Information Science/Studies at Towson University

Towson's Information Science program starts slow but builds momentum, with graduates seeing their salaries jump 46% from $50,067 to nearly $73,000 by year four. However, that strong growth trajectory can't quite compensate for the challenging first-year earnings—roughly $8,000 below Maryland's median for this field and $12,000 behind nearby University of Maryland-College Park graduates.

Within Maryland, this program ranks in the bottom quarter for early earnings, trailing not just flagship schools but also regional competitors like Salisbury University. The $25,000 debt load is reasonable and typical for the field, but with first-year earnings lagging state and national benchmarks, graduates face a tougher financial start than peers at other Maryland programs. By year four, earnings catch up to competitive levels, suggesting the program provides solid technical skills that employers eventually value—but the income during those crucial early repayment years matters for managing student loans.

For families comparing Maryland options, the lower admission standards (83% acceptance rate) may offer an easier path to a tech degree, but the trade-off is measurably lower starting salaries. If your child can gain admission to UMD-College Park or UMBC, those programs deliver $13,000-$20,000 more in first-year earnings. Towson makes sense primarily if other options aren't accessible or if staying local outweighs the initial salary gap.