Information Sciencesat California State University-Fresno
Graduates earn $39,954/yr in their first year — about 36.0% below the national Information Sciences average. Base-case 10-year earnings $865K; scenarios range from $678K to $898K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Fresno State
While the career paths listed represent the high end of the tech industry, your immediate post-graduation landscape will be shaped by the Central Valley's unique economy. Unlike the coastal tech hubs, Fresno's job market is anchored in agriculture, logistics, and healthcare. This means your first role is more likely to be in IT support, database management, or software development for a regional company rather than a Silicon Valley giant.
The lower earnings reflect this local market reality; you're competing for different jobs with different pay scales. However, the cost of living is also substantially lower. The path to a six-figure salary often involves gaining a few years of solid local experience before leveraging that expertise to move into remote work or relocate to a major tech center. Your key to maximizing this degree is aggressive networking and seeking internships outside the immediate Fresno area to build a bridge to higher-paying coastal or remote opportunities.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Fresno State's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Information Sciences
How Fresno State stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Fresno State
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Fresno State, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Information Sciences offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Information Sciences trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Information Sciences at Fresno State
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Information Sciences at California State University-Fresno?
This program scores 70/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Information Sciences programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.
Will AI replace Information Sciences careers?
With 69% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $677,596 in decade earnings vs $897,738 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Can you still earn well with Information Sciences from California State University-Fresno?
First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.