Management Information Systems and Services at Shawnee State University

Shawnee State's MIS program graduates earn $42,673 in their first year—roughly $25,000 less than the state median and $17,000 below the national average for this degree. Among Ohio's 28 MIS programs, this ranks in just the 10th percentile, meaning 90% of comparable programs in the state deliver substantially higher earnings. For context, nearby programs at Ohio State, Miami, and University of Dayton all place graduates above $69,000. This earnings gap is particularly striking given that MIS is typically a high-value technical degree designed to command strong entry salaries.

The debt load of $27,375 is actually close to state and national norms, which makes the 0.64 debt-to-earnings ratio look manageable on paper. However, that ratio only tells part of the story when absolute earnings are this far below market rate. A graduate earning $42,673 will face a much tighter budget than one earning $68,000, even with similar debt levels. The program serves a significant population of Pell-eligible students (35%), but the weak earnings outcomes may limit their ability to build financial security after graduation.

With fewer than 30 graduates in the dataset, these numbers could shift with a larger sample, but the gap between Shawnee State and other Ohio programs is too substantial to dismiss. Parents should seriously question whether this program provides the technical training and employer connections that make MIS degrees valuable elsewhere in the state.