TX · Private for-profit	79	$71,167	14.7x
31	Strayer University-Global Region Washington, DC · Private for-profit	79	$71,167	14.7x
32	University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Cincinnati, OH · Public	79	$68,864	15.3x
33	Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI · Public	79	$66,967	15.1x
34	Dakota State University Madison, SD · Public	79	$63,636	19.4x
35	Salisbury University Salisbury, MD · Public	79	$61,290	19.1x
36	CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY · Public	79	$51,864	28.7x
37	University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, NE · Public	78	$58,757	22.0x
38	The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TX · Public	78	$57,756	17.8x
39	Fort Hays State University Hays, KS · Public	78	$56,399	30.7x
40	Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX · Public	78	$55,081	18.8x
41	Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA · Public	78	$52,435	33.0x
42	Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, MO · Public	77	$65,393	13.7x
43	University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Johnstown, PA · Public	77	$59,951	14.2x
44	Emporia State University Emporia, KS · Public	77	$48,438	28.2x
45	University of Massachusetts-Lowell Lowell, MA · Public	76	$68,362	11.9x
46	New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, NJ · Public	76	$61,739	12.0x
47	Rutgers University-New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ · Public	76	$56,360	13.2x
48	Rutgers University-Newark Newark, NJ · Public	76	$56,360	13.7x
49	University of South Alabama Mobile, AL · Public	76	$56,344	18.4x
50	CUNY Lehman College Bronx, NY · Public	76	$50,133	24.3x
51	Towson University Towson, MD · Public	76	$50,067	18.1x
52	Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA · Public	75	$62,116	12.2x
53	Christopher Newport University Newport News, VA · Public	75	$58,550	12.5x
54	California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA · Public	75	$49,897	23.8x
55	Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA · Private nonprofit	74	$80,731	3.9x
56	University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL · Public	74	$58,651	12.8x
57	University of Toledo Toledo, OH · Public	74	$50,920	15.7x
58	Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Slippery Rock, PA · Public	74	$49,369	18.0x
59	Albright College Reading, PA · Private nonprofit	73	$80,329	6.5x
60	University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI · Public	73	$51,582	16.8x
61	CUNY Graduate School and University Center New York, NY · Public	72	$73,937	23.9x
62	University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA · Public	72	$59,951	9.3x
63	Stockton University Galloway, NJ · Public	72	$56,594	11.2x
64	SUNY Buffalo State University Buffalo, NY · Public	72	$49,686	17.8x
65	University of South Carolina-Upstate Spartanburg, SC · Public	72	$48,664	15.4x
66	Radford University Radford, VA · Public	72	$46,446	16.2x
67	CUNY New York City College of Technology Brooklyn, NY · Public	72	$45,790	23.1x
68	Murray State University Murray, KY · Public	72	$43,178	21.9x
69	Drexel University Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofit	71	$78,755	3.4x
70	Eastern Florida State College Melbourne, FL · Public	70	$57,313	56.4x
71	Syracuse University Syracuse, NY · Private nonprofit	69	$73,033	3.0x
72	Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne, FL · Private nonprofit	69	$59,368	4.9x
73	University of California-Riverside Riverside, CA · Public	68	$76,090	12.4x
74	Westfield State University Westfield, MA · Public	68	$52,728	11.9x
75	Ramapo College of New Jersey Mahwah, NJ · Public	68	$49,568	10.4x
76	Clemson University Clemson, SC · Public	67	$76,549	11.3x
77	Rasmussen University-Minnesota St. Cloud, MN · Private for-profit	67	$64,329	13.8x
78	DePaul University Chicago, IL · Private nonprofit	67	$60,468	3.9x
79	Pace University New York, NY · Private nonprofit	67	$52,116	4.2x
80	Valdosta State University Valdosta, GA · Public	67	$51,888	20.6x
81	University of North Georgia Dahlonega, GA · Public	67	$50,539	24.2x
82	SUNY Polytechnic Institute Utica, NY · Public	67	$42,604	18.1x
83	Rasmussen University-Wisconsin Green Bay, WI · Private for-profit	66	$64,329	12.4x
84	SUNY Old Westbury Old Westbury, NY · Public	66	$56,333	15.8x
85	Morgan State University Baltimore, MD · Public	66	$55,711	16.2x
86	Rasmussen University-North Dakota Fargo, ND · Private for-profit	65	$64,329	11.6x
87	Suffolk University Boston, MA · Private nonprofit	65	$56,780	3.7x
88	Colorado State University Pueblo Pueblo, CO · Public	65	$44,712	14.8x
89	SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill Cobleskill, NY · Public	65	$43,246	16.2x
90	Rasmussen University-Illinois Rockford, IL · Private for-profit	64	$64,329	10.9x
91	College of Charleston Charleston, SC · Public	64	$63,069	11.1x
92	Wayne State College Wayne, NE · Public	64	$49,981	14.7x
93	CUNY Brooklyn College Brooklyn, NY · Public	64	$49,688	15.7x
94	Savannah State University Savannah, GA · Public	64	$46,840	20.3x
95	Norwich University Northfield, VT · Private nonprofit	63	$98,551	4.0x
96	Excelsior University Albany, NY · Private nonprofit	63	$88,713	—
97	Rasmussen University-Florida Ocala, FL · Private for-profit	63	$64,329	9.6x
98	Rasmussen University-Kansas Topeka, KS · Private for-profit	63	$64,329	9.5x
99	Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Bowling Green, OH · Public	63	$60,359	9.7x
100	Cleveland State University Cleveland, OH · Public	63	$57,661	10.4x
101	State University of New York at Oswego Oswego, NY · Public	63	$50,862	13.5x
102	Northwestern University Evanston, IL · Private nonprofit	62	$102,998	2.9x
103	University of Akron Main Campus Akron, OH · Public	62	$56,824	10.1x
104	University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock, AR · Public	62	$48,964	13.5x
105	South University-Savannah Online Savannah, GA · Private for-profit	62	$44,682	9.2x
106	University of North Texas Denton, TX · Public	61	$52,449	10.7x
107	South University-Montgomery Montgomery, AL · Private for-profit	61	$44,682	8.2x
108	South University-Savannah Savannah, GA · Private for-profit	61	$44,682	8.2x
109	South University-Columbia Columbia, SC · Private for-profit	61	$44,682	8.2x
110	South University-Tampa Tampa, FL · Private for-profit	61	$44,682	8.2x
111	South University-Richmond Glen Allen, VA · Private for-profit	61	$44,682	8.2x
112	South University-Virginia Beach Virginia Beach, VA · Private for-profit	61	$44,682	8.2x
113	South University-Austin Round Rock, TX · Private for-profit	61	$44,682	8.2x
114	Wentworth Institute of Technology Boston, MA · Private nonprofit	60	$72,095	3.4x
115	Minnesota State University Moorhead Moorhead, MN · Public	60	$49,625	11.0x
116	Robert Morris University Moon Township, PA · Private nonprofit	58	$62,375	3.5x
117	University of Kentucky Lexington, KY · Public	58	$49,165	8.3x
118	Bradley University Peoria, IL · Private nonprofit	56	$58,014	2.7x
119	Elizabethtown College Elizabethtown, PA · Private nonprofit	56	$56,789	2.9x
120	University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Flex Milwaukee, WI · Public	56	$51,582	—
121	University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Green Bay, WI · Public	54	$41,041	11.3x
122	Coastal Carolina University Conway, SC · Public	54	$31,322	15.9x
123	University of Michigan-Flint Flint, MI · Public	53	$44,184	6.9x
124	Xavier University Cincinnati, OH · Private nonprofit	51	$49,285	1.6x
125	University of Baltimore Baltimore, MD · Public	51	$37,417	12.0x
126	Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY · Public	50	$31,390	14.1x
127	Western Oregon University Monmouth, OR · Public	48	$39,320	7.9x
128	Alabama State University Montgomery, AL · Public	37	$30,651	9.0x
129	Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona, MN · Private nonprofit	29	$25,534	0.5x

