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Major · Computer & Information Sciences

Where data, systems, and human information needs meet

Information Science/Studies examines how information is organized, stored, transmitted, and used — spanning databases, networks, information policy, and human-system interaction. About 10,334 degrees are awarded annually across 352 colleges, with strong representation among online and non-traditional learners.

Schools offering
352
Annual completions
10,334
Typical degree level
Associate's + Bachelor's
Median earnings (5yr)
$79k

About this major

Information Science/Studies is defined by the CIP system as a program focused on the theory, organization, and process of information collection, transmission, and utilization — in both traditional and electronic forms. That framing captures something real about the curriculum: it sits deliberately between the technical and the organizational. Students study information classification and storage, database development, network architecture, system design, and how humans interact with information systems. The field's cross-references include Library and Information Science and Management Information Systems, which signal the two directions the degree can tilt depending on the program.

Day-to-day coursework typically combines technical material — database design, SQL, data modeling, network fundamentals — with more conceptual content around information policy, metadata standards, and usability. Students who come in expecting a pure coding curriculum often find the information-organization side more prominent than anticipated; students who come in from a library science or information management background often find the technical requirements higher than expected. The major tends to reward people who want to understand how information flows and is structured, not just how to query or manipulate it.

Career outcomes span a useful range. Database architects, earning a median wage of $135,980, represent the most field-aligned destination — a role that requires exactly the kind of data-structure thinking the curriculum develops. Software developers ($133,080) and computer and information systems managers ($171,200) are accessible paths for students who lean into the technical side. About 10,334 degrees are awarded annually across 352 colleges, with the major notably well-represented in online programs — a reflection of its appeal to working adults and career-changers looking to build technical credentials.

Section 3 · Careers

Where this major leads

Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.

Occupation Median wage Job growth Typical education
Software developers $133k +15.8% Bachelor's degree
Computer and information systems managers $171k +15.2% Bachelor's degree
Computer occupations, all other $109k +8.2% Bachelor's degree
Web and digital interface designers $98k +7.0% Bachelor's degree
Database architects $136k +8.7% Bachelor's degree
Computer science teachers, postsecondary $97k +5.3% Doctoral or professional degree
Computer and information research scientists $141k +19.7% Master's degree
Section 4 · Earnings

Earnings at a glance

Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.

Median 5-year earnings

$79k

Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings

Associate's

$62k

Bachelor's

$82k

Who this major is for

You may thrive here if you find yourself drawn to the structure of information itself — how data is organized, queried, and made accessible — rather than to low-level programming theory or pure software construction. You may also fit well here if you want technical credentials without the full mathematical depth of Computer Science, since the bachelor's path shows median five-year earnings of $81,985 and maps directly to database architecture, systems management, and software development roles that all specify a bachelor's as the typical entry credential. You may find this major particularly well-suited to your situation if you're entering from a non-traditional path — working adult, career-changer, or transfer student — given how heavily the major is represented in online and flexible-format programs.

Think twice if your primary goal is the highest-ceiling software engineering roles, where Computer Science's theoretical foundation tends to carry more weight with selective employers and the career ceiling extends further. Think twice also if you're drawn specifically to the research or academic side of computing — two of the mapped careers in this field (computer and information research scientists and postsecondary teachers) require master's or doctoral degrees, meaning they represent a separate graduate investment beyond the bachelor's. And think carefully if the information-organization side of the curriculum — metadata, classification systems, policy — sounds like overhead to get through rather than material you'd genuinely engage with; students who see that content as filler rather than substance tend to find the major less coherent than neighboring programs.

Section 6 · Where to study

Top colleges for Information Science/Studies

Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.

College Location Assoc. Bach. Total
University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, MD 0 1,651 1,651
University of Maryland-College Park College Park, MD 0 702 702
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus University Park, PA 0 427 427
Rutgers University-New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ 0 385 385
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY 0 302 302
Eastern Gateway Community College Steubenville, OH 279 0 279
CUNY New York City College of Technology Brooklyn, NY 0 227 227
University of Maryland-Baltimore County Baltimore, MD 0 214 214
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 0 208 208
The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TX 0 193 193
Section 7 · Explore sideways

Related majors to explore

Computer Science

50,272 completions/yr

Computer and Information Sciences, General

34,556 completions/yr

Information Technology

20,296 completions/yr

Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance

17,632 completions/yr

Computer Engineering, General

9,312 completions/yr

Management Information Systems, General

7,648 completions/yr

Computer Programming/Programmer, General

5,205 completions/yr

Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications

3,699 completions/yr

Considering this direction?

We've taken a hard look at the debt, earnings trajectory, and degree-level tradeoffs for the Information Science/Studies field. Read our verdict before you commit.

Is Information Science/Studies worth it? Read verdict
Section 9 · Frequently asked

Common questions

What do Information Science majors actually study day-to-day?
Coursework covers information organization and classification, database design, networks and data transmission, systems analysis, and how people interact with information systems. You'll encounter both technical content — SQL, data modeling, network architecture — and conceptual material like information policy, metadata standards, and usability. The curriculum bridges the gap between Computer Science's theoretical depth and Library Science's information-organization focus, which makes it unusually broad. Students who like structure and systems but also care about how information serves people tend to find the mix engaging.
Do I need a bachelor's, or is an associate's enough for Information Science?
The data shows a meaningful gap. Bachelor's completers in this major report median five-year earnings of about $81,985, while associate's completers report around $62,348 — a difference of roughly $19,600. All seven career destinations listed for this major specify a bachelor's degree as the typical entry credential, with two (computer and information research scientists at $140,910 and postsecondary CS teachers at $96,690) requiring a master's or doctoral degree. An associate's can serve as a stepping stone toward a bachelor's, but the field's career ceiling is clearly geared toward four-year and graduate credentials.
What kinds of jobs do Information Science graduates end up in?
Database architects are the most distinctive destination for this major, earning a $135,980 median wage with 8.7% projected growth — a role centered on designing and managing large-scale data systems that aligns directly with the major's information-organization core. Software developers ($133,080 median, 15.8% growth) and computer and information systems managers ($171,200 median, 15.2% growth) are higher-earning adjacent paths. Web and digital interface designers ($98,090, 7% growth) and the broad 'computer occupations, all other' category ($108,970) round out the accessible options. Two paths require graduate credentials: computer and information research scientists ($140,910, 19.7% growth) require a master's, and postsecondary teaching ($96,690) requires a doctorate.
How competitive is the job market for Information Science graduates?
Projected growth across the major's career destinations ranges from 7% to 19.7%, generally above the 4-5% average across all occupations. The standout is computer and information research scientists at 19.7% — though that path requires a master's degree. Software developers show 15.8% growth and IT managers 15.2%. The competitiveness question has two sides: Information Science is a mid-sized major with about 10,334 completions per year, substantially smaller than Computer Science's 50,272. That smaller supply can be an advantage, particularly for roles that specifically value the information-management and database skills the major targets.
Is Information Science the right fit, or should I look at a related major?
Information Science sits between Computer Science, Information Technology, and Library & Information Science in both content and career outcomes. Computer Science (50,272 completions) is the right call if you want deep algorithmic theory and the highest software-engineering ceilings. Information Technology (20,296 completions) emphasizes applied systems administration and networking. Management Information Systems (7,648 completions) focuses the information-management lens on business contexts. If the intersection of data organization, systems design, and how people interact with information is genuinely what interests you — not just a fallback from CS — Information Science targets that space more precisely than any of its neighbors.
What's a realistic earnings picture after an Information Science degree?
Five-year median earnings across degree levels run about $79,164. Bachelor's completers specifically land at around $81,985. The major's career map spans from web and interface designers at $98,090 up to database architects at $135,980 and IT management at $171,200 — though the management ceiling typically takes a decade of experience to approach. Two graduate-track paths (research scientists and postsecondary teachers) require further degrees and represent separate investment decisions. Overall, the earnings trajectory for this major is solid without being exceptional — it competes comfortably with many business majors while offering more technical specificity.