Management Information Systems and Services at University of Alabama at Birmingham

UAB's Management Information Systems program offers something particularly valuable: graduates carry exceptionally low debt relative to their earnings. At $27,901 in median debt against nearly $58,000 in first-year earnings, students are leaving with one of the most manageable debt loads in the country for this degree—landing in just the 13th percentile nationally. That's roughly $3,000-4,000 less debt than typical MIS graduates carry.

The earnings tell a more nuanced story. Starting salaries trail the national median by about $1,700, placing UAB in the 44th percentile nationally. However, within Alabama's competitive MIS landscape, UAB performs solidly at the 60th percentile—comfortably ahead of the state median of $56,802. While The University of Alabama's flagship program in Tuscaloosa commands a significant premium ($74,000), UAB beats University of North Alabama and UAH, the other major public options. Earnings grow modestly to $62,629 by year four, which is decent but unspectacular progression.

For Alabama families, this program delivers straightforward value: your student gets into tech without crushing debt, and they'll likely out-earn most other in-state MIS graduates from day one. The 88% admission rate makes UAB accessible, and that low debt burden means graduates can take IT roles anywhere in Alabama—or beyond—without financial pressure forcing suboptimal career decisions. It's not going to match flagship earnings, but the debt-to-earnings math works cleanly in students' favor.