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Management Science: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries

Program Overview

Management Science is an interdisciplinary field that equips students with advanced analytical tools to solve complex business challenges through data-driven decision-making. By integrating quantitative methods with real-world organizational contexts, the program prepares learners to model, optimize, and improve operational efficiency across industries.

  • Optimization Theory and Mathematical Techniques: Explores methods for maximizing efficiency and minimizing costs using mathematical models, such as linear and nonlinear programming, to support strategic planning and resource allocation.
  • Statistical Modeling: Focuses on applying statistical methods to interpret data, predict trends, and assess uncertainty in business environments, enabling evidence-based forecasting and risk evaluation.
  • Data Mining: Involves extracting meaningful patterns and insights from large datasets using algorithms and machine learning approaches to inform business strategy and customer behavior analysis.
  • Data Warehousing: Covers the design and management of centralized data repositories that consolidate information from multiple sources for efficient querying, reporting, and analytical processing.
  • Stochastic and Dynamic Modeling: Applies probabilistic and time-dependent models to simulate real-world systems under uncertainty, supporting decision-making in evolving or unpredictable business scenarios.
  • Operations Analysis: Emphasizes systematic evaluation of business processes to identify inefficiencies, enhance performance, and implement scalable improvements across supply chains, production, and service delivery.
  • Prototype Systems and Evaluation Models: Involves the development, testing, and validation of simulation tools and analytical frameworks to assess the impact of decisions before real-world implementation.

Management Science Graduate Trends (2010-2024)

34,245
Total Graduates (2023-2024)
348
Universities & Colleges
6
Career Pathways

Management Science Career Pathways & Salary Outlook

The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Management Science degrees, including Chief Executives, Data Scientists and General and Operations Managers. 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 5,113,150 professionals.


National Average Salaries

Occupation Median Salary Salary Range Total Employment Hourly Rate
Chief Executives 11-1011 $206,420 $73,710 - $239,200 211,850 $99.24
Data Scientists 15-2051 $112,590 $63,650 - $194,410 233,440 $54.13
General and Operations Managers 11-1021 $102,950 $47,420 - $239,200 3,584,420 $49.50
Management Analysts 13-1111 $101,190 $59,720 - $174,140 893,900 $48.65
Business Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1011 $97,270 $46,460 - $210,530 81,780 N/A
Operations Research Analysts 15-2031 $91,290 $53,910 - $159,280 107,760 $43.89

Salary Comparison

Management Science Salary Map by State

Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $83,528 in Arkansas to $152,862 in District of Columbia—a 83% difference. The highest-paying states include District of Columbia, New Jersey, and Washington. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 5,113,150 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 Science by Graduate Enrollment

