Information Science: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries

Q: Which universities have the largest Information Science programs?

Currently 380 accredited institutions offer Information Science degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) (2,259 graduates), Trine University, Regional/Non-Traditional Campuses (1,381 graduates), and The University of Texas, Dallas (863 graduates).

Q: Is enrollment in Information Science growing or declining?

Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 12,110 in 2010 to 22,425 in 2023-24. This represents a 85% increase overall from 2010.

Q: What career paths are available with a Information Science degree?

This degree prepares you for roles such as Computer and Information Systems Managers, Computer and Information Research Scientists, and Database Architects. Related occupations employ approximately 2,990,680 professionals nationwide.

Program Overview

Information Science is an interdisciplinary field dedicated to understanding how information is created, managed, shared, and used across diverse contexts—both physical and digital. It equips students with analytical and technical skills to design systems that enhance access, usability, and efficiency in information environments.

Information classification and organization: Methods for structuring data and content to support retrieval, usability, and logical accessibility across systems.
Information storage and processing: Principles and technologies involved in securely storing, managing, and manipulating large volumes of data.
Transmission, transfer, and signaling: Techniques for moving information across networks, including protocols, bandwidth considerations, and signal integrity.
Communications and networking: Study of network architectures, data flow, and infrastructure that enable real-time and asynchronous information exchange.
Systems planning and design: Strategic approaches to developing information systems that meet user needs, align with organizational goals, and scale effectively.
Human interfacing and use analysis: Research into user behavior, interaction design, and usability testing to create intuitive and inclusive digital experiences.
Database development: Design, implementation, and management of structured data systems for efficient storage, querying, and retrieval.
Information policy analysis: Evaluation of legal, ethical, and institutional frameworks governing data access, privacy, ownership, and intellectual property.
Hardware and software integration: Understanding the interplay between computing infrastructure and application platforms in information systems.
Economic and social dimensions of information: Exploration of how information impacts markets, institutions, equity, and societal development.
Information capacity and scalability: Assessment of system limits, performance under load, and strategies for sustainable growth in information environments.

Information Science Graduate Trends (2010-2024)

22,425

Total Graduates (2023-2024)

380

Universities & Colleges

Career Pathways

Career & Salary Outlook Schools Offering This Program Related Programs

Information Science Career Pathways & Salary Outlook

The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Information Science degrees, including Computer and Information Systems Managers, Computer and Information Research Scientists and Database Architects. 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 2,990,680 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
Computer and Information Research Scientists 15-1221	$140,910	$80,670 - $232,120	38,480	$67.74
Database Architects 15-1243	$135,980	$81,630 - $209,990	64,770	$65.37
Software Developers 15-1252	$133,080	$79,850 - $211,450	1,654,440	$63.98
Computer Occupations, All Other 15-1299	$108,970	$52,650 - $176,800	439,380	$52.39
Web and Digital Interface Designers 15-1255	$98,090	$47,840 - $192,180	111,400	$47.16
Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1021	$96,690	$48,910 - $172,380	36,240	N/A

Salary Comparison

Data Source: Salary and employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2024 estimates, based on 7 related occupations. Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics.

*Salary Range Explanation: The salary range represents the 10th to 90th percentile, meaning 80% of workers in this occupation earn within this range. This excludes the lowest 10% and highest 10% of earners to provide a more realistic picture of typical compensation.

Important Disclaimer: Salary data represents national averages and varies by location, experience, employer, and market conditions. These statistics are estimates for general guidance and do not guarantee specific employment outcomes for graduates.

Information Science Salary Map by State

Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $85,942 in Arkansas to $156,301 in California—a 82% difference. The highest-paying states include California, Washington, and New York. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 2,990,680 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 Information Science by Graduate Enrollment

