Management Information Systems and Services at University of Alaska Anchorage

A Management Information Systems degree that produces first-year earnings around $59,490 with debt near $23,185 creates a manageable 0.39 debt-to-earnings ratio—meaning graduates would owe roughly 39 cents for every dollar they earn in their first year. Since UAA's specific outcomes aren't reported due to small sample sizes, these figures draw from national medians of similar MIS bachelor's programs. That's actually helpful context: across the country, MIS graduates cluster around this earnings level, suggesting the field itself offers reasonably predictable returns regardless of location.

The Alaska tech market complicates the picture. While Anchorage has government, healthcare systems, and resource extraction companies that need IT professionals, it's a smaller job market than the Lower 48. The question becomes whether your child plans to stay in Alaska (where opportunities are fewer but potentially higher-paying given cost of living) or use this degree as a springboard elsewhere. MIS skills are portable—database management, systems analysis, and business intelligence work anywhere—but starting salaries can vary significantly by region.

With only two schools in Alaska offering this program and no reported outcomes for comparison, you're essentially betting on the field rather than this specific program's track record. The national benchmarks suggest MIS is a solid middle-ground choice—not as lucrative as pure computer science, but more financially stable than many business degrees. If your child has aptitude for both technology and business processes, the debt burden appears reasonable enough to service while building a career.