Information Systems major
Information Systems: courses, careers, and where to study
Information Systems bridges business and technology, teaching students to design, analyze, and manage the systems organizations run on, suiting those drawn to both computing and how companies operate.
Nationally, bachelor's graduates in Information Systems earn a median $83,290 four years after graduating; the middle half of programs ranges from $58,799 to $111,586 (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). By credential and college
An Information Systems (IS) major sits between computer science and business, covering systems analysis and design, databases and SQL, business process modeling, enterprise applications (ERP, CRM), data analytics, project management, and IT governance. Most programs are housed in a business school and pair technical coursework with accounting, finance, management, and economics, so graduates can translate between technical teams and the people who use the systems.
IS graduates typically work as the link between business needs and technical implementation: gathering requirements, mapping workflows, specifying and configuring systems, and analyzing data to support decisions. Many roles map to the computer systems analyst occupation, for which the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 2024 median wage of $103,790 and projects 8.7% employment growth from 2024 to 2034. Graduates are employed across industries, including finance, healthcare, consulting, manufacturing, and government.
Academic classification (CIP)
In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Information Systems maps to CIP 52.1201, Management Information Systems, General, within the BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING, AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES family. The official definition:
A program that generally prepares individuals to provide and manage data systems and related facilities for processing and retrieving internal business information; select systems and train personnel; and respond to external data requests. Includes instruction in cost and accounting information systems, management control systems, personnel information systems, data storage and security, business systems networking, report preparation, computer facilities and equipment operation and maintenance, operator supervision and training, and management information systems policy and planning.
Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov
What credential Information Systems is awarded as
Of the 10,551 Information Systems credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2024-25:
- Certificate: 6%, 635 credentials.
- Associate: 7%, 698 credentials.
- Bachelor's: 75%, 7,865 credentials.
- Graduate: 13%, 1,353 credentials.
This mix is fairly consistent nationally: across the 33 states reporting it, the certificate share moves by about 20 percentage points between the 10th and 90th percentile state, so the credential is more a property of the field than of where you study it. See the full study.
Credentials conferred in 2024-25, U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions. A certificate is a different credential from a degree, not a lesser one, and this counts what was awarded rather than what a college currently offers.
What you'll study
- Systems analysis and design, requirements gathering, and the SDLC
- Relational databases, data modeling, and SQL
- Business process modeling and workflow analysis
- Enterprise systems such as ERP and CRM platforms
- Data analytics, reporting, and dashboards for business decisions
- IT project management and agile delivery
- IT governance, security, and risk fundamentals
- Programming and scripting for business applications (e.g., Python, SQL, web technologies)
Typical careers
- Computer systems analysts
- Business Analyst
- IT Project Manager
- Database Administrator
- ERP / Systems Consultant
- Data Analyst
Typical salary range: BLS reports a 2024 median wage of $103,790 for computer systems analysts, a common destination for Information Systems graduates.Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.
How much do Information Systems graduates earn?
Nationally, bachelor's graduates in Information Systems earn a median $83,290 four years after graduating; the middle half of programs ranges from $58,799 to $111,586 (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard).
| Credential | National median | Middle half of programs |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | $83,290 | $58,799 to $111,586 |
| Associate's | $56,556 | $38,766 to $78,708 |
| Undergraduate certificate | $65,682 | $40,651 to $88,985 |
| Master's | $106,092 | $75,383 to $146,355 |
Compare Information Systems programs in your state
Highest-earning bachelor's Information Systems programs
- Georgetown University (DC): $138,263
- The University of Texas at Austin (TX): $127,158, median federal debt $18,750
- Villanova University (PA): $118,712
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (IL): $116,339, median federal debt $19,300
- University of Washington-Seattle Campus (WA): $113,308
- University of Georgia (GA): $113,184, median federal debt $17,261
- Miami University-Oxford (OH): $111,158, median federal debt $25,994
- Ohio State University-Main Campus (OH): $110,192, median federal debt $20,500
- Binghamton University (NY): $109,721, median federal debt $16,808
- University of California-Irvine (CA): $108,038, median federal debt $16,500
Ordered by median earnings: one federal measure, not a ranking of program quality. Federal program group: Management Information Systems and Services. Earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, earnings measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars, for graduates who received federal aid, worked and were not enrolled. Programs need at least 30 graduates in the earnings cohort to be listed; multi-state systems whose figures pool campuses are not listed. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 10 June 2026. How much the college matters, by major. Graduate programs over the new federal loan caps.