Below are the top 99 institutions offering Information 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 Information Science is found at University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) (2,259 graduates), Trine University, Regional/Non-Traditional Campuses (1,381 graduates), The University of Texas, Dallas (863 graduates), University of Maryland (UMCP), College Park (829 graduates), and University of California (UCB), Berkeley (659 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 19,382 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 Maryland Global Campus (UMGC)	Certificate (≥2 yrs) Bachelor's Postbac Cert. Master's	2,259	N/A	Adelphi, Maryland	Public	umgc.edu
Trine University	Bachelor's Master's	1,381	N/A	Angola, Indiana	Private	trine.edu
The University of Texas	Postbac Cert. Master's	863	SAT: 1170-1410 ACT: 25-32	Richardson, Texas	Public	utdallas.edu
University of Maryland (UMCP)	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	829	SAT: 1370-1520 ACT: 32-35	College Park, Maryland	Public	umd.edu
University of California (UCB)	Master's Doctorate (R)	659	N/A	Berkeley, California	Public	berkeley.edu
University of Michigan (U‑M)	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	518	SAT: 1350-1530 ACT: 31-34	Ann Arbor, Michigan	Public	umich.edu
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	500	SAT: 1270-1510 ACT: 29-34	Champaign, Illinois	Public	illinois.edu
University of North Texas (UNT)	Bachelor's Postbac Cert. Master's Doctorate (R)	491	SAT: 980-1230 ACT: 19-27	Denton, Texas	Public	unt.edu
University of Maryland (UMBC)	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R) Other Award	476	SAT: 1220-1410 ACT: 23-30	Baltimore, Maryland	Public	umbc.edu
Rutgers University	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	466	SAT: 1270-1480 ACT: 28-33	New Brunswick, New Jersey	Public	newbrunswick.rutgers.edu
Pennsylvania State University	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	439	SAT: 1220-1400 ACT: 27-32	University Park, Pennsylvania	Public	psu.edu
Ivy Tech Community College (Ivy Tech)	Certificate (1-2 yrs) Associate's Other Award	384	N/A	Indianapolis, Indiana	Public	ivytech.edu
The University of Texas	Bachelor's Master's	324	SAT: 990-1230 ACT: 18-26	Arlington, Texas	Public	uta.edu
Syracuse University	Bachelor's Postbac Cert. Master's Doctorate (R)	318	SAT: 1260-1430 ACT: 28-32	Syracuse, New York	Private	syracuse.edu
Pace University	Bachelor's Master's	315	SAT: 1130-1328 ACT: 24-29	New York, New York	Private	pace.edu
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College	Bachelor's	302	SAT: 1210-1410	New York, New York	Public	baruch.cuny.edu
University of Utah (U of U)	Bachelor's Master's	294	SAT: 1180-1398 ACT: 22-29	Salt Lake City, Utah	Public	utah.edu
University of Washington (UW)	Master's Doctorate (R)	283	N/A	Seattle, Washington	Public	washington.edu
Cleveland State University (CSU)	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	276	ACT: 17-25	Cleveland, Ohio	Public	csuohio.edu
Lamar University (LU)	Master's	271	SAT: 910-1130 ACT: 18-24	Beaumont, Texas	Public	lamar.edu
University of South Florida (USF)	Bachelor's Master's	233	SAT: 1140-1330 ACT: 24-29	Tampa, Florida	Public	usf.edu
CUNY New York City College of Technology (NYCCT)	Bachelor's	227	SAT: 880-1200	Brooklyn, New York	Public	citytech.cuny.edu
The University of Texas	Postbac Cert. Master's Doctorate (R)	202	SAT: 1230-1490 ACT: 27-33	Austin, Texas	Public	utexas.edu
Boston University (BU)	Master's	198	SAT: 1400-1520 ACT: 32-34	Boston, Massachusetts	Private	bu.edu
Texas A & M University	Postbac Cert. Master's	196	SAT: 1140-1380 ACT: 25-31	College Station, Texas	Public	tamu.edu
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	189	SAT: 1370-1530 ACT: 30-34	Chapel Hill, North Carolina	Public	unc.edu
University of Massachusetts	Associate's Bachelor's Other Award	184	SAT: 1180-1350 ACT: 26-30	Lowell, Massachusetts	Public	uml.edu
New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT)	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	180	SAT: 1210-1470 ACT: 25-32	Newark, New Jersey	Public	njit.edu
Northwestern University	Bachelor's Master's	178	SAT: 1490-1560 ACT: 33-35	Evanston, Illinois	Private	northwestern.edu
Kennesaw State University (KSU)	Bachelor's Master's	166	SAT: 1020-1220 ACT: 19-25	Kennesaw, Georgia	Public	kennesaw.edu
Florida State University (FSU)	Master's Post-Master's Doctorate (R)	165	SAT: 1240-1390 ACT: 27-31	Tallahassee, Florida	Public	fsu.edu
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)	Bachelor's Postbac Cert. Master's	164	SAT: 1030-1270 ACT: 22-30	Richmond, Virginia	Public	vcu.edu
