Management Information Systems and Services at Bethel University

For a program whose outcomes aren't specifically tracked, MIS graduates from comparable programs nationally earn around $59,490 in their first year—a solid figure that suggests decent demand for these skills. The estimated $26,581 in debt produces a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45, meaning less than half of first-year income goes toward typical debt service. This financial picture looks reasonable on its face.

The uncertainty here matters more than usual, though. Similar MIS programs in Tennessee typically produce lower outcomes—the state median sits at $50,066, about $9,400 below the national figure we're using as our proxy. The two Tennessee programs with tracked data (University of Memphis and Middle Tennessee State) both show earnings in the $48,000-$51,000 range. If Bethel's program performs more like its Tennessee peers than the national average, you're looking at a tighter margin between debt and income, with the ratio creeping closer to 0.5 or beyond.

The fundamental question is whether Bethel's MIS program, at a small school in rural Tennessee with a 97% admission rate, will produce outcomes closer to the national average or the Tennessee reality. Without program-specific data, you're betting on the former while Tennessee's track record suggests the latter. That's a meaningful financial risk to weigh against whatever else draws your child to this particular program.