Bright outlook
Management
Computer and Information Systems Managers
- Median pay
- $175,140
- Outlook
- Much faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
ProgramsComputer and Information Sciences and Support Services
Information Science/Studies
CIP11.04
265 colleges offer Information Science/Studies. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Colleges offering it
- 265
- at its most common level
- Bachelor's earnings
- $81,117
- median, 4 years after
- Bachelor's debt
- $22,000
- median federal loans
Colleges offering it, by degree level
- Certificate
- 75
- Associate's
- 90
- Bachelor's
- 265
- Master's
- 165
- Post-baccalaureate certificate
- 11
- Doctoral
- 33
- First professional
- 1
- Graduate/professional certificate
- 70
What it covers
About Information Science/Studies
A program that focuses on the theory, organization, and process of information collection, transmission, and utilization in traditional and electronic forms. Includes instruction in information classification and organization; information storage and processing; transmission, transfer, and signaling; communications and networking; systems planning and design; human interfacing and use analysis; database development; information policy analysis; and related aspects of hardware, software, economics, social factors, and capacity.
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 11.04.
By degree level
Earnings and debt by degree level
Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 75 | $91,4984 yrs after · 1 college | $9,2501 college |
| Associate's | 90 | $57,6434 yrs after · 14 colleges | $15,2466 colleges |
| Bachelor's | 265 | $81,1174 yrs after · 115 colleges | $22,000107 colleges |
| Master's | 165 | $102,1184 yrs after · 59 colleges | $41,00046 colleges |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 11 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Doctoral | 33 | Not reported | Not reported |
| First professional | 1 | $209,3914 yrs after · 1 college | $58,7501 college |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 70 | $52,7614 yrs after · 1 college | $36,3761 college |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.
Bachelor's programs
Where Information Science/Studies graduates earn the most
Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.
- 1
Northwestern University-Illinois
Evanston, IL · Private nonprofit · 127 graduates
$163,740
debt $17,750
- 2
Chestnut Hill, MA · Private nonprofit · 69 graduates
$131,090
debt $19,000
- 3
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI · Public · 208 graduates
$130,798
debt $19,500
- 4
Harrisonburg, VA · Public · 151 graduates
$113,345
debt $18,546
- 5
Orem, UT · Public · 50 graduates
$112,128
debt $16,500
- 6
University of Maryland-College Park
College Park, MD · Public · 790 graduates
$109,092
debt $14,000
- 7
Clemson, SC · Public · 31 graduates
$105,646
debt $25,905
- 8
Washington, DC · Private nonprofit · 24 graduates
$105,145
debt not reported
- 9
Salt Lake City, UT · Public · 113 graduates
$105,127
debt $14,812
- 10
Syracuse, NY · Private nonprofit · 172 graduates
$104,842
debt $20,656
Careers
Careers this program leads to
Occupations linked to Information Science/Studies by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
- Bright outlook
Computers and math
Computer and Information Research Scientists
- Median pay
- $140,300
- Outlook
- Much faster than average
Master's degree
- Complex Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Bright outlook
Computers and math
Data Warehousing Specialists
- Median pay
- $139,500
- Outlook
- Much faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Programming
- Bright outlook
Computers and math
Database Architects
- Median pay
- $139,500
- Outlook
- Much faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Complex Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Bright outlook
Computers and math
Software Developers
- Median pay
- $135,980
- Outlook
- Much faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Programming
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Bright outlook
Computers and math
Blockchain Engineers
- Median pay
- $116,580
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Bright outlook
Computers and math
Computer Occupations, All Other
- Median pay
- $116,580
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook
Computers and math
Computer Systems Engineers/Architects
- Median pay
- $116,580
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
More in Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this area- Computer and Information Sciences, General866 colleges
- Computer Science751 colleges
- Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management642 colleges
- Computer Software and Media Applications419 colleges
- Computer Programming405 colleges
- Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications372 colleges
- Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications109 colleges
- Data Processing101 colleges
Questions about Information Science/Studies
How many colleges offer Information Science/Studies?
Published colleges on CollegesRef report Information Science/Studies at these degree levels: certificate (75 colleges), associate's (90 colleges), bachelor's (265 colleges), master's (165 colleges), post-baccalaureate certificate (11 colleges), doctoral (33 colleges), first professional (1 college), graduate/professional certificate (70 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
What do Information Science/Studies graduates earn?
At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Information Science/Studies earn $81,117 a year four years after finishing, across 115 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.
Where do Information Science/Studies graduates earn the most?
Northwestern University-Illinois reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Information Science/Studies: $163,740 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.