Management Scienceat Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Graduates earn $42,711/yr in their first year — about 32.0% below the national Management Science average. Base-case 10-year earnings $617K; scenarios range from $550K to $626K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
The earnings figures for this program suggest you'll need to be strategic. The regional labor market around Carbondale, while supportive, isn't a major hub for the high-finance or tech firms that typically drive the highest salaries in quantitative fields. Many graduates initially find roles in regional businesses focusing on operational analysis or business intelligence, which often have different compensation structures than roles in major metropolitan centers.
While the listed career paths like actuary or data scientist offer substantial earning potential, reaching those levels often requires geographical flexibility, strong networking, and potentially further specialization or certifications beyond your initial degree. Given the "Very High" AI risk, focus on developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills alongside your quantitative abilities. These human-centric skills will be crucial for roles that AI cannot easily automate. Consider internships that expose you to diverse industries.
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 Southern Illinois University-Carbondale'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 Management Science
How Southern Illinois University-Carbondale stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Management Science offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Management Science trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Management Science at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
How does Southern Illinois University-Carbondale's Management Science program score?
A score of 65/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Southern Illinois University-Carbondale trails the majority of Management Science programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
How vulnerable is Management Science to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Management Science careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 55% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why are Management Science earnings lower at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale?
Lower starting pay at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale may reflect local labor market conditions rather than program quality. Many graduates see convergence with national averages within 3-5 years.