See the full Information Science rankings — 129 schools compared by salary and ROI →

Highest Earnings Top 5

Northwestern University IL	$102,998
Norwich University VT	$98,551
Excelsior University NY	$88,713
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor MI	$88,515
Boston College MA	$80,731

Best ROI Top 5

Eastern Florida State College FL	56.4x
Utah Valley University UT	39.5x
Kennesaw State University GA	35.1x
Georgia Southern University GA	33.0x
Fort Hays State University KS	30.7x

Related majors

Similar fields of study often offered alongside Information Science.

Information Sciences Computer Science IT Management Software Development Computer Programming Computer Networking Business Administration Accounting Psychology Nursing Biology Criminal Justice

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Information Science offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Information Science trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →

FAQ

Frequently asked about Information Science

What's the typical salary after a Information Science degree?

The median first-year salary across 129 Information Science programs is $59,434. School selection matters — the gap between the lowest ($25,534) and highest ($102,998) earning programs is significant.

What is the AI automation risk for Information Science?

Information Science is rated "Very High" for AI automation risk, with 59% of job tasks exposed to large language models and AI tools. This means most career tasks in this field could be augmented or replaced by AI over the next decade.

What's the top-ranked school for Information Science?

Our data ranks Utah Valley University first among 129 Information Science programs. Its score of 86/100 reflects strong outcomes across earnings ($79,918/yr), return on investment, and career durability.

What's the outlook for a Information Science degree?

Typical graduates earn 14.8 times what they paid in tuition within a decade. This is a strong return on investment. Look at per-school ROI in the table above — averages can mask significant variation.