Below are the top 100 institutions offering Management Science 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 Science is found at University of Southern California (USC) (2,148 graduates), New York University (NYU) (1,929 graduates), Northwestern University (1,745 graduates), University of Chicago (UChicago) (1,258 graduates), and Northeastern University Professional Programs (1,133 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 29,115 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 Admissions Location Control Website
University of Southern California (USC)
Bachelor's
Master's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (R)
2,148 SAT: 1440-1550
ACT: 32-35
Los Angeles, California Private usc.edu
New York University (NYU)
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
1,929 SAT: 1480-1570
ACT: 33-35
New York, New York Private nyu.edu
Northwestern University
Master's
Post-Master's
1,745 SAT: 1490-1560
ACT: 33-35
Evanston, Illinois Private northwestern.edu
University of Chicago (UChicago)
Master's
Doctorate (R)
1,258 SAT: 1510-1570
ACT: 34-35
Chicago, Illinois Private uchicago.edu
Northeastern University Professional Programs
Bachelor's
Master's
1,133 N/A Boston, Massachusetts Private northeastern.edu
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Master's
954 SAT: 1370-1530
ACT: 30-34
Chapel Hill, North Carolina Public unc.edu
Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU)
Bachelor's
Master's
Other Award
866 N/A Tempe, Arizona Public asu.edu
Emory University
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
744 SAT: 1460-1550
ACT: 32-34
Atlanta, Georgia Private emory.edu
University of California (UCLA)
Master's
737 N/A Los Angeles, California Public ucla.edu
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
733 SAT: 1510-1580
ACT: 34-36
Cambridge, Massachusetts Private web.mit.edu
University of California (UCB)
Master's
583 N/A Berkeley, California Public berkeley.edu
Southern Methodist University (SMU)
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
551 SAT: 1320-1480
ACT: 30-34
Dallas, Texas Private smu.edu
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
Bachelor's
542 SAT: 1240-1420
ACT: 27-32
Blacksburg, Virginia Public vt.edu
Stanford University
Master's
Doctorate (R)
534 SAT: 1510-1580
ACT: 34-35
Stanford, California Private stanford.edu
Johns Hopkins University (JHU)
Master's
522 SAT: 1530-1580
ACT: 34-35
Baltimore, Maryland Private jhu.edu
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (LSU)
Bachelor's
Master's
Post-Master's
442 SAT: 1150-1330
ACT: 24-29
Baton Rouge, Louisiana Public lsu.edu
University of Maryland (UMCP)
Bachelor's
Master's
436 SAT: 1370-1520
ACT: 32-35
College Park, Maryland Public umd.edu
The University of Texas
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (R)
370 SAT: 1170-1410
ACT: 25-32
Richardson, Texas Public utdallas.edu
Brigham Young University (BYU)
Bachelor's
Master's
364 SAT: 1290-1450
ACT: 28-32
Provo, Utah Private byu.edu
University of California (UCD)
Master's
351 N/A Davis, California Public ucdavis.edu
Rutgers University
Bachelor's
Master's
314 SAT: 1270-1480
ACT: 28-33
New Brunswick, New Jersey Public newbrunswick.rutgers.edu
University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW)
Master's
304 SAT: 1220-1360
ACT: 24-28
Wilmington, North Carolina Public uncw.edu
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)
Master's
304 SAT: 1500-1570
ACT: 34-35
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Private cmu.edu
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU)
Master's
302 N/A Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Private harrisburgu.edu
North Carolina State University (NC State)
Master's
298 SAT: 1300-1460
ACT: 28-32
Raleigh, North Carolina Public ncsu.edu
Cornell University
Master's
286 SAT: 1480-1560
ACT: 33-35
Ithaca, New York Private cornell.edu
University of Pennsylvania (Penn)
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
269 SAT: 1500-1570
ACT: 34-35
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Private upenn.edu
The University of Tennessee
Master's
Doctorate (R)
239 SAT: 1190-1340
ACT: 25-31
Knoxville, Tennessee Public utk.edu
Binghamton University
Master's
238 SAT: 1320-1490
ACT: 29-34
Vestal, New York Public binghamton.edu
University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)
Bachelor's
Master's
232 SAT: 1120-1340
ACT: 25-32
Chicago, Illinois Public uic.edu
Arizona State University
Bachelor's
Master's
Other Award
219 N/A Scottsdale, Arizona Public asu.edu
University of Cincinnati (UC)
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
212 SAT: 1150-1360
ACT: 24-29
Cincinnati, Ohio Public uc.edu
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)
Master's
211 SAT: 1330-1530
ACT: 28-34
Atlanta, Georgia Public gatech.edu
University of California (UCI)
Master's
Doctorate (R)
200 N/A Irvine, California Public uci.edu
