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Information Science/Studies Degree

129 schools compared · Average earnings $59,434/yr

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.

What Information Science/Studies 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.

Schools Offering

129

Avg Grad Earnings

$59,434/yr

Avg DegreeOutlook Score

70/100

AI Automation Risk

Very High

59% task exposure

Common Career Paths

Where Information Science/Studies graduates typically work, ranked by salary. Salary ranges show 25th–75th percentile spread. This field has roughly 221,900 combined openings per year.

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

Computer and information systems managers

$171,200

$134K $216K

55,600 openings/yr +15.2% growth 53% AI risk

Computer and information research scientists

$140,910

$103K $181K

3,200 openings/yr +19.7% growth 63% AI risk

Database architects

$135,980

$108K $169K

4,000 openings/yr +8.7% growth 94% AI risk

Software developers

$133,080

$103K $169K

115,200 openings/yr +15.8% growth 87% AI risk

Computer occupations, all other

$108,970

$76K $148K

31,300 openings/yr +8.2% growth 57% AI risk

Web and digital interface designers

$98,090

$65K $142K

9,100 openings/yr +7.0% growth 67% AI risk

Computer science teachers, postsecondary

$96,690

$65K $132K

3,500 openings/yr +5.3% growth 51% AI risk

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

Best Schools for Information Science/Studies

Top 20 of 129 schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any row for full AI scenario analysis and earnings projections.

