Management Information Systems and Services at Florida International University

FIU's MIS program starts graduates $10,000 below the national median at $49,506, landing in just the 19th percentile nationally—a significant gap for a field known for strong entry salaries. While the program sits at the 40th percentile among Florida schools, that still means more than half of in-state alternatives deliver better initial outcomes. Students here earn roughly $9,000 less than graduates from Florida State or Florida Tech, which matters when launching a career in competitive South Florida's tech market.

The upside is solid earnings momentum: graduates see 31% growth by year four, reaching $64,609, which approaches competitive territory. The debt load of $20,227 is reasonable, creating a manageable 0.41 ratio to first-year earnings. For students receiving financial aid—and 40% here get Pell grants—the relatively modest borrowing reduces financial stress during those lower-earning early years.

The question for parents: is it worth accepting below-average starting pay for eventual catch-up growth? If your child qualifies for Florida State or USF, those programs deliver $15,000-17,000 more right out of the gate. But for students who see FIU as their most realistic path to a four-year degree in tech, the combination of affordable debt and meaningful salary progression makes this workable, especially if they can leverage Miami's growing tech scene to accelerate that early-career climb.