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Sector Analysis · Computer & Information Sciences

Best IT Management Schools by Graduate Salary & ROI (2026)

102 schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score · Updated 2026

These are the top schools offering IT Management, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. The score combines graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and return on tuition investment. The average IT Management graduate earns $59,803/yr across 102 schools.

What do IT Management graduates do? See career paths and salaries →

Why an Online, For-Profit School Is #1

Capella University’s #1 ranking is surprising until you understand its model. It doesn't target typical 18-year-olds; it caters to experienced, working adults seeking career advancement. The high earnings ($86,085/yr) reflect graduates who are already in the field and use a Capella degree to move into higher-paying management roles. Its online format and Minneapolis base connect it to a robust corporate ecosystem, creating a pipeline for professionals to upskill and climb the ladder within their own companies.

Forget Prestige: These Florida Schools Offer 60x ROI

The most compelling story in this ranking isn't at the top, but in the "hidden gems." Florida State College at Jacksonville (#9), Palm Beach State College (#14), and St Petersburg College (#15) deliver a staggering return on investment over 60x. They achieve this by pairing exceptionally low tuition (around $12,000 for a 4-year degree) with solid mid-career earnings. This isn't an accident; it's a powerful model of public education aligned directly with local industry needs, offering a nearly unbeatable and low-risk path to a stable IT career.

Decoding the 58% AI Risk: Your Real Job Is Managing the Robots

Every program on this list is rated "high-risk" for AI exposure, but that doesn't mean your job is disappearing. It means the job is changing. The 58% task exposure indicates that routine work like server monitoring and basic troubleshooting is being automated. Your value as a 2026 graduate won't be in doing those tasks, but in architecting, managing, and securing the AI systems that do. This degree is no longer just about administering IT; it's about leveraging automation to solve bigger business problems.

Public vs. For-Profit: Two Distinct Paths to a Tech Career

While a for-profit school takes the top spot, public universities dominate this list, representing 13 of the top 20 programs. This highlights two different value propositions. For-profits like Capella excel at upskilling established professionals for an immediate salary bump. However, for most students starting from scratch, public institutions like Kennesaw State (#3, 44.9x ROI) and the University of Maryland Global Campus (#2, 31.2x ROI) offer a more financially sound path, delivering high-quality education and strong returns without the high price tag.

Programs Ranked

102

Avg Earnings

$59,803/yr

Avg DW Score

69/100

AI Risk

Very High

58% task exposure

Top Institutions

Leading the field for IT Management

The top four programs by DegreeOutlook Score. Full ranking of 102 programs below.

Rank #1 · DegreeOutlook Score 87

Capella University

Minneapolis, MN · Private for-profit

$86,0851-yr earnings

18.2xROI multiple

Very HighAI risk

University of Maryland Global Campus

MD · #2

$73,797/yr · 31.2x ROI

Kennesaw State University

GA · #3

$60,691/yr · 44.9x ROI

Georgia College & State University

GA · #4

$67,455/yr · 25.3x ROI

The Ranking Matrix

All IT Management Programs Ranked

Click any row for full AI scenario analysis, earnings projections, and career path breakdown.

