Computer & Information Sciences

Types of Degrees Computer & Information Sciences Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many computer and information sciences graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	54,510
Graduate Certificate	3,877
Doctor’s Degree	2,584

What Computer & Information Sciences Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, computer and information sciences majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Computer & Information Sciences Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Skills for Computer & Information Sciences Majors

A major in computer and information sciences prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Abilities for Computer & Information Sciences Majors

A major in computer and information sciences will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

What Can You Do With a Computer & Information Sciences Major?

People with a computer and information sciences degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Business Intelligence Analysts	9.3%	$90,270
Compliance Managers	8.0%	$107,480
Computer and Information Research Scientists	19.0%	$118,370
Computer and Information Systems Managers	12.0%	$142,530
Computer Network Architects	6.5%	$109,020
Computer Network Support Specialists	8.2%	$62,770
Computer Science Professors	8.1%	$82,220
Computer Systems Analysts	9.1%	$88,740
Computer Systems Engineers/Architects	9.3%	$90,270
Computer User Support Specialists	11.3%	$50,980
Data Warehousing Specialists	9.3%	$90,270
Database Administrators	11.5%	$90,070
Database Architects	9.3%	$90,270
Document Management Specialists	9.3%	$90,270
Geographic Information Systems Technicians	9.3%	$90,270
Geospatial Information Scientists and Technologists	9.3%	$90,270
Graphic Designers	4.2%	$50,370
Informatics Nurse Specialists	9.1%	$88,740
Information Security Analysts	28.5%	$98,350
Information Technology Project Managers	9.3%	$90,270
Loss Prevention Managers	8.0%	$107,480
Multimedia Artists and Animators	8.4%	$72,520
Network and Computer Systems Administrators	6.1%	$82,050
Regulatory Affairs Managers	8.0%	$107,480
Search Marketing Strategists	9.3%	$90,270
Security Managers	8.0%	$107,480
Software Developers, Applications	30.7%	$103,620
Software Developers, Systems Software	11.1%	$110,000
Software Quality Assurance Engineers and Testers	9.3%	$90,270
Supply Chain Managers	8.0%	$107,480
Telecommunications Engineering Specialists	6.5%	$109,020
Web Administrators	9.3%	$90,270
Web Developers	14.9%	$69,430
Wind Energy Operations Managers	8.0%	$107,480
Wind Energy Project Managers	8.0%	$107,480

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Computer & Information Sciences?

This major tends to be male dominated. About 66% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of computer and information sciences majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	4,964
Black or African American	3,157
Hispanic or Latino	2,199
White	12,196
International Students	28,893
Other Races/Ethnicities	3,101

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Computer & Information Sciences. About 53.0% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do Computer & Information Sciences Majors Make?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

The median starting salary of students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a master’s degree in computer and information sciences was $78,317 per year. These stats come from the U.S. Department of Education. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $66,763 (25th percentile) and $90,881 (75th percentile).

It’s important to note that just because the people reporting these salaries have a degree in computer and information sciences, it does not mean that they are working in a job related to their degree.

Salaries According to BLS

Computer and Information Sciences majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $68,050 to $108,080 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Computer & Information Sciences

Some degrees associated with computer and information sciences may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for computer and information sciences careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	0.2%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	6.0%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	5.7%
Some College Courses	7.2%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	10.4%
Bachelor’s Degree	52.4%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	3.6%
Master’s Degree	11.9%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	0.7%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	0.3%
Doctoral Degree	2.0%
Post-Doctoral Training	0.1%

Online Computer & Information Sciences Programs

In 2020-2021, 2,653 schools offered a computer and information sciences program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	1,625	185
Certificate (2-4 Years)	155	27
Associate’s Degree	3,226	450
Bachelor’s Degree	492	164
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	1,300	332
Post-Master’s	65	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	297	23
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	1	1
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Computer & Information Sciences Worth It?

The median salary for a computer and information sciences grad is $92,030 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 131% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $1,042,600 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Computer & Information Sciences

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to computer and information sciences.

Major	Number of Grads
Engineering	61,791
Biological & Biomedical Sciences	28,851
Mathematics & Statistics	15,127
Physical Sciences	12,705
Engineering Technologies	7,672
Agriculture & Agriculture Operations	7,531
Architecture & Related Services	6,944
Natural Resources & Conservation	5,744
Communications Technologies & Support	585
Science Technologies / Technicians	79

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Almonroth under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.