Related occupations
Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Information Systems, with what each one pays and how many openings it is projected to average each year. Ordered by projected annual openings, largest first. Linked titles open the full CampusPin career page.
| Occupation | Median pay | Openings / yr | Projected change | Most entrants hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $171,200 | 55,600 | +15.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Computer Programmers | $98,670 | 5,500 | -6% | Bachelor's degree |
| Database Architects | $135,980 | 4,000 | +8.7% | Bachelor's degree |
| Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $96,690 | 3,500 | +5.3% | Doctoral or professional degree |
Crosswalk: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. Pay, openings and projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024 wages, Employment Projections). 4 of these 4 occupations report a median wage.
“Most entrants hold” is what BLS observes about people already working in the occupation. It is not a legal requirement, not an admission rule, and not a guarantee of entry. Studying Information Systems does not guarantee any specific occupation, and many of these roles are entered from several different fields. Projected openings are a projection, not jobs promised.
Before you commit to a Information Systems major
CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Information Systems program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.
Ask the Information Systems department
- Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
- What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
- What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
- Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?
Ask current students & check the curriculum
- How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
- What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
- Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
- How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Find a Information Systems program
CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.
Colleges that awarded the most Information Systems credentials
Largest by credentials conferred in 2024-25. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.
- Western Governors University, UT · 854 credentials
- University of Houston, TX · 434 credentials
- University of Georgia, GA · 391 credentials
- University of Phoenix-Arizona, AZ · 257 credentials
- University of South Florida, FL · 253 credentials
- University of Maryland Global Campus, MD · 224 credentials
- University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus, OK · 214 credentials
- The University of Texas at Austin, TX · 203 credentials
- University of Arizona, AZ · 201 credentials
- Benedictine University, IL · 194 credentials
- Ashford University, CA · 188 credentials
- Florida Atlantic University, FL · 184 credentials
Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2024-25. It confirms the field was awarded that year, not that the program currently accepts students, and it covers only the fields CampusPin tracks. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Where Information Systems credentials were awarded
24 states have a distinct enough set of Information Systems colleges to be worth its own page.
- Texas: 24 colleges
- Florida: 13 colleges
- Pennsylvania: 13 colleges
- Ohio: 12 colleges
- Illinois: 11 colleges
- Alabama: 10 colleges
- Wisconsin: 10 colleges
- Georgia: 9 colleges
- Michigan: 9 colleges
- Kansas: 9 colleges
- New York: 9 colleges
- Tennessee: 9 colleges
- New Jersey: 9 colleges
- Maryland: 8 colleges
- Arkansas: 8 colleges
- Minnesota: 8 colleges
- Virginia: 7 colleges
- North Carolina: 5 colleges
- Connecticut: 5 colleges
- Colorado: 5 colleges
- Mississippi: 5 colleges
- Indiana: 5 colleges
- North Dakota: 5 colleges
- Kentucky: 5 colleges
Information Systems by state
- Information Systems in California
- Information Systems in Florida
- Information Systems in Georgia
- Information Systems in Illinois
- Information Systems in Maryland
- Information Systems in Massachusetts
- Information Systems in New York
- Information Systems in North Carolina
- Information Systems in Pennsylvania
- Information Systems in Texas
Every Information Systems program with its own CampusPin page
65 programs in 28 states, A to Z by state and then by college. Each page gives what the program's graduates earned four years after finishing, what they borrowed in federal loans, the monthly payment, and how the program compares with others in its state and the nation. The figure beside each college is the median for its largest credential with at least 30 graduates (U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23). The list is alphabetical; it is not a ranking.
