What Can You Do With an MIS Degree? Jobs & Salaries (2026)

Key takeaway: A management information systems degree sits deliberately between business and computing: you learn enough technology to build and evaluate systems, and enough business to know which problems are worth solving. Median annual wages for the occupations MIS graduates enter are $105,850 for computer systems analysts, $99,130 for network and computer systems administrators, and $175,140 for computer and information systems managers (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national medians). The manager figure is a destination reached after years of experience, not a starting salary.

Jobs you can get with an MIS degree

These are the federal occupations MIS graduates are counted under, with national median annual wages.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national medians. A median is the midpoint: half of workers in the occupation earn more and half earn less. Pay varies substantially by industry, employer size, and geography.

Computer systems analyst, at a median annual wage of $105,850, is the occupation MIS was designed for and where most graduates start. Analysts sit between the people who need a system and the people who build it: gathering and documenting requirements, mapping current business processes and designing better ones, evaluating and configuring software, specifying integrations, running user acceptance testing, and managing the rollout. Common titles include business systems analyst, IT business analyst, ERP or Salesforce analyst, and functional consultant. The job rewards a specific and unusual combination of skills, since you need to read a data model and also run a meeting with people who do not want the system to change.

Network and computer systems administrator, at a median annual wage of $99,130, is the infrastructure and operations track: managing servers, networks, directory services and user accounts, backups, patching, monitoring, and increasingly cloud environments. MIS graduates who take the technical electives seriously compete well here, though this occupation draws more heavily from information technology and networking programs. It is a common entry route into IT for people who want hands-on work before moving toward management.

Computer and information systems manager, at a median annual wage of $175,140, covers IT managers, IT directors, and CIOs. The work is planning and running the technology function: setting priorities and budgets, leading analysts, developers, and administrators, negotiating with vendors, managing security and compliance obligations, and translating between executives and technical teams. This is the highest median in the table and the clearest reason people choose MIS over a purely technical major, but it is an experienced-level occupation. Employers expect years of delivery experience plus demonstrated ability to lead people, and often a graduate degree.

Where MIS graduates also land. Data analyst, project manager, product owner, IT auditor, and technology consulting roles are all common destinations that fall under different occupation codes than the three above. If a specific one of those is your target, look at whether the program’s electives actually cover it, since MIS curricula vary a great deal between schools.

What the degree level changes

Bachelor’s degree. The online bachelor’s in MIS is the standard hiring credential for analyst roles. It combines business core coursework in accounting, finance, and management with technical work in databases and SQL, systems analysis and design, networking, programming, and increasingly data analytics and information security. That mix is the value proposition and also the risk: MIS graduates are generalists, so employers screen hard for evidence that you can actually do something. Internships, a capstone system you built, SQL fluency, and familiarity with a major enterprise platform are what convert the degree into an offer.

Master’s degree. An online master’s in MIS goes deeper into enterprise architecture, IT strategy and governance, data management, security, and project and portfolio management. It is used mainly in two situations: moving from an individual contributor role toward IT management, and converting into technology work from a non-technical bachelor’s. For entry-level analyst positions it is not required and rarely changes the starting title.

No license, but certifications matter. Nothing in MIS is licensed. Employers do reference specific certifications in postings, most often project management credentials such as PMP or CAPM, agile and Scrum certifications, platform certifications from vendors like Salesforce, SAP, Microsoft, or ServiceNow, and business analysis credentials from IIBA. These are optional, they carry maintenance requirements, and they are best chosen after you know which track you are on rather than in advance.

MIS versus computer science. MIS is the applied, business-facing degree; you will write some code but you are being trained to specify, select, integrate, and manage systems. Computer science trains you to build them, with substantially more mathematics, algorithms, and programming depth. If you want to be a software engineer, the computer science program hub is the better starting point, and MIS graduates who want development roles usually need to build that depth themselves.

Common questions

What jobs can you get with an MIS degree?

Business or IT systems analyst, ERP and enterprise platform analyst, data analyst, IT project manager, network and systems administrator, IT auditor, technology consultant, and, with experience, IT manager or director.

How much do MIS majors make?

Median annual wages for the relevant occupations are $105,850 for computer systems analysts, $99,130 for network and computer systems administrators, and $175,140 for computer and information systems managers (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national medians). The manager figure reflects an experienced-level role rather than an entry point.

Do you need a master’s in MIS?

No. A bachelor’s plus internships and demonstrable technical skill is the standard entry route into analyst roles. A master’s is most useful for moving into IT management or for career changers converting from a non-technical bachelor’s degree.

Is MIS the same as computer science?

No. MIS is a business degree with substantial technology coursework, aimed at specifying, selecting, integrating, and managing systems. Computer science is a technical degree with far more mathematics, algorithms, and programming depth, aimed at building software. Both lead to good work; they are different jobs.

Do you need to know how to code for MIS?

Yes, at a working level. Most programs require programming and database coursework, and SQL in particular shows up in analyst job postings constantly. You are not expected to compete with software engineers on development depth, but “cannot query a database” closes many doors this degree is supposed to open.

Is an MIS degree worth it?

It is worth it when you use the electives and internships to build a concrete skill on top of the business core, since generalist graduates without one struggle against more specialized candidates. Weigh the cost and your target role on the is an MIS degree worth it page.

Keep exploring

• Start at the online MIS degree hub, then compare the bachelor’s and master’s.
• Weigh the decision on is an MIS degree worth it, or find programs near you at the MIS programs by state index.
• Compare related fields: computer science, cybersecurity, and business administration.

Data verified: August 12, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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