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus	Master's	162	SAT: 980-1220 ACT: 21-27	Denver, Colorado	Public	ucdenver.edu
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM)	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	161	ACT: 18-24	Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Public	uwm.edu
Pennsylvania State University	Bachelor's Postbac Cert. Master's	160	SAT: 1100-1340 ACT: 18-30	University Park, Pennsylvania	Public	worldcampus.psu.edu
University at Buffalo (UB)	Master's	157	SAT: 1210-1380 ACT: 27-32	Buffalo, New York	Public	buffalo.edu
Purdue University Global	Bachelor's Other Award	154	N/A	West Lafayette, Indiana	Public	purdueglobal.edu
University of Pittsburgh	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	152	SAT: 1270-1450 ACT: 29-33	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	Public	pitt.edu
James Madison University (JMU)	Bachelor's	151	SAT: 1170-1320 ACT: 25-29	Harrisonburg, Virginia	Public	jmu.edu
University of Massachusetts	Master's	142	SAT: 1080-1290 ACT: 24-30	Boston, Massachusetts	Public	umb.edu
University of Denver (DU)	Master's	134	SAT: 1240-1410 ACT: 29-32	Denver, Colorado	Private	du.edu
University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)	Bachelor's	128	SAT: 1120-1340 ACT: 25-32	Chicago, Illinois	Public	uic.edu
DePaul University	Bachelor's Master's	112	SAT: 1130-1340 ACT: 26-31	Chicago, Illinois	Private	depaul.edu
CUNY Graduate School and University Center	Bachelor's	111	N/A	New York, New York	Public	gc.cuny.edu
University at Albany (UAlbany)	Master's Doctorate (R)	111	N/A	Albany, New York	Public	albany.edu
University of Toledo (UToledo)	Bachelor's Master's	103	SAT: 1050-1300 ACT: 22-28	Toledo, Ohio	Public	utoledo.edu
Dakota State University (DSU)	Associate's Bachelor's Postbac Cert. Master's Doctorate (R) Other Award	100	SAT: 1020-1340 ACT: 20-26	Madison, South Dakota	Public	dsu.edu
Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T)	Bachelor's Postbac Cert. Master's	99	SAT: 1150-1378 ACT: 25-31	Rolla, Missouri	Public	mst.edu
Eastern Florida State College (EFSC)	Bachelor's	96	N/A	Melbourne, Florida	Public	easternflorida.edu
University of Alabama (UAB)	Master's	88	SAT: 1130-1400 ACT: 22-30	Birmingham, Alabama	Public	uab.edu
University of Nebraska (UNO)	Bachelor's Postbac Cert. Master's	87	ACT: 18-26	Omaha, Nebraska	Public	unomaha.edu
University of the Cumberlands	Master's	84	N/A	Williamsburg, Kentucky	Private	ucumberlands.edu
Stony Brook University (SBU)	Bachelor's	82	SAT: 1320-1490 ACT: 28-33	Stony Brook, New York	Public	stonybrook.edu
University of Wisconsin-Madison	Bachelor's Postbac Cert. Master's Doctorate (R)	80	SAT: 1360-1510 ACT: 28-32	Madison, Wisconsin	Public	wisc.edu
University of Delaware (UD)	Master's	78	SAT: 1200-1360 ACT: 27-31	Newark, Delaware	Public	udel.edu
Pratt Institute	Postbac Cert. Master's	77	SAT: 1220-1420 ACT: 26-32	Brooklyn, New York	Private	pratt.edu
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)	Master's	77	SAT: 1280-1460 ACT: 29-33	Rochester, New York	Private	rit.edu
Colorado State University (CSU)	Bachelor's Master's	74	N/A	Fort Collins, Colorado	Public	colostate.edu
George Washington University (GW)	Bachelor's Master's	71	SAT: 1350-1500 ACT: 31-34	Washington, District of Columbia	Private	gwu.edu
Dallas Baptist University (DBU)	Bachelor's Master's	71	SAT: 960-1217 ACT: 21-27	Dallas, Texas	Private	dbu.edu
Boston College (BC)	Bachelor's	69	SAT: 1430-1540 ACT: 33-34	Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts	Private	bc.edu
Tarleton State University (TSU)	Bachelor's Master's	69	SAT: 960-1150 ACT: 19-24	Stephenville, Texas	Public	tarleton.edu
George Mason University	Postbac Cert. Master's	69	SAT: 1140-1340 ACT: 25-30	Fairfax, Virginia	Public	www2.gmu.edu
Ace Institute of Technology	Certificate (1-2 yrs)	66	N/A	New York, New York	Private	acecareer.edu
Merrimack College	Bachelor's Postbac Cert. Master's	65	N/A	North Andover, Massachusetts	Private	merrimack.edu
Johns Hopkins University (JHU)	Postbac Cert. Master's	64	SAT: 1530-1580 ACT: 34-35	Baltimore, Maryland	Private	jhu.edu
Loyola University Maryland	Bachelor's Master's	64	SAT: 1180-1350 ACT: 27-32	Baltimore, Maryland	Private	loyola.edu
University of Kentucky (UK)	Bachelor's	63	SAT: 1080-1290 ACT: 21-28	Lexington, Kentucky	Public	uky.edu
University of Colorado Boulder (CU)	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	62	SAT: 1230-1420 ACT: 28-33	Boulder, Colorado	Public	colorado.edu
University of Houston (UHCL)	Bachelor's Master's	62	SAT: 990-1170 ACT: 18-23	Houston, Texas	Public	uhcl.edu