University of Notre Dame (ND)
Bachelor's
Master's
196 SAT: 1440-1540
ACT: 33-35
Notre Dame, Indiana Private nd.edu
University of Washington (UW)
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
190 N/A Seattle, Washington Public washington.edu
University of Arkansas (U of A)
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
188 SAT: 1050-1220
ACT: 21-28
Fayetteville, Arkansas Public uark.edu
University of South Carolina (USC)
Bachelor's
188 SAT: 1180-1380
ACT: 26-32
Columbia, South Carolina Public sc.edu
Yale University
Master's
186 SAT: 1500-1580
ACT: 33-35
New Haven, Connecticut Private yale.edu
Saint Joseph's University (SJU)
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
186 SAT: 1150-1330
ACT: 27-31
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Private sju.edu
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
Bachelor's
185 SAT: 1270-1510
ACT: 29-34
Champaign, Illinois Public illinois.edu
Hofstra University
Master's
181 SAT: 1210-1380
ACT: 27-31
Hempstead, New York Private hofstra.edu
Arkansas State University (A-State)
Bachelor's
Master's
175 SAT: 1030-1180
ACT: 19-25
Jonesboro, Arkansas Public astate.edu
University of Florida (UF)
Bachelor's
170 SAT: 1300-1480
ACT: 28-33
Gainesville, Florida Public ufl.edu
Georgetown University (GU)
Master's
Other Award
167 SAT: 1390-1550
ACT: 32-34
Washington, District of Columbia Private georgetown.edu
Loyola University Chicago (LUC)
Postbac Cert.
Master's
166 SAT: 1160-1340
ACT: 27-31
Chicago, Illinois Private luc.edu
Drexel University
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
166 SAT: 1230-1430
ACT: 27-33
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Private drexel.edu
University of Utah (U of U)
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (R)
166 SAT: 1180-1398
ACT: 22-29
Salt Lake City, Utah Public utah.edu
Grand Canyon University (GCU)
Bachelor's
Master's
165 SAT: 1058-1175
ACT: 19-24
Phoenix, Arizona Private gcu.edu
Wake Forest University (WFC)
Bachelor's
Master's
161 SAT: 1390-1510
ACT: 32-34
Winston-Salem, North Carolina Private wfu.edu
University of Maine (UMaine)
Postbac Cert.
Master's
157 N/A Orono, Maine Public umaine.edu
California State University (CSUEB)
Master's
153 N/A Hayward, California Public csueastbay.edu
University of Houston (UH)
Bachelor's
Master's
152 SAT: 1150-1330
ACT: 23-28
Houston, Texas Public uh.edu
Grand Valley State University (GVSU)
Bachelor's
150 SAT: 940-1190
ACT: 21-28
Allendale, Michigan Public gvsu.edu
New York Institute of Technology (NYIT)
Master's
149 SAT: 1180-1390
ACT: 25-33
Old Westbury, New York Private nyit.edu
DePaul University
Bachelor's
Master's
146 SAT: 1130-1340
ACT: 26-31
Chicago, Illinois Private depaul.edu
Lewis University
Bachelor's
Master's
146 SAT: 990-1220
ACT: 22-26
Romeoville, Illinois Private lewisu.edu
University of California (UCSD)
Bachelor's
Master's
144 N/A La Jolla, California Public ucsd.edu
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
Master's
140 SAT: 980-1220
ACT: 21-27
Denver, Colorado Public ucdenver.edu
Auburn University (AU)
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
134 SAT: 1240-1380
ACT: 25-31
Auburn, Alabama Public auburn.edu
George Washington University (GW)
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
133 SAT: 1350-1500
ACT: 31-34
Washington, District of Columbia Private gwu.edu
Illinois State University (ISU)
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
133 SAT: 1010-1230
ACT: 22-27
Normal, Illinois Public illinoisstate.edu
Florida International University (FIU)
Bachelor's
Master's
132 SAT: 1060-1250
ACT: 20-26
Miami, Florida Public fiu.edu
Bridgewater State University (BSU)
Bachelor's
126 SAT: 1040-1230
ACT: 18-27
Bridgewater, Massachusetts Public bridgew.edu
Villanova University
Bachelor's
Master's
124 SAT: 1400-1510
ACT: 32-34
Villanova, Pennsylvania Private villanova.edu
University of Phoenix (UOPX)
Other Award
123 N/A Phoenix, Arizona Private phoenix.edu
Dartmouth College
Master's
122 SAT: 1500-1570
ACT: 33-35
Hanover, New Hampshire Private dartmouth.edu
William & Mary (W&M)
Postbac Cert.
Master's
118 SAT: 1365-1510
ACT: 32-34
Williamsburg, Virginia Public wm.edu
The University of Alabama (UA)
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
117 SAT: 1170-1400
ACT: 24-31
Tuscaloosa, Alabama Public ua.edu
Northern Illinois University (NIU)
Bachelor's
Master's
116 N/A Dekalb, Illinois Public niu.edu
Saint Louis University (SLU)
Bachelor's
Master's
115 SAT: 1210-1430
ACT: 26-31
Saint Louis, Missouri Private slu.edu
Washington University in St Louis (WashU)
Master's
Doctorate (R)
115 SAT: 1500-1570
ACT: 33-35
Saint Louis, Missouri Private wustl.edu
University of Pittsburgh
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Post-Master's
Other Award
113 SAT: 1270-1450
ACT: 29-33
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Public pitt.edu
