Information Sciencesat Eastern Illinois University
Graduates earn $42,284/yr in their first year — about 32.0% below the national Information Sciences average. Base-case 10-year earnings $643K; scenarios range from $552K to $657K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Eastern Illinois University
While the career paths listed represent the high end of the tech industry, your initial earnings reflect the local reality of Central Illinois. Unlike flagship programs that are major recruiting hubs for Chicago or West Coast tech giants, EIU's curriculum is more likely geared toward serving the regional economy. This means your first job might be in IT support, database management, or software development for a local manufacturer, insurance company, or government agency rather than a high-paying startup. These are stable, valuable roles, but they exist in a different salary ecosystem than the major tech hubs. To boost your long-term earnings, your key challenge will be to actively pursue remote work opportunities or plan a strategic relocation to a larger city's tech market after gaining a few years of solid, hands-on experience.
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 Eastern Illinois University'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 Eastern Illinois University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Eastern Illinois University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Eastern Illinois University, 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 Eastern Illinois University
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Information Sciences at Eastern Illinois University?
This program scores 63/100 — 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 $551,976 in decade earnings vs $656,645 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Can you still earn well with Information Sciences from Eastern Illinois University?
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.