Information Systems programs in Alabama, 3 programs
- The University of Alabama Bachelor's, $105,393
- University of Alabama at Birmingham Bachelor's, $79,843
- University of Alabama in Huntsville Bachelor's, $78,319
Information Systems programs in Arizona, 2 programs
- Northern Arizona University Bachelor's, $76,041
- University of Arizona Bachelor's, $104,513
Information Systems programs in Arkansas, 1 program
- University of Central Arkansas Bachelor's, $74,094
Information Systems programs in California, 3 programs
- Ashford University Bachelor's, $77,907
- California State University-Long Beach Bachelor's, $76,664
- California State University-Northridge Bachelor's, $88,999
Information Systems programs in Colorado, 1 program
- Metropolitan State University of Denver Bachelor's, $91,399
Information Systems programs in Delaware, 1 program
- University of Delaware Bachelor's, $107,062
Information Systems programs in Florida, 6 programs
- Florida Atlantic University Bachelor's, $70,318
- Florida Gulf Coast University Bachelor's, $74,739
- Florida International University Bachelor's, $85,737
- Florida State University Bachelor's, $103,648
- Seminole State College of Florida Bachelor's, $65,553
- University of South Florida Bachelor's, $83,227
Information Systems programs in Georgia, 3 programs
- Georgia Southern University Bachelor's, $81,310
- University of Georgia Bachelor's, $113,184
- University of West Georgia Bachelor's, $70,574
Information Systems programs in Illinois, 3 programs
- DePaul University Bachelor's, $94,197
- Loyola University Chicago Bachelor's, $103,884
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Bachelor's, $116,339
Information Systems programs in Indiana, 1 program
- Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion Bachelor's, $73,742
Information Systems programs in Iowa, 1 program
- University of Northern Iowa Bachelor's, $76,329
Information Systems programs in Kansas, 1 program
- Kansas State University Bachelor's, $85,396
Information Systems programs in Kentucky, 1 program
- University of Louisville Bachelor's, $90,799
Information Systems programs in Michigan, 4 programs
- Central Michigan University Bachelor's, $95,721
- Oakland University Bachelor's, $88,497
- University of Michigan-Dearborn Bachelor's, $95,864
- Wayne State University Bachelor's, $80,630
Information Systems programs in Missouri, 2 programs
- Missouri State University-Springfield Bachelor's, $80,753
- Park University Bachelor's, $85,162
Information Systems programs in Nebraska, 1 program
- Bellevue University Bachelor's, $82,946
Information Systems programs in New Jersey, 2 programs
- Rutgers University-New Brunswick Bachelor's, $89,098
- Seton Hall University Bachelor's, $101,578
Information Systems programs in New York, 1 program
- Rochester Institute of Technology Bachelor's, $94,827
Information Systems programs in North Carolina, 2 programs
- Appalachian State University Bachelor's, $87,041
- East Carolina University Bachelor's, $79,238
Information Systems programs in Ohio, 3 programs
- Ohio State University-Main Campus Bachelor's, $110,192
- Ohio University-Main Campus Bachelor's, $93,774
- University of Dayton Bachelor's, $107,354
Information Systems programs in Oklahoma, 1 program
- University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Bachelor's, $91,291
Information Systems programs in Pennsylvania, 4 programs
- Drexel University Bachelor's, $101,790
- Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Bachelor's, $95,935
- Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Bachelor's, $73,570
- Temple University Bachelor's, $75,286
Information Systems programs in Tennessee, 2 programs
- Middle Tennessee State University Bachelor's, $75,044
- University of Memphis Bachelor's, $73,323
Information Systems programs in Texas, 9 programs
- Baylor University Bachelor's, $96,148
- Texas A & M University-College Station Bachelor's, $94,724
- The University of Texas at Arlington Bachelor's, $81,538
- The University of Texas at Austin Bachelor's, $127,158
- The University of Texas at El Paso Bachelor's, $62,136
- The University of Texas at San Antonio Bachelor's, $90,049
- University of Houston Bachelor's, $91,983
- University of Houston-Downtown Bachelor's, $66,881
- University of North Texas Bachelor's, $91,514
Information Systems programs in Virginia, 2 programs
- Liberty University Bachelor's, $84,228
- Old Dominion University Bachelor's, $74,465
Information Systems programs in Washington, 2 programs
- Washington State University Bachelor's, $85,967
- Western Washington University Bachelor's, $81,678
Information Systems programs in West Virginia, 1 program
- West Virginia University Bachelor's, $95,324
Information Systems programs in Wisconsin, 2 programs
- University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Bachelor's, $90,193
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Bachelor's, $76,422
Related majors
Computer Science
Computer Science combines the mathematical foundations of computation with practical software engineering, preparing graduates for careers in software, AI/ML, security, data, and research.
Information Technology
Information Technology (IT) focuses on applying computing systems to organizational needs, administering networks, supporting users, building business systems, and managing IT operations.
Business Administration
Business Administration is the most popular U.S. major, a broad foundation in accounting, finance, marketing, management, and economics that prepares graduates for nearly any industry.
Data Science
Data Science combines statistics, programming, and domain expertise to turn raw data into decisions, drawing on machine learning, visualization, and data engineering.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity prepares graduates to defend networks, systems, and data, combining computing fundamentals with offensive and defensive security techniques and the policy frameworks that govern them.
Put this major in context
The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin guides and reports help you read it well, see where a Information Systems degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.
Explore Computing & Math careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
Explore Management careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
How one major leads to many careers
Why a single Information Systems degree can open more than one path, and how to read the occupations above.
Why a median wage is not a starting salary
How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.
When accreditation and licensure matter
How program accreditation and state licensure can shape a Information Systems path before you enroll.
Does a pricier college pay off?
How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.
Does picking a major narrow your college list?
Across the federal completions data, most fields barely change which colleges are on the table. Which ones genuinely do.
Certificate or degree?
What credential a field is usually awarded as is mostly set by the field itself, not by the state, with a short list of exceptions.
How this guide is sourced
This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.