Management Information Systems and Services at Northern Kentucky University

Northern Kentucky University's MIS program delivers above-average outcomes—graduates earn $68,628 within a year, which beats both the national median ($59,490) and sits comfortably in the 79th percentile nationally. Within Kentucky, these graduates trail only University of Louisville by about $1,500, making this one of the state's top two programs despite NKU's 96% admission rate. The debt load of $21,000 is notably lower than both the national and state medians, creating a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.31.

The caveat here is sample size—fewer than 30 graduates means these numbers could shift considerably year to year. That said, the fundamentals look sound: earnings grow modestly to $73,620 by year four, and the combination of low debt with strong starting salaries suggests graduates can pay down loans quickly while building career momentum. For Kentucky families keeping costs reasonable, this program appears to deliver professional outcomes comparable to the state's flagship university.

If your student is interested in IT management and wants to stay in-state, this represents solid value—particularly compared to programs at Eastern Kentucky or Morehead State that show significantly weaker earnings. Just recognize the small cohort size means individual outcomes may vary more than at larger programs.