Santa Clara University (SCU)
Master's
110 SAT: 1340-1500
ACT: 30-33
Santa Clara, California Private scu.edu
American University (AU)
Postbac Cert.
Master's
109 SAT: 1300-1450
ACT: 29-33
Washington, District of Columbia Private american.edu
Creighton University
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
109 SAT: 1210-1400
ACT: 24-30
Omaha, Nebraska Private creighton.edu
Pepperdine University
Master's
108 SAT: 1250-1450
ACT: 26-32
Malibu, California Private pepperdine.edu
University of Kansas (KU)
Bachelor's
Master's
108 SAT: 1050-1290
ACT: 21-27
Lawrence, Kansas Public ku.edu
University of Georgia (UGA)
Master's
106 SAT: 1160-1390
ACT: 25-32
Athens, Georgia Public uga.edu
University of Mississippi (Ole Miss)
Master's
106 SAT: 1020-1210
ACT: 21-29
University, Mississippi Public olemiss.edu
Seattle University (Seattle U)
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
106 SAT: 1130-1350
ACT: 23-30
Seattle, Washington Private seattleu.edu
University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC)
Certificate (≥2 yrs)
Postbac Cert.
104 N/A Adelphi, Maryland Public umgc.edu
Boston University (BU)
Master's
104 SAT: 1400-1520
ACT: 32-34
Boston, Massachusetts Private bu.edu
Ohio State University
Postbac Cert.
Master's
104 SAT: 1330-1480
ACT: 29-32
Columbus, Ohio Public osu.edu
Oregon State University (OSU)
Bachelor's
Master's
102 N/A Corvallis, Oregon Public oregonstate.edu
Shenandoah University (SU)
Master's
101 N/A Winchester, Virginia Private su.edu
American Public University System (APUS)
Bachelor's
Master's
98 N/A Charles Town, West Virginia Private apus.edu
Wake Technical Community College (Wake Tech)
Associate's
Other Award
96 N/A Raleigh, North Carolina Public waketech.edu
University of Scranton
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
96 SAT: 1150-1320
ACT: 25-30
Scranton, Pennsylvania Private scranton.edu
University of Bridgeport (UB)
Master's
94 SAT: 880-1115 Bridgeport, Connecticut Private bridgeport.edu
New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT)
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (R)
94 SAT: 1210-1470
ACT: 25-32
Newark, New Jersey Public njit.edu
Duquesne University
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
94 SAT: 1160-1350
ACT: 26-31
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Private duq.edu
University of Louisville (UofL)
Postbac Cert.
Master's
92 SAT: 1020-1250
ACT: 19-27
Louisville, Kentucky Public louisville.edu
University at Buffalo (UB)
Master's
Doctorate (R)
92 SAT: 1210-1380
ACT: 27-32
Buffalo, New York Public buffalo.edu
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Bachelor's
90 SAT: 1110-1320
ACT: 21-27
Charlotte, North Carolina Public charlotte.edu
Manhattan College
Bachelor's
Master's
88 SAT: 1150-1340
ACT: 22-31
Riverdale, New York Private manhattan.edu
Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP)
Master's
87 SAT: 940-1170
ACT: 17-24
Indiana, Pennsylvania Public iup.edu
Clark University
Master's
86 SAT: 1240-1400
ACT: 30-33
Worcester, Massachusetts Private clarku.edu
Suffolk University
Bachelor's
Master's
84 SAT: 1090-1280
ACT: 24-32
Boston, Massachusetts Private suffolk.edu
Elon University
Bachelor's
Master's
83 SAT: 1143-1305
ACT: 23-28
Elon, North Carolina Private elon.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to the most common questions about Management Science programs

How much can I earn with a Management Science degree?

Salaries for Management Science graduates vary by role and location. Chief Executives earn a median of $206,420 annually, while Data Scientists earn around $112,590. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in District of Columbia average $152,862 compared to $83,528 in Arkansas. Approximately 5,113,150 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 Science programs?

Currently 348 accredited institutions offer Management Science degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include University of Southern California (USC) (2,148 graduates), New York University (NYU) (1,929 graduates), and Northwestern University (1,745 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 Science growing or declining?

Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 4,459 in 2010 to 34,245 in 2023-24. This represents a 668% increase overall from 2010.

The field remains specialized with steady interest, 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 Science degree?

This degree prepares you for roles such as Chief Executives, Data Scientists, and General and Operations Managers. Related occupations employ approximately 5,113,150 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.

Related Business Programs

Explore similar degree programs within the Business field. These programs share the same academic discipline and may offer complementary skills and career pathways.

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