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Computer Information Systems

Types of Degrees Computer Information Systems Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Computer Information Systems can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	2,343
Associate’s Degree	13,341
Bachelor’s Degree	46,746
Master’s Degree	52,666
Doctor’s Degree	1,198

What Computer Information Systems Majors Need to Know

Studies in Computer Information Systems develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Computer Information Systems graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Computer Information Systems emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.8 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Computer Information Systems program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Computer Information Systems careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Computer Information Systems graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.7 / 7
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.2 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Computer Information Systems professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Linux	Operating system software	✓
UNIX	Operating system software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
C++	Object or component oriented development software	✓
C#	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	✓
C	Development environment software	✓
PHP	Web platform development software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Computer Information Systems graduates include:

• College Professor
• Adjunct Computer Science Professor
• Computer Instructor
• Information Security Systems Instructor
• Assistant Professor
• Cybersecurity Instructor
• Computer Programming Professor
• Computer Engineering Professor
• Lecturer
• Professor
• Computer Technology Instructor
• Associate Professor
• University Faculty Member
• Information Systems Professor (IS Professor)
• IT Adjunct Faculty Member (Information Technology Adjunct Faculty Member)

What Can You Do With a Computer Information Systems Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Computer Information Systems commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary	-4.2%	$35,659	$27,803–$43,516
Web and Digital Interface Designers	13.0%	$88,198	$70,323–$106,073
Business Intelligence Analysts	1.3%	$143,840	$123,227–$164,454
Data Scientists	8.1%	$106,295	$83,284–$129,306
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers	-1.7%	$80,062	$66,401–$93,722
Health Informatics Specialists	3.5%	$156,714	$127,389–$186,039
Database Architects	4.3%	$148,480	$125,145–$171,815
Video Game Designers	2.6%	$62,617	$51,581–$73,653
Clinical Data Managers	-0.9%	$99,475	$83,569–$115,381
Information Security Engineers	-3.8%	$142,543	$114,274–$170,812
Computer Systems Engineers/Architects	-1.9%	$140,795	$117,994–$163,597
Information Technology Project Managers	-3.4%	$124,655	$97,293–$152,018

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Computer Information Systems graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	40.5%
Master’s degree	21.8%
Doctoral degree	13.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	8.6%
Postsecondary certificate	5.4%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.8%
Some college courses	3.3%
High school diploma or equivalent	1.6%
Less than a high school diploma	0.7%
Post-master’s certificate	0.7%
First professional degree	0.2%
Post-doctoral training	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Computer Information Systems?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 71.9% of Computer Information Systems degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	33,288	28.1%
Men	85,093	71.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Computer Information Systems graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	39,641	33.5%
Asian	15,074	12.7%
Hispanic or Latino	13,726	11.6%
Black or African American	11,010	9.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native	370	0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	188	0.2%
Two or More Races	3,539	3.0%
Race Unknown	5,569	4.7%
International Students	29,264	24.7%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Computer Information Systems Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Computer Information Systems graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$69,148
4 years	$77,570
5 years	$88,131

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $88,131 — roughly 27% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Computer Information Systems Programs

Fully online options is reported by IPEDS for Computer Information Systems. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	159	103
Bachelor’s	161	117
Master’s	124	86
Doctoral (Research)	14	8

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Computer Information Systems Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Computer Information Systems graduates earn a median of $77,570 four years after completion — roughly 104% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Computer Science	79,857
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management	57,935
Information Science/Studies	22,425
Computer Software and Media Applications	15,581
Computer Programming	15,336
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications	15,034
Computer Systems Analysis	3,034
Data Processing	2,131
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other	2,066
Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications	436
COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES	—

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.