Sort by

#	School	DW Score	Earnings	ROI
1	Capella University Minneapolis, MN · Private for-profit	87 81–88	$86,085/yr	18.2x
2	University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, MD · Public	86 81–88	$73,797/yr	31.2x
3	Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA · Public	85 79–86	$60,691/yr	44.9x
4	Georgia College & State University Milledgeville, GA · Public	84 79–86	$67,455/yr	25.3x
5	American Public University System Charles Town, WV · Private for-profit	84 79–86	$66,588/yr	27.1x
6	Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs Colorado Springs, CO · Private for-profit	82 76–84	$58,911/yr	20.1x
7	University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA · Public	81 75–82	$55,773/yr	17.7x
8	Wilmington University New Castle, DE · Private nonprofit	81 75–83	$56,597/yr	18.9x
9	Florida State College at Jacksonville Jacksonville, FL · Public	81 75–83	$59,503/yr	61.0x
10	Bellevue University Bellevue, NE · Private nonprofit	81 76–83	$67,678/yr	20.6x
11	The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, TX · Public	81 75–82	$54,877/yr	23.4x
12	Michigan Technological University Houghton, MI · Public	80 74–81	$77,810/yr	11.4x
13	Dakota State University Madison, SD · Public	80 74–82	$58,166/yr	20.5x
14	Palm Beach State College Lake Worth, FL · Public	79 74–81	$51,368/yr	61.9x
15	St Petersburg College St. Petersburg, FL · Public	79 73–80	$54,560/yr	60.4x
16	Metropolitan State University Saint Paul, MN · Public	79 73–80	$54,025/yr	19.7x
17	Rasmussen University-Minnesota St. Cloud, MN · Private for-profit	78 72–80	$59,685/yr	16.5x
18	SUNY Polytechnic Institute Utica, NY · Public	78 72–80	$52,079/yr	21.9x
19	Texas A & M University-College Station College Station, TX · Public	78 72–79	$58,127/yr	14.7x
20	University of Phoenix-Arizona Phoenix, AZ · Private for-profit	78 72–79	$60,401/yr	17.2x
21	Central Connecticut State University New Britain, CT · Public	77 71–79	$55,134/yr	15.3x
22	Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MN · Public	77 71–78	$56,987/yr	16.6x
23	CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice New York, NY · Public	77 71–78	$49,580/yr	23.5x
24	Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, NY · Private nonprofit	77 72–79	$89,032/yr	5.0x
25	SUNY Morrisville Morrisville, NY · Public	77 72–78	$47,905/yr	22.1x
26	Rasmussen University-North Dakota Fargo, ND · Private for-profit	77 71–78	$59,685/yr	14.0x
27	Western Governors University Salt Lake City, UT · Private nonprofit	77 71–79	$92,416/yr	26.8x
28	Rasmussen University-Wisconsin Green Bay, WI · Private for-profit	77 71–79	$59,685/yr	15.0x
29	Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI · Public	76 70–77	$54,840/yr	13.7x
30	Brigham Young University Provo, UT · Private nonprofit	76 70–78	$83,533/yr	31.1x
31	University of Arkansas Grantham LIttle Rock, AR · Public	76 70–78	$86,607/yr	25.1x
32	Rasmussen University-Illinois Rockford, IL · Private for-profit	76 70–78	$59,685/yr	13.1x
33	Rasmussen University-Florida Ocala, FL · Private for-profit	75 69–76	$59,685/yr	11.6x
34	University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, NE · Public	75 69–77	$79,671/yr	22.8x
35	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred Alfred, NY · Public	75 69–76	$48,786/yr	19.0x
36	North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro, NC · Public	74 69–76	$72,961/yr	26.0x
37	Rasmussen University-Kansas Topeka, KS · Private for-profit	74 68–76	$59,685/yr	11.5x
38	Herzing University-Birmingham Birmingham, AL · Private nonprofit	73 67–75	$57,229/yr	12.1x
39	Herzing University-Atlanta Atlanta, GA · Private nonprofit	73 67–75	$57,229/yr	12.1x
40	Herzing University-Akron Akron, OH · Private nonprofit	73 67–75	$57,229/yr	12.1x
41	Western Washington University Bellingham, WA · Public	73 67–74	$72,675/yr	18.6x
42	Herzing University-Madison Madison, WI · Private nonprofit	73 67–75	$57,229/yr	12.1x
43	Herzing University-Orlando Winter Park, FL · Private nonprofit	73 67–75	$57,229/yr	12.1x
44	Herzing University-New Orleans Metairie, LA · Private nonprofit	73 67–75	$57,229/yr	12.1x
45	Herzing University-Kenosha Kenosha, WI · Private nonprofit	73 67–75	$57,229/yr	12.1x
46	Herzing University-Brookfield Brookfield, WI · Private nonprofit	73 67–75	$57,229/yr	12.1x
47	Charter Oak State College New Britain, CT · Public	72 67–74	$68,659/yr	19.2x
48	Baker College Owosso, MI · Private nonprofit	72 66–74	$57,128/yr	11.9x
49	New England Institute of Technology East Greenwich, RI · Private nonprofit	72 66–73	$67,411/yr	5.3x
50	Columbia Southern University Orange Beach, AL · Private for-profit	72 66–74	$61,894/yr	25.6x
51	Pensacola State College Pensacola, FL · Public	71 65–72	$52,764/yr	55.2x
52	University of Maryland-Baltimore County Baltimore, MD · Public	71 66–72	$46,286/yr	13.5x
53	Columbia Basin College Pasco, WA · Public	71 65–73	$59,559/yr	23.0x
54	Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau, MO · Public	70 64–71	$62,891/yr	15.6x
55	Franklin University Columbus, OH · Private nonprofit	70 65–72	$65,120/yr	16.0x
56	Drexel University Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofit	70 64–72	$78,089/yr	2.8x
