Best Schools for Information Science/Studies

Information Science/Studies graduates earn a median of $82,187 within four years of graduating, ranking #58 out of 283 tracked majors — 31% above the median across all fields. There are 133 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 31,048 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: Northwestern University graduates earn $163,740 while CUNY Medgar Evers College graduates earn $45,267 — a $118,473 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap. Across all fields, though, which major you pick separates earnings more than which college does.

Early career salary growth is moderate: Information Science/Studies graduates see an average 8% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

133

Schools

$82,187

Avg. 2yr Earnings

#58

of 283 Majors

31,048

Graduates

Public vs Private: Information Science/Studies

Public (109 schools)

$80,416

avg. 2yr earnings

Private (24 schools)

$97,416

avg. 2yr earnings

Private schools produce $17,000 more in early earnings on average for Information Science/Studies graduates. Factor in tuition difference to calculate which offers better ROI.

Information Science/Studies by State

Also by state: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah, Washington DC, West Virginia, Wisconsin

Top Information Science/Studies Schools by Graduate Earnings

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL · Private

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA · Private

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI · Public

Stevenson University

Owings Mills, MD · Private

$113,367

4yr Earnings

20 grads · small sample

1yr: $58,454 (16)

Acceptance: 83.2%

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, VA · Public

University of Maryland-College Park

College Park, MD · Public

Albright College

Reading, PA · Private

$108,846

4yr Earnings

18 grads · small sample

2yr: $63,005 (17)

Acceptance: 86.2%

Clemson University

Clemson, SC · Public

$105,646

4yr Earnings

24 grads · small sample

1yr: $66,717 (17)

Acceptance: 38.0%

George Washington University

Washington, DC · Private

$105,145

4yr Earnings

21 grads · small sample

1yr: $67,132 (16)

Acceptance: 43.5%

#10

University of Utah

Salt Lake City, UT · Public

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY · Private

New Jersey Institute of Technology

Newark, NJ · Public

Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Fort Collins, CO · Public

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC · Public

Texas A&M University-College Station

College Station, TX · Public

$100,166

4yr Earnings

17 grads · small sample

Drexel University

Philadelphia, PA · Private

Wentworth Institute of Technology

Boston, MA · Private

University of Maryland-Baltimore County

Baltimore, MD · Public

CUNY Graduate School and University Center

New York, NY · Public

University of Cincinnati-Main Campus

Cincinnati, OH · Public

College of Charleston

Charleston, SC · Public

$93,285

4yr Earnings

30 grads · small sample

1yr: $42,638 (27)

Acceptance: 72.0%

#22

Quinnipiac University

Hamden, CT · Private

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State New Kensington

New Kensington, PA · Public

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre

Dallas, PA · Public

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Scranton

Dunmore, PA · Public

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley

Center Valley, PA · Public

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver

Monaca, PA · Public

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks

Reading, PA · Public

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg

Middletown, PA · Public

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine

Media, PA · Public

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State DuBois

DuBois, PA · Public

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton

Hazleton, PA · Public

Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

University Park, PA · Public

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater Allegheny

McKeesport, PA · Public

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto

Mont Alto, PA · Public

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington

Abington, PA · Public

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill

Schuylkill Haven, PA · Public

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York

York, PA · Public

Pennsylvania State University-World Campus

University Park, PA · Public

Stony Brook University

Stony Brook, NY · Public

University of Massachusetts-Lowell

Lowell, MA · Public

East Texas A&M University

Commerce, TX · Public

$89,459

4yr Earnings

26 grads · small sample

Christopher Newport University

Newport News, VA · Public

$88,842

4yr Earnings

23 grads · small sample

Utah State University

Logan, UT · Public

Rutgers University-New Brunswick

New Brunswick, NJ · Public

Rutgers University-Newark

Newark, NJ · Public

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, VA · Public

Suffolk University

Boston, MA · Private

Florida Institute of Technology

Melbourne, FL · Private

Florida Institute of Technology-Online

Melbourne, FL · Private

Showing top 50 of 133 schools. View all or filter by state above.

Majors with Similar Earnings

Dental Support Services and Allied Professions $55,788 Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other $55,633 Applied Mathematics $55,591 Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians $55,507 Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians $55,128 Engineering-Related Technologies $55,051

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Information Science/Studies?

Northwestern University ranks #1 for Information Science/Studies with median graduate earnings of $163,740 within four years of graduating. There are 133 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.

How much do Information Science/Studies graduates earn?

Information Science/Studies graduates earn an average of $82,187 within four years of graduating. This is 31% above the median across all majors. Earnings range from $45,267 to $163,740 depending on the school.

How hard is it to get into a top Information Science/Studies program?

The average acceptance rate across Information Science/Studies programs is 76.9%. The most selective program is at Northwestern University with a 7.1% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.

Is a public or private school better for Information Science/Studies?

Private Information Science/Studies programs average $97,416 in early earnings vs $80,416 at public schools. Private schools lead in earnings, but cost significantly more — calculate net price before deciding.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders, from the field-of-study file last updated June 2026. Institution-level figures elsewhere on the site come from the June 2026 release — Scorecard publishes the two separately.

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