#	School	DW Score	Earnings	ROI
1	Utah Valley University Orem, UT	86 80–87	$79,918/yr	39.5x
2	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI	85 78–86	$88,515/yr	17.2x
3	James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA	85 78–86	$80,173/yr	19.5x
4	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC	85 79–86	$75,834/yr	27.5x
5	University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, MD	84 78–85	$72,140/yr	29.7x
6	University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT	84 78–85	$70,833/yr	28.5x
7	University of Maryland-College Park College Park, MD	84 78–85	$70,344/yr	23.7x
8	Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY	83 77–84	$68,007/yr	23.1x
9	Utah State University Logan, UT	82 76–83	$61,896/yr	26.3x
10	Colorado State University-Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO	81 75–82	$67,827/yr	18.5x
11	Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA	81 75–82	$63,986/yr	35.1x
12	Florida Institute of Technology-Online Melbourne, FL	81 74–82	$59,368/yr	20.3x
13	Metropolitan State University Saint Paul, MN	80 73–81	$64,382/yr	20.0x
14	University of Maryland-Baltimore County Baltimore, MD	80 74–81	$63,334/yr	18.2x
15	Strayer University-District of Columbia Washington, DC	79 73–80	$71,167/yr	14.7x
16	Strayer University-Virginia Arlington, VA	79 73–80	$71,167/yr	14.7x
17	Strayer University-Maryland Suitland, MD	79 73–80	$71,167/yr	14.7x
18	Strayer University-Tennessee Memphis, TN	79 73–80	$71,167/yr	14.7x
19	Strayer University-Pennsylvania Trevose, PA	79 73–80	$71,167/yr	14.7x
20	Strayer University-Florida Tampa, FL	79 73–80	$71,167/yr	14.7x
21	Strayer University-Delaware Wilmington, DE	79 73–80	$71,167/yr	14.7x
22	Strayer University-Alabama Birmingham, AL	79 73–80	$71,167/yr	14.7x
23	Strayer University-North Carolina Greensboro, NC	79 73–80	$71,167/yr	14.7x
24	Strayer University-New Jersey Piscataway, NJ	79 73–80	$71,167/yr	14.7x
25	Strayer University-West Virginia Scott Depot, WV	79 73–80	$71,167/yr	14.7x
26	Strayer University-Arkansas Little Rock, AR	79 73–80	$71,167/yr	14.7x
27	Strayer University-Georgia Chamblee, GA	79 73–80	$71,167/yr	14.7x
28	Strayer University-Mississippi Jackson, MS	79 73–80	$71,167/yr	14.7x
29	Strayer University-South Carolina Greenville, SC	79 73–80	$71,167/yr	14.7x
30	Strayer University-Texas Farmers Branch, TX	79 73–80	$71,167/yr	14.7x
31	Strayer University-Global Region Washington, DC	79 73–80	$71,167/yr	14.7x
32	University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Cincinnati, OH	79 73–80	$68,864/yr	15.3x
33	Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI	79 73–80	$66,967/yr	15.1x
34	Dakota State University Madison, SD	79 72–80	$63,636/yr	19.4x
35	Salisbury University Salisbury, MD	79 73–80	$61,290/yr	19.1x
36	CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY	79 72–80	$51,864/yr	28.7x
37	University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, NE	78 72–79	$58,757/yr	22.0x
38	The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TX	78 72–79	$57,756/yr	17.8x
39	Fort Hays State University Hays, KS	78 71–79	$56,399/yr	30.7x
40	Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX	78 72–79	$55,081/yr	18.8x
41	Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA	78 72–79	$52,435/yr	33.0x
42	Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, MO	77 70–78	$65,393/yr	13.7x
43	University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Johnstown, PA	77 70–78	$59,951/yr	14.2x
44	Emporia State University Emporia, KS	77 71–78	$48,438/yr	28.2x
45	University of Massachusetts-Lowell Lowell, MA	76 70–77	$68,362/yr	11.9x
46	New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, NJ	76 70–77	$61,739/yr	12.0x
47	Rutgers University-New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ	76 69–77	$56,360/yr	13.2x
48	Rutgers University-Newark Newark, NJ	76 70–77	$56,360/yr	13.7x
49	University of South Alabama Mobile, AL	76 70–77	$56,344/yr	18.4x
50	CUNY Lehman College Bronx, NY	76 70–77	$50,133/yr	24.3x
51	Towson University Towson, MD	76 69–76	$50,067/yr	18.1x
52	Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA	75 69–76	$62,116/yr	12.2x
53	Christopher Newport University Newport News, VA	75 68–76	$58,550/yr	12.5x
54	California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA	75 69–76	$49,897/yr	23.8x
55	Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA	74 67–75	$80,731/yr	3.9x
56	University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL	74 67–75	$58,651/yr	12.8x
57	University of Toledo Toledo, OH	74 68–75	$50,920/yr	15.7x
58	Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Slippery Rock, PA	74 68–75	$49,369/yr	18.0x
59	Albright College Reading, PA	73 66–74	$80,329/yr	6.5x
60	University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI	73 67–74	$51,582/yr	16.8x
61	CUNY Graduate School and University Center New York, NY	72 66–73	$73,937/yr	23.9x
62	University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA	72 66–73	$59,951/yr	9.3x
63	Stockton University Galloway, NJ	72 65–72	$56,594/yr	11.2x
64	SUNY Buffalo State University Buffalo, NY	72 65–72	$49,686/yr	17.8x
65	University of South Carolina-Upstate Spartanburg, SC	72 66–73	$48,664/yr	15.4x
66	Radford University Radford, VA	72 67–73	$46,446/yr	16.2x
67	CUNY New York City College of Technology Brooklyn, NY	72 67–73	$45,790/yr	23.1x
68	Murray State University Murray, KY	72 69–73	$43,178/yr	21.9x
69	Drexel University Philadelphia, PA	71 65–72	$78,755/yr	3.4x
70	Eastern Florida State College Melbourne, FL	70 64–71	$57,313/yr	56.4x
71	Syracuse University Syracuse, NY	69 63–70	$73,033/yr	3.0x
72	Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne, FL	69 63–70	$59,368/yr	4.9x
73	University of California-Riverside Riverside, CA	68 62–69	$76,090/yr	12.4x
74	Westfield State University Westfield, MA	68 61–69	$52,728/yr	11.9x
75	Ramapo College of New Jersey Mahwah, NJ	68 62–69	$49,568/yr	10.4x
76	Clemson University Clemson, SC	67 61–68	$76,549/yr	11.3x
77	Rasmussen University-Minnesota St. Cloud, MN	67 61–68	$64,329/yr	13.8x
78	DePaul University Chicago, IL	67 60–67	$60,468/yr	3.9x
79	Pace University New York, NY	67 60–68	$52,116/yr	4.2x
80	Valdosta State University Valdosta, GA	67 60–68	$51,888/yr	20.6x
81	University of North Georgia Dahlonega, GA	67 61–68	$50,539/yr	24.2x
82	SUNY Polytechnic Institute Utica, NY	67 64–68	$42,604/yr	18.1x
83	Rasmussen University-Wisconsin Green Bay, WI	66 59–67	$64,329/yr	12.4x
84	SUNY Old Westbury Old Westbury, NY	66 60–67	$56,333/yr	15.8x
85	Morgan State University Baltimore, MD	66 60–67	$55,711/yr	16.2x
86	Rasmussen University-North Dakota Fargo, ND	65 59–66	$64,329/yr	11.6x
87	Suffolk University Boston, MA	65 59–66	$56,780/yr	3.7x
88	Colorado State University Pueblo Pueblo, CO	65 61–66	$44,712/yr	14.8x
89	SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill Cobleskill, NY	65 61–66	$43,246/yr	16.2x
90	Rasmussen University-Illinois Rockford, IL	64 58–65	$64,329/yr	10.9x
91	College of Charleston Charleston, SC	64 58–65	$63,069/yr	11.1x
92	Wayne State College Wayne, NE	64 57–64	$49,981/yr	14.7x
93	CUNY Brooklyn College Brooklyn, NY	64 58–65	$49,688/yr	15.7x
94	Savannah State University Savannah, GA	64 59–65	$46,840/yr	20.3x
95	Norwich University Northfield, VT	63 57–64	$98,551/yr	4.0x
96	Excelsior University Albany, NY	63 57–64	$88,713/yr	—
97	Rasmussen University-Florida Ocala, FL	63 57–64	$64,329/yr	9.6x
98	Rasmussen University-Kansas Topeka, KS	63 57–64	$64,329/yr	9.5x
99	Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Bowling Green, OH	63 56–63	$60,359/yr	9.7x
100	Cleveland State University Cleveland, OH	63 56–63	$57,661/yr	10.4x
101	State University of New York at Oswego Oswego, NY	63 57–64	$50,862/yr	13.5x
102	Northwestern University Evanston, IL	62 56–63	$102,998/yr	2.9x
103	University of Akron Main Campus Akron, OH	62 55–63	$56,824/yr	10.1x
104	University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock, AR	62 56–63	$48,964/yr	13.5x
105	South University-Savannah Online Savannah, GA	62 58–63	$44,682/yr	9.2x
106	University of North Texas Denton, TX	61 55–62	$52,449/yr	10.7x
107	South University-Montgomery Montgomery, AL	61 56–62	$44,682/yr	8.2x
108	South University-Savannah Savannah, GA	61 56–62	$44,682/yr	8.2x
109	South University-Columbia Columbia, SC	61 56–62	$44,682/yr	8.2x
110	South University-Tampa Tampa, FL	61 56–62	$44,682/yr	8.2x
111	South University-Richmond Glen Allen, VA	61 56–62	$44,682/yr	8.2x
112	South University-Virginia Beach Virginia Beach, VA	61 56–62	$44,682/yr	8.2x
113	South University-Austin Round Rock, TX	61 56–62	$44,682/yr	8.2x
114	Wentworth Institute of Technology Boston, MA	60 54–61	$72,095/yr	3.4x
115	Minnesota State University Moorhead Moorhead, MN	60 54–61	$49,625/yr	11.0x
116	Robert Morris University Moon Township, PA	58 52–59	$62,375/yr	3.5x
117	University of Kentucky Lexington, KY	58 52–58	$49,165/yr	8.3x
118	Bradley University Peoria, IL	56 49–57	$58,014/yr	2.7x
119	Elizabethtown College Elizabethtown, PA	56 49–57	$56,789/yr	2.9x
120	University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Flex Milwaukee, WI	56 50–57	$51,582/yr	—
121	University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Green Bay, WI	54 52–54	$41,041/yr	11.3x
122	Coastal Carolina University Conway, SC	54 59–55	$31,322/yr	15.9x
123	University of Michigan-Flint Flint, MI	53 49–54	$44,184/yr	6.9x
124	Xavier University Cincinnati, OH	51 45–52	$49,285/yr	1.6x
125	University of Baltimore Baltimore, MD	51 52–52	$37,417/yr	12.0x
126	Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY	50 55–51	$31,390/yr	14.1x
127	Western Oregon University Monmouth, OR	48 48–49	$39,320/yr	7.9x
128	Alabama State University Montgomery, AL	37 42–38	$30,651/yr	9.0x
129	Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona, MN	29 31–30	$25,534/yr	0.5x

