Information Science/Studies at Missouri University of Science and Technology

Missouri S&T's Information Science program launches graduates into solid-paying positions at $65,393—about $7,000 above the national median for this degree. The 19% earnings jump to nearly $78,000 by year four suggests these graduates are building marketable skills that employers value, and the debt load of $25,750 translates to just 4-5 months of first-year earnings. That's a manageable burden for starting salaries in this range.

What's notable here is the consistency: this program sits at the 60th percentile among Missouri's handful of Information Science programs and the 63rd percentile nationally. While not the absolute top performer, it's reliably above-median across the board. The strong STEM focus at Missouri S&T (reflected in its 1287 average SAT score) likely explains why graduates command higher-than-typical salaries in what can sometimes be a softer tech-adjacent field. The relatively low Pell grant percentage suggests the student body skews middle-class, which may ease the debt burden further for many families.

For a family weighing this option, the math works: reasonable debt, immediate decent earnings, and clear upward trajectory in the first four years. If your student is interested in the intersection of information systems and technical problem-solving, this program delivers returns that justify the investment without requiring elite admissions credentials.