57	Utah Valley University Orem, UT · Public	70 64–72	$56,135/yr	21.4x
58	Champlain College Burlington, VT · Private nonprofit	70 65–72	$72,652/yr	3.8x
59	East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania East Stroudsburg, PA · Public	69 63–70	$65,143/yr	13.8x
60	Davenport University Grand Rapids, MI · Private nonprofit	68 62–69	$50,720/yr	7.5x
61	Old Dominion University Norfolk, VA · Public	68 62–69	$65,838/yr	12.4x
62	Purdue University Global West Lafayette, IN · Public	68 62–70	$61,344/yr	14.2x
63	Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ · Public	67 61–68	$61,985/yr	11.9x
64	Sullivan University Louisville, KY · Private for-profit	67 62–69	$69,369/yr	11.2x
65	University of Central Missouri Warrensburg, MO · Public	67 61–69	$57,502/yr	13.8x
66	University of North Georgia Dahlonega, GA · Public	67 62–68	$46,808/yr	22.4x
67	University of Southern Maine Portland, ME · Public	66 60–68	$57,411/yr	12.1x
68	Pace University New York, NY · Private nonprofit	66 60–67	$50,885/yr	3.6x
69	ECPI University Virginia Beach, VA · Private for-profit	65 60–67	$49,317/yr	7.9x
70	Purdue University Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, IN · Public	64 58–65	$50,248/yr	12.6x
71	Frostburg State University Frostburg, MD · Public	64 58–65	$51,247/yr	11.8x
72	DePaul University Chicago, IL · Private nonprofit	63 57–65	$79,863/yr	3.5x
73	Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MI · Public	63 57–65	$59,433/yr	8.6x
74	Lindenwood University Saint Charles, MO · Private nonprofit	63 58–65	$66,965/yr	6.9x
75	University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Oshkosh, WI · Public	63 58–64	$46,661/yr	13.2x
76	George Washington University Washington, DC · Private nonprofit	62 56–64	$86,753/yr	2.3x
77	Capitol Technology University Laurel, MD · Private nonprofit	61 55–62	$61,287/yr	4.6x
78	Regent University Virginia Beach, VA · Private nonprofit	61 54–62	$57,169/yr	5.9x
79	Arizona State University Digital Immersion Scottsdale, AZ · Public	61 55–62	$61,985/yr	—
80	University of Miami Coral Gables, FL · Private nonprofit	60 54–61	$73,059/yr	2.0x
81	Bentley University Waltham, MA · Private nonprofit	60 55–62	$75,443/yr	2.2x
82	Mercy University Dobbs Ferry, NY · Private nonprofit	60 54–61	$55,745/yr	5.3x
83	University of Phoenix-Hawaii Kapolei, HI · Private for-profit	60 55–62	$60,401/yr	—
84	University of Phoenix-California Ontario, CA · Private for-profit	60 55–62	$60,401/yr	—
85	University of Phoenix-Nevada Las Vegas, NV · Private for-profit	60 55–62	$60,401/yr	—
86	University of Phoenix-Texas Dallas, TX · Private for-profit	60 55–62	$60,401/yr	—
87	University at Albany Albany, NY · Public	59 54–60	$45,637/yr	10.0x
88	Pennsylvania College of Technology Williamsport, PA · Public	59 53–61	$51,698/yr	6.2x
89	Lewis University Romeoville, IL · Private nonprofit	58 52–60	$57,984/yr	2.8x
90	Michigan State University East Lansing, MI · Public	58 52–59	$48,185/yr	6.5x
91	The University of Tampa Tampa, FL · Private nonprofit	57 51–59	$54,209/yr	3.1x
92	University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA · Public	57 52–59	$49,865/yr	4.8x
93	Norwich University Northfield, VT · Private nonprofit	57 52–59	$60,988/yr	2.1x
94	Campbell University Buies Creek, NC · Private nonprofit	56 50–58	$54,232/yr	2.4x
95	University of Akron Main Campus Akron, OH · Public	56 52–57	$44,212/yr	7.6x
96	Hallmark University San Antonio, TX · Private nonprofit	55 51–57	$46,578/yr	—
97	Saint Leo University Saint Leo, FL · Private nonprofit	53 48–54	$44,912/yr	3.0x
98	St. Joseph's University-New York Brooklyn, NY · Private nonprofit	53 48–55	$46,908/yr	2.4x
99	St. John's University-New York Queens, NY · Private nonprofit	53 47–54	$49,090/yr	1.4x
100	Berkeley College-New York New York, NY · Private for-profit	52 48–53	$44,120/yr	2.9x
101	Full Sail University Winter Park, FL · Private for-profit	48 47–50	$40,968/yr	2.9x
102	Columbia Central University-Caguas Caguas, PR · Private for-profit	39 42–40	$27,341/yr	8.3x

FAQ

Frequently asked

What is the best school for IT Management?

Based on our DegreeOutlook Score, Capella University ranks #1 for IT Management with a score of 87/100 and graduate earnings of $86,085/yr.

How much do IT Management graduates earn?

Across 102 schools, IT Management graduates earn an average of $59,803/yr in their first year. The highest-earning program reports $92,416/yr.

Is IT Management a good major for AI resistance?

IT Management has an average AI task exposure of 58%, rated "Very High". This field has significant AI exposure. Check individual program pages for scenario analysis.

Programs are ranked by DegreeOutlook Score, which combines four equally weighted factors: graduate earnings (Year 1 after graduation), AI automation resilience (based on OpenAI and academic research), job market size (BLS annual openings), and earnings-to-tuition multiple (10-year projected earnings vs. 4-year tuition).

Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which reports actual median earnings of graduates — not self-reported surveys.