Management Information Systems and Services at Michigan Technological University

Michigan Tech's MIS program leaves its graduates trailing most Michigan competitors despite carrying slightly higher debt. While the $60,266 first-year salary sits just above the national median, it falls below the Michigan state median of $62,697—landing in just the 40th percentile statewide. Nearby programs at Central Michigan, UM-Dearborn, and Oakland all deliver starting salaries $5,000-$8,000 higher, a meaningful gap that compounds over a career.

The debt picture offers some comfort: at $28,000, graduates owe only about 5.6 months of their first-year salary, placing them in the 12th percentile nationally for debt burden. That's genuinely low and makes the program manageable to pay off. However, this advantage doesn't fully offset earning 10-15% less than peers at other Michigan public universities who likely face similar debt loads.

The critical caveat here is sample size—with fewer than 30 graduates in the data, these numbers could shift significantly year to year. For families committed to Michigan Tech for its engineering reputation or remote campus experience, this program won't bury a graduate in debt. But purely on MIS career outcomes, stronger options exist within Michigan's public university system that offer both higher earnings and similar affordability.