Robert Morris University (RMU)	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	60	N/A	Moon Township, Pennsylvania	Private	rmu.edu
Salisbury University (SU)	Bachelor's	59	SAT: 1180-1310 ACT: 26-28	Salisbury, Maryland	Public	salisbury.edu
Norwich University	Bachelor's Postbac Cert. Master's	58	SAT: 1060-1320 ACT: 20-27	Northfield, Vermont	Private	norwich.edu
Pennsylvania State University	Bachelor's	57	SAT: 1090-1310 ACT: 21-27	Abington, Pennsylvania	Public	abington.psu.edu
Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC)	Associate's	56	N/A	Troy, New York	Public	hvcc.edu
SUNY Buffalo State University	Bachelor's	55	SAT: 960-1190	Buffalo, New York	Public	suny.buffalostate.edu
The University of Tennessee	Bachelor's	55	SAT: 1190-1340 ACT: 25-31	Knoxville, Tennessee	Public	utk.edu
CUNY Lehman College	Bachelor's	53	SAT: 860-1220	Bronx, New York	Public	lehman.edu
University of California (UCR)	Bachelor's	52	N/A	Riverside, California	Public	ucr.edu
San Jose State University (SJSU)	Bachelor's	52	N/A	San Jose, California	Public	sjsu.edu
Ball State University (BSU)	Master's	52	SAT: 1080-1250 ACT: 25-30	Muncie, Indiana	Public	bsu.edu
Harding University	Master's	51	SAT: 1050-1280 ACT: 21-28	Searcy, Arkansas	Private	harding.edu
Claremont Graduate University (CGU)	Master's Doctorate (R)	51	N/A	Claremont, California	Private	cgu.edu
Drexel University	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	51	SAT: 1230-1430 ACT: 27-33	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Private	drexel.edu
Utah Valley University (UVU)	Bachelor's	50	N/A	Orem, Utah	Public	uvu.edu
Cuyahoga Community College District (Tri-C)	Associate's Other Award	49	N/A	Cleveland, Ohio	Public	tri-c.edu
University of Houston (UH)	Master's	49	SAT: 1150-1330 ACT: 23-28	Houston, Texas	Public	uh.edu
Fort Hays State University (FHSU)	Bachelor's	48	SAT: 970-1200 ACT: 19-25	Hays, Kansas	Public	fhsu.edu
University of South Alabama (USA)	Bachelor's Master's	46	SAT: 1015-1200 ACT: 19-26	Mobile, Alabama	Public	southalabama.edu
University of Arkansas (UA Little Rock)	Bachelor's Postbac Cert. Master's	46	SAT: 890-1170 ACT: 18-23	Little Rock, Arkansas	Public	ualr.edu
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (SRU)	Bachelor's	45	SAT: 980-1190 ACT: 19-25	Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania	Public	sru.edu
South University	Bachelor's Master's	45	N/A	Savannah, Georgia	Private	N/A
Rowan University	Bachelor's	43	SAT: 1100-1310 ACT: 26-30	Glassboro, New Jersey	Public	rowan.edu
Florida Institute of Technology (Florida Tech)	Master's	41	SAT: 1130-1320 ACT: 23-28	Melbourne, Florida	Private	fit.edu
Indiana Institute of Technology (Indiana Tech)	Master's	41	N/A	Fort Wayne, Indiana	Private	indianatech.edu
Yeshiva University (YU)	Master's	40	SAT: 1320-1500 ACT: 28-33	New York, New York	Private	yu.edu
University of Houston (UHV)	Bachelor's Master's	39	SAT: 993-1180 ACT: 19-25	Victoria, Texas	Public	uhv.edu
Columbia College	Bachelor's Other Award	38	N/A	Columbia, Missouri	Private	ccis.edu
Southern University (SUNO)	Bachelor's Master's	36	ACT: 14-18	New Orleans, Louisiana	Public	suno.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to the most common questions about Information Science programs

How much can I earn with a Information Science degree?

Salaries for Information Science graduates vary by role and location. Computer and Information Systems Managers earn a median of $171,200 annually, while Computer and Information Research Scientists earn around $140,910. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in California average $156,301 compared to $85,942 in Arkansas. Approximately 2,990,680 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 Information Science programs?

Currently 380 accredited institutions offer Information Science degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) (2,259 graduates), Trine University, Regional/Non-Traditional Campuses (1,381 graduates), and The University of Texas, Dallas (863 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 Information Science growing or declining?

Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 12,110 in 2010 to 22,425 in 2023-24. This represents a 85% 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 Information Science degree?

This degree prepares you for roles such as Computer and Information Systems Managers, Computer and Information Research Scientists, and Database Architects. Related occupations employ approximately 2,990,680 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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