Management Information Systems and Services at Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Rutgers-New Brunswick's MIS program costs $22,425 in median debt and pays off quickly: graduates start at $63,023, jump 44% to nearly $91,000 by year four. That trajectory matters more than the modest starting salary, which still beats the national median by $3,500. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.36, graduates owe about four months of their first-year salary—manageable even before the substantial raises kick in.

In New Jersey's small MIS market, this program sits right at the state median for both earnings and debt, essentially tied with Rutgers-Newark. But the 44% earnings growth suggests graduates are landing in positions with clear advancement paths, likely in the state's pharmaceutical, financial services, and healthcare IT sectors. The robust sample size (100+ graduates) makes these figures reliable, not fluky.

The math here is straightforward: reasonable debt, steady starting salary, and strong earnings acceleration. For parents worried about their child's ability to repay loans while building a career, this combination delivers. The program won't launch graduates into six figures immediately, but it positions them to get there within a few years—without crushing debt holding them back.