Information Scienceat University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Graduates earn $75,834/yr in their first year — about 28.0% above the national Information Science average. Base-case 10-year earnings $897K; scenarios range from $699K to $933K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
UNC's elite reputation is only part of the story; your real advantage lies in location. Chapel Hill sits at one corner of the Research Triangle Park (RTP), a massive tech and research hub packed with employers like SAS, Cisco, IBM, and countless life-science firms hungry for data talent. This isn't just a distant opportunity; it's your local job market for internships and post-grad offers. The Information Science curriculum here focuses on the practical application of technology—how people interact with data and systems—which makes you highly versatile. You're not just a coder, but a potential product manager, UX designer, or data strategist. Given the high AI risk, your key advice is to lean into the human-centric side of your coursework. Focus on project management, user experience, and ethical design to build skills that complement automated systems rather than compete with them.
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 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill'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 Science
How University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Information Science offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Information Science trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Information Science at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
How does University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Information Science program score?
A score of 85/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Information Science graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Information Science to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Information Science careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 68% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill rank so high for Information Science?
The #3 ranking out of 129 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.