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Computer & Information Sciences · Information Science Rank #7 of 129

Information Scienceat University of Utah

Graduates earn $70,833/yr in their first year — about 19.0% above the national Information Science average. Base-case 10-year earnings $988K; scenarios range from $752K to $1,032K depending on AI disruption.

Salt Lake City, UT Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
84 STRONG
85
Optimistic
78
Pessimistic
Earnings
$70,833
1-year post-graduation
ROI
28.5x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$988K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
59% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Utah

While the raw earnings numbers are impressive, they reflect your specific location at the heart of the "Silicon Slopes" tech boom. You're not just earning a degree; you're plugging directly into a hungry regional economy where companies like Adobe, Qualtrics, and a host of fintech startups are competing fiercely for talent. The U's program is deeply integrated with this ecosystem, meaning your coursework and projects are likely geared toward the real-world problems these local employers need to solve. Your career path won't just be about coding; it will be about managing the flow of information within these complex organizations. To stand out against the high AI risk, my advice is to lean into the "human" side of your degree. Focus on project management, user experience (UX), and client-facing skills—these are the areas where automation struggles and strong local connections pay off the most.

AI Outlook Integration

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.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$752K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score78/100
Earnings Multiple20.2x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$988K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score84/100
Earnings Multiple26.5x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$1,032K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score85/100
Earnings Multiple27.7x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Utah's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Information Science graduates typically work

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.

1
Computer and information systems managers
+15.2% 10-yr growth · 55,600 openings/yr
$171,200/yr
High
2
Computer and information research scientists
+19.7% 10-yr growth · 3,200 openings/yr
$140,910/yr
High
3
Database architects
+8.7% 10-yr growth · 4,000 openings/yr
$135,980/yr
Very High
4
Software developers
+15.8% 10-yr growth · 115,200 openings/yr
$133,080/yr
Very High
5
Computer occupations, all other
+8.2% 10-yr growth · 31,300 openings/yr
$108,970/yr
High
6
Web and digital interface designers
+7.0% 10-yr growth · 9,100 openings/yr
$98,090/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Information Science

How University of Utah stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Northwestern University
IL · Private nonprofit
62
DW Score
$103K
1-yr earn
2.9x
ROI
Norwich University
VT · Private nonprofit
63
DW Score
$99K
1-yr earn
4.0x
ROI
Excelsior University
NY · Private nonprofit
63
DW Score
$89K
1-yr earn
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
MI · Public
85
DW Score
$89K
1-yr earn
17.2x
ROI
Boston College
MA · Private nonprofit
74
DW Score
$81K
1-yr earn
3.9x
ROI
Also at University of Utah

Other top programs at University of Utah

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Utah, 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 →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Information Science at University of Utah

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Information Science at University of Utah?

This program scores 84/100 — placing it among the stronger programs for Information Science nationally. The score reflects above-average earnings, manageable AI risk, and solid financial return.

Will AI replace Information Science careers?

With 68% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $751,568 in decade earnings vs $1,031,876 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

What makes University of Utah's Information Science program stand out?

Ranked #7 of 129 programs nationally, University of Utah lands in the top 5%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.