Management Information Systems and Services at Middle Tennessee State University

Middle Tennessee State's MIS program starts below expectations but shows impressive momentum. First-year graduates earn $48,608—well below the national median of $59,490 and landing in just the 17th percentile nationally. However, by year four, earnings jump 32% to $64,340, actually surpassing the national median and approaching the 75th percentile threshold. This trajectory matters more than the slow start, especially when you're borrowing a manageable $22,375 (less than both state and national medians).

Within Tennessee, the program sits at the 40th percentile—middle of the pack among 13 schools and nearly matching the state median of $50,066. University of Memphis graduates earn slightly more initially ($51,524), but MTSU's strong growth pattern suggests the gap closes quickly. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.46 means your child would owe less than half their first-year salary, a reasonable position that improves significantly as earnings climb.

The key question is whether your child can weather those first few years at lower pay. If they can—perhaps living at home or accepting an entry-level role while building skills—the program appears to deliver solid mid-career value. With robust sample size backing these numbers, the growth trajectory is real, not statistical noise.