Management Information Systems and Services at University of Houston

University of Houston's MIS program punches well above its weight given its 70% admission rate. With first-year earnings of $65,574, graduates earn about $13,000 more than the Texas median for this major—landing in the 60th percentile statewide. More impressive: they carry just $16,750 in debt, roughly half the national average and significantly less than most Texas peers. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.26 means graduates could theoretically pay off their loans in just three months of gross salary, an unusually favorable position.

The earnings trajectory looks solid too, climbing to $75,533 by year four—a 15% gain that keeps pace with career progression in the field. While UH doesn't match UT Austin's eye-popping $86,622 or even Texas A&M's $71,032, it delivers 90% of the earnings at a fraction of the debt load and with far easier admission. For context, this program outperforms many higher-ranked schools while serving a diverse student body (41% receive Pell grants).

The combination of above-average starting salaries, minimal debt burden, and steady earnings growth makes this a practical choice for students targeting the tech sector. The numbers are backed by a robust sample size, so these outcomes are reliable predictors rather than statistical flukes.