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.
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 10,255 Information Systems credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2023-24:
- Certificate6%577
- Associate7%695
- Bachelor's74%7,557
- Graduate14%1,426
This mix is fairly consistent nationally: across the 33 states reporting it, the certificate share moves by about 12 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 2023-24, 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.
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 2023-24. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.
- Western Governors UniversityUT · 747
- University of HoustonTX · 389
- University of GeorgiaGA · 383
- University of Phoenix-ArizonaAZ · 277
- The University of Texas at AustinTX · 226
- University of South FloridaFL · 225
- University of ArizonaAZ · 184
- Florida Atlantic UniversityFL · 181
- The University of AlabamaAL · 174
- University of Alabama at BirminghamAL · 171
- Ashford UniversityCA · 162
- University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusOK · 161
Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2023-24. 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
28 states have a distinct enough set of Information Systems colleges to be worth its own page.
Search Information Systems schools 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
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.