Highest Earning Information Science/Studies Programs

Schools where Information Science/Studies graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.

School	1-Year Earnings	DW Score
Northwestern University	$102,998/yr	62
Norwich University	$98,551/yr	63
Excelsior University	$88,713/yr	63
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	$88,515/yr	85
Boston College	$80,731/yr	74
Albright College	$80,329/yr	73
James Madison University	$80,173/yr	85
Utah Valley University	$79,918/yr	86
Drexel University	$78,755/yr	71
Clemson University	$76,549/yr	67

Best ROI for Information Science/Studies

Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Information Science/Studies.

School	ROI Multiple	Earnings	DW Score
Eastern Florida State College	56.4x	$57,313/yr	70
Utah Valley University	39.5x	$79,918/yr	86
Kennesaw State University	35.1x	$63,986/yr	81
Georgia Southern University	33.0x	$52,435/yr	78
Fort Hays State University	30.7x	$56,399/yr	78
University of Maryland Global Campus	29.7x	$72,140/yr	84
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College	28.7x	$51,864/yr	79
University of Utah	28.5x	$70,833/yr	84
Emporia State University	28.2x	$48,438/yr	77
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	27.5x	$75,834/yr	85

Want to compare two Information Science/Studies programs side by side? Use the comparison tool →

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Consider the Trade Route

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Information Science/Studies graduates earn?

Across 129 schools, Information Science/Studies graduates earn an average of $59,434 per year in their first year after graduation. Earnings range from $25,534 to $102,998 depending on the school.

What is the AI automation risk for Information Science/Studies?

Information Science/Studies is rated "Very High" for AI automation risk, with an average of 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.

Which school has the best Information Science/Studies program?

Based on our DegreeOutlook Score (combining earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and ROI), Utah Valley University ranks #1 for Information Science/Studies with a score of 86/100 and graduate earnings of $79,918/yr.

What's the outlook for a Information Science/Studies degree?

On average, Information Science/Studies graduates earn 14.8x their in-state tuition over 10 years. This is a strong return on investment.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →