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Management Information Systems: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries

Program Overview

Management Information Systems (MIS) is a dynamic field focused on integrating technology, data, and business strategy to support organizational decision-making and operational efficiency. This program equips students with the technical and analytical expertise to design, implement, and manage information systems that drive business performance across industries.

  • Cost and Accounting Information Systems: Study of systems that collect, process, and report financial data to support budgeting, cost analysis, and fiscal accountability.
  • Management Control Systems: Exploration of frameworks and tools used to monitor performance, align operations with strategic goals, and facilitate data-driven decision-making.
  • Personnel Information Systems: Training in systems that manage employee data, including recruitment, payroll, performance tracking, and compliance with labor regulations.
  • Data Storage and Security: In-depth instruction on secure data management practices, including encryption, access controls, backup protocols, and risk mitigation strategies.
  • Business Systems Networking: Understanding of network infrastructures that enable seamless data flow, collaboration, and system integration across departments.
  • Report Preparation: Development of skills in generating accurate, timely, and insightful reports using data visualization and analytical tools for executive and operational use.
  • Computer Facilities and Equipment Operation and Maintenance: Knowledge of managing hardware environments, ensuring system uptime, and optimizing infrastructure performance.
  • Operator Supervision and Training: Techniques for leading teams, developing training programs, and ensuring operational proficiency among system users.
  • Management Information Systems Policy and Planning: Study of strategic frameworks for designing, evaluating, and governing information systems in alignment with organizational objectives.

Management Information Systems Graduate Trends (2010-2024)

10,310
Total Graduates (2023-2024)
319
Universities & Colleges
4
Career Pathways

Management Information Systems Career Pathways & Salary Outlook

The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Management Information Systems degrees, including Computer and Information Systems Managers, Database Architects and Computer Programmers. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 856,850 professionals.


National Average Salaries

Occupation Median Salary Salary Range Total Employment Hourly Rate
Computer and Information Systems Managers 11-3021 $171,200 $104,450 - $239,200 645,970 $82.31
Database Architects 15-1243 $135,980 $81,630 - $209,990 64,770 $65.37
Computer Programmers 15-1251 $98,670 $52,190 - $162,090 109,870 $47.44
Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1021 $96,690 $48,910 - $172,380 36,240 N/A

Management Information Systems Salary Map by State

Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $84,410 in Mississippi to $156,035 in California—a 85% difference. The highest-paying states include California, Washington, and Massachusetts. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 856,850 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.

Average Salary Range:

Top Universities for Management Information Systems by Graduate Enrollment

Below are the top 100 institutions offering Management Information Systems programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Management Information Systems is found at Western Governors University (WGU) (747 graduates), University of Houston (UH) (389 graduates), University of Georgia (UGA) (383 graduates), University of Phoenix (UOPX), Arizona (277 graduates), and The University of Texas, Austin (226 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 8,823 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.

College Name Award Levels Graduates Location Control Website
Western Governors University (WGU)
Bachelor's
747 Salt Lake City, Utah Private wgu.edu
University of Houston (UH)
Bachelor's
389 Houston, Texas Public uh.edu
University of Georgia (UGA)
Bachelor's
383 Athens, Georgia Public uga.edu
University of Phoenix (UOPX)
Master's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (Research)
277 Phoenix, Arizona Private phoenix.edu
The University of Texas
Bachelor's
226 Austin, Texas Public utexas.edu
University of South Florida (USF)
Bachelor's
225 Tampa, Florida Public usf.edu
University of Arizona
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
184 Tucson, Arizona Public arizona.edu
Florida Atlantic University (FAU)
Bachelor's
Master's
Other Award
181 Boca Raton, Florida Public fau.edu
The University of Alabama (UA)
Bachelor's
Master's
174 Tuscaloosa, Alabama Public ua.edu
University of Alabama (UAB)
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Other Award
171 Birmingham, Alabama Public uab.edu
Ashford University (UAGC)
Bachelor's
Master's
162 San Diego, California Private uagc.edu
University of Oklahoma (OU)
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
161 Norman, Oklahoma Public ou.edu
Florida State University (FSU)
Bachelor's
Master's
151 Tallahassee, Florida Public fsu.edu
Baylor University
Bachelor's
150 Waco, Texas Private baylor.edu
Wayne State University (WSU)
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
141 Detroit, Michigan Public wayne.edu
Liberty University
Associate's
Bachelor's
Master's
Other Award
131 Lynchburg, Virginia Private liberty.edu
Benedictine University (BenU)
Master's
127 Lisle, Illinois Private ben.edu
Western New England University (WNE)
Other Award
121 Springfield, Massachusetts Private wne.edu
Ohio State University
Bachelor's
121 Columbus, Ohio Public osu.edu
Old Dominion University (ODU)
Bachelor's
114 Norfolk, Virginia Public odu.edu
Texas A & M University
Bachelor's
112 College Station, Texas Public tamu.edu
The University of Texas
Bachelor's
Other Award
111 Arlington, Texas Public uta.edu
University of Delaware (UD)
Bachelor's
109 Newark, Delaware Public udel.edu
University of Houston (UHD)
Bachelor's
104 Houston, Texas Public uhd.edu
Binghamton University
Bachelor's
101 Vestal, New York Public binghamton.edu
Seminole State College of Florida
Bachelor's
99 Sanford, Florida Public seminolestate.edu
Ohio University (OHIO)
Bachelor's
96 Athens, Ohio Public ohio.edu
University of Alabama (UAH)
Bachelor's
Master's
95 Huntsville, Alabama Public uah.edu
Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU)
Bachelor's
90 Murfreesboro, Tennessee Public mtsu.edu
East Carolina University (ECU)
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
89 Greenville, North Carolina Public ecu.edu
Northern Oklahoma College (NOC)
Associate's
88 Tonkawa, Oklahoma Public noc.edu
Pennsylvania State University
Bachelor's
87 University Park, Pennsylvania Public psu.edu
Appalachian State University (App State)
Bachelor's
86 Boone, North Carolina Public appstate.edu
Connecticut State Community College (CT State)
Associate's
Other Award
85 Hartford, Connecticut Public ctstate.edu
Colorado State University Global (CSU Global)
Master's
85 Aurora, Colorado Public csuglobal.edu
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Postbac Cert.
Master's
83 Daytona Beach, Florida Private worldwide.erau.edu
University of the Potomac (UOTP)
Master's
82 FALLS CHURCH, Virginia Private potomac.edu
The University of Texas (UTSA)
Bachelor's
80 San Antonio, Texas Public utsa.edu
Drexel University
Bachelor's
77 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Private drexel.edu
West Virginia University (WVU)
Bachelor's
74 Morgantown, West Virginia Public wvu.edu
Portland Community College (PCC)
Other Award
72 Portland, Oregon Public pcc.edu
Florida International University (FIU)
Bachelor's
70 Miami, Florida Public fiu.edu
Prince George's Community College (PGCC)
Associate's
69 Largo, Maryland Public pgcc.edu
Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU)
Bachelor's
Master's
68 Fort Myers, Florida Public fgcu.edu
Fort Hays State University (FHSU)
Bachelor's
67 Hays, Kansas Public fhsu.edu
Loyola University Chicago (LUC)
Bachelor's
66 Chicago, Illinois Private luc.edu
DeVry University
Master's
66 Lisle, Illinois Private devry.edu
University of Memphis (UofM)
Bachelor's
64 Memphis, Tennessee Public memphis.edu
Mississippi State University (MSU)
Bachelor's
Master's
63 Mississippi State, Mississippi Public msstate.edu
West Texas A & M University (WTAMU)
Bachelor's
Master's
61 Canyon, Texas Public wtamu.edu
Utah Tech University (UT)
Bachelor's
Other Award
61 Saint George, Utah Public utahtech.edu
Oakland University (OU)
Bachelor's
Post-Master's
60 Rochester Hills, Michigan Public oakland.edu
Oregon State University (OSU)
Bachelor's
59 Corvallis, Oregon Public oregonstate.edu
Auburn University (AU)
Postbac Cert.
Master's
57 Auburn, Alabama Public auburn.edu
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Bachelor's
57 Madison, Wisconsin Public wisc.edu
Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC)
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
56 Baltimore, Maryland Public ccbcmd.edu
Rutgers University
Bachelor's
55 Newark, New Jersey Public newark.rutgers.edu
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
Bachelor's
54 Rochester, New York Private rit.edu
Umpqua Community College (UCC)
Associate's
Residency
Other Award
53 Roseburg, Oregon Public umpqua.edu
Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver)
Bachelor's
52 Denver, Colorado Public msudenver.edu
DePaul University
Bachelor's
52 Chicago, Illinois Private depaul.edu
Tennessee Technological University (TTU)
Bachelor's
51 Cookeville, Tennessee Public tntech.edu
University of Hawaii (UHM)
Bachelor's
Master's
50 Honolulu, Hawaii Public manoa.hawaii.edu
Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU)
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
50 Manchester, New Hampshire Private snhu.edu
Howard Community College (HCC)
Associate's
49 Columbia, Maryland Public howardcc.edu
Del Mar College (DMC)
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
46 Corpus Christi, Texas Public delmar.edu
University of Wisconsin (UWEC)
Bachelor's
Other Award
45 Eau Claire, Wisconsin Public uwec.edu
National University (NU)
Bachelor's
Master's
44 San Diego, California Private nu.edu
Texas A&M University
Bachelor's
44 San Antonio, Texas Public tamusa.edu
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM)
Bachelor's
43 Milwaukee, Wisconsin Public uwm.edu
University of Wisconsin (UWO)
Bachelor's
Other Award
41 Oshkosh, Wisconsin Public uwosh.edu
University of Kansas (KU)
Bachelor's
38 Lawrence, Kansas Public ku.edu
Miami University
Bachelor's
38 Oxford, Ohio Public miamioh.edu
Georgia Southern University
Bachelor's
37 Statesboro, Georgia Public georgiasouthern.edu
Illinois State University (ISU)
Bachelor's
37 Normal, Illinois Public illinoisstate.edu
Allegany College of Maryland (ACM)
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
37 Cumberland, Maryland Public allegany.edu
University of West Georgia (UWG)
Bachelor's
36 Carrollton, Georgia Public westga.edu
Lamar University (LU)
Bachelor's
36 Beaumont, Texas Public lamar.edu
Western Carolina University (WCU)
Bachelor's
35 Cullowhee, North Carolina Public wcu.edu
Florida Institute of Technology
Bachelor's
Master's
35 Melbourne, Florida Private fit.edu
Northern Arizona University (NAU)
Bachelor's
Other Award
34 Flagstaff, Arizona Public nau.edu
Kansas State University (K‑State)
Bachelor's
34 Manhattan, Kansas Public k-state.edu
University of Michigan
Bachelor's
34 Dearborn, Michigan Public umdearborn.edu
Western Washington University (WWU)
Bachelor's
34 Bellingham, Washington Public wwu.edu
Louisiana Tech University (LA Tech)
Bachelor's
Post-Master's
33 Ruston, Louisiana Public latech.edu
Western Connecticut State University (WCSU)
Bachelor's
32 Danbury, Connecticut Public wcsu.edu
University of Massachusetts
Bachelor's
32 North Dartmouth, Massachusetts Public umassd.edu
Central Michigan University (CMU)
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
32 Mount Pleasant, Michigan Public cmich.edu
Ana G. Mendez University (AGMU)
Bachelor's
32 Orlando, Florida Private agmu.edu
Rowan College at Burlington County (RCBC)
Associate's
28 Mount Laurel, New Jersey Public rcbc.edu
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (Ship)
Bachelor's
28 Shippensburg, Pennsylvania Public ship.edu
University of Central Arkansas (UCA)
Bachelor's
27 Conway, Arkansas Public uca.edu
Butler University
Bachelor's
27 Indianapolis, Indiana Private butler.edu
University of Mississippi (Ole Miss)
Bachelor's
27 University, Mississippi Public olemiss.edu
Texas Southern University (TSU)
Bachelor's
Master's
26 Houston, Texas Public tsu.edu
Howard University (HU)
Bachelor's
25 Washington, District of Columbia Private howard.edu
University of Dayton (UD)
Bachelor's
25 Dayton, Ohio Private udayton.edu
Augsburg University
Bachelor's
24 Minneapolis, Minnesota Private augsburg.edu
University of Arkansas (UAM)
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Bachelor's
Other Award
23 Monticello, Arkansas Public uamont.edu
Rasmussen University
Associate's
23 St. Cloud, Minnesota Private rasmussen.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to the most common questions about Management Information Systems programs

How much can I earn with a Management Information Systems degree?

Salaries for Management Information Systems graduates vary by role and location. Computer and Information Systems Managers earn a median of $171,200 annually, while Database Architects earn around $135,980. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in California average $156,035 compared to $84,410 in Mississippi. Approximately 856,850 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.

Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.

Which universities have the largest Management Information Systems programs?

Currently 319 accredited institutions offer Management Information Systems degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Western Governors University (WGU) (747 graduates), University of Houston (UH) (389 graduates), and University of Georgia (UGA) (383 graduates).

Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.

Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.

Is enrollment in Management Information Systems growing or declining?

Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 13,954 in 2010 to a peak of 12,380 in 2020, before declining slightly to 10,310 in 2023-24. This represents a 26% decrease overall from 2010.

The field remains specialized with consistent demand, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.

Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.

What career paths are available with a Management Information Systems degree?

This degree prepares you for roles such as Computer and Information Systems Managers, Database Architects, and Computer Programmers. Related occupations employ approximately 856,850 professionals nationwide.

Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.

Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.

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