Best degree programs for Computer and Information Systems Managers, ranked by enrollment
21 college programs and 2,402 schools train Computer and Information Systems Managers. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $175,140 median wage, 670,570 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
21 college programs at 2,402 schools train computer and information systems managers, graduating 350,346 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Computer Science. The job pays a median of $175,140 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About computer and information systems managers
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as electronic data processing, information systems, systems analysis, and computer programming.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
21 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 11.0701 | 88,326 | 25.2% | 1,033 | $70,374 | $23,250 |
| 2 | CIP 11.0101 | 73,454 | 21.0% | 879 | $57,986 | $24,286 |
| 3 | CIP 11.0103 | 48,440 | 13.8% | 671 | $57,986 | $24,286 |
| 4 | CIP 11.1003 | 48,110 | 13.7% | 905 | $48,185 | $25,250 |
| 5 | CIP 11.0401 | 23,083 | 6.6% | 369 | $57,313 | $25,833 |
| 6 | CIP 11.0901 | 15,062 | 4.3% | 463 | $43,901 | $22,822 |
| 7 | CIP 52.0205 | 11,666 | 3.3% | 144 | $43,506 | $25,000 |
| 8 | CIP 30.7001 | 11,020 | 3.1% | 297 | — | — |
| 9 | Management Information Systems, Generalmain feeder CIP 52.1201 | 9,946 | 2.8% | 278 | $59,352 | $24,618 |
| 10 | CIP 11.1001 | 5,461 | 1.6% | 204 | $48,185 | $25,250 |
| 11 | CIP 11.0802 | 3,825 | 1.1% | 115 | $33,504 | $27,000 |
| 12 | Information Technology Project Managementmain feeder CIP 11.1005 | 3,763 | 1.1% | 80 | $48,185 | $25,250 |
| 13 | CIP 30.3101 | 2,389 | 0.7% | 51 | $57,986 | $25,812 |
| 14 | CIP 30.0801 | 1,855 | 0.5% | 77 | $89,651 | $23,175 |
| 15 | CIP 11.1002 | 1,582 | 0.5% | 72 | $48,185 | $25,250 |
| 16 | Information Resources Managementmain feeder CIP 52.1206 | 1,526 | 0.4% | 44 | $59,352 | $24,618 |
| 17 | CIP 52.1299 | 384 | 0.1% | 40 | $59,352 | $24,618 |
| 18 | Knowledge Managementmain feeder CIP 52.1207 | 207 | 0.1% | 18 | $59,352 | $24,618 |
| 19 | CIP 30.3901 | 149 | 0.0% | 8 | — | — |
| 20 | Telecommunications Managementmain feeder CIP 52.2101 | 53 | 0.0% | 8 | — | $18,514 |
| 21 | CIP 30.1601 | 45 | 0.0% | 6 | — | — |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
What computer and information systems managers earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $218,290 | 94,720 | 1.21× | 210 | 31,130 |
| Texas | $171,530 | 73,060 | 1.20× | 135 | 27,303 |
| Florida | $168,470 | 35,040 | 0.82× | 108 | 23,215 |
| New York | $214,300 | 48,050 | 1.15× | 135 | 20,728 |
| Illinois | $171,730 | 31,680 | 1.20× | 95 | 16,625 |
| Utah | $163,610 | 8,810 | 1.18× | 21 | 16,261 |
| Georgia | $173,940 | 18,560 | 0.88× | 65 | 14,469 |
| Maryland | $171,490 | 14,620 | 1.23× | 43 | 14,358 |
| North Carolina | $172,860 | 25,650 | 1.20× | 99 | 13,469 |
| Indiana | $142,040 | 8,060 | 0.58× | 44 | 12,424 |
| Virginia | $201,490 | 17,550 | 0.99× | 72 | 11,898 |
| Arizona | $166,430 | 14,270 | 1.02× | 35 | 11,859 |
| Massachusetts | $214,960 | 24,910 | 1.59× | 62 | 11,640 |
| Pennsylvania | $163,910 | 27,060 | 1.03× | 125 | 11,632 |
| Ohio | $163,640 | 19,500 | 0.81× | 81 | 8,558 |
| Kentucky | $140,360 | 3,130 | 0.36× | 38 | 8,105 |
| Missouri | $159,460 | 11,130 | 0.88× | 50 | 8,083 |
| New Jersey | $203,460 | 34,470 | 1.87× | 53 | 7,720 |
| Michigan | $163,760 | 16,010 | 0.84× | 65 | 7,246 |
| New Hampshire | $176,540 | 3,810 | 1.29× | 17 | 7,149 |
| Colorado | $199,420 | 11,510 | 0.93× | 32 | 6,292 |
| Washington | $209,370 | 16,960 | 1.11× | 54 | 5,453 |
| Wisconsin | $160,140 | 8,880 | 0.70× | 48 | 4,990 |
| Alabama | $138,670 | 7,670 | 0.84× | 48 | 4,561 |
| Minnesota | $176,380 | 10,970 | 0.86× | 58 | 4,016 |
| Tennessee | $158,700 | 12,040 | 0.85× | 58 | 3,693 |
| Oklahoma | $137,280 | 3,790 | 0.51× | 51 | 2,879 |
| Oregon | $175,270 | 7,440 | 0.88× | 28 | 2,867 |
| Connecticut | $171,750 | 10,570 | 1.45× | 22 | 2,801 |
| Louisiana | $127,500 | 2,860 | 0.34× | 34 | 2,565 |
| Nebraska | $135,780 | 5,070 | 1.15× | 20 | 2,351 |
| Arkansas | $127,220 | 3,420 | 0.61× | 41 | 2,295 |
| District of Columbia | $195,190 | 5,690 | 1.88× | 11 | 1,873 |
| South Carolina | $160,860 | 4,930 | 0.50× | 41 | 1,858 |
| Delaware | $168,500 | 2,140 | 1.03× | 6 | 1,836 |
| West Virginia | $139,820 | 1,100 | 0.36× | 28 | 1,809 |
| Iowa | $143,780 | 3,920 | 0.58× | 38 | 1,700 |
| Kansas | $164,830 | 4,050 | 0.65× | 33 | 1,592 |
| Idaho | $162,240 | 1,950 | 0.53× | 11 | 1,565 |
| Nevada | $165,000 | 3,610 | 0.54× | 7 | 1,565 |
| Mississippi | $124,280 | 1,710 | 0.34× | 26 | 1,501 |
| Rhode Island | $167,270 | 1,210 | 0.56× | 10 | 943 |
| New Mexico | $137,730 | 1,500 | 0.40× | 17 | 851 |
| South Dakota | $162,240 | 380 | 0.19× | 13 | 839 |
| Vermont | $138,460 | 1,100 | 0.84× | 9 | 682 |
| Hawaii | $141,640 | 1,200 | 0.44× | 9 | 584 |
| North Dakota | $149,130 | 850 | 0.46× | 14 | 541 |
| Maine | $160,260 | 1,450 | 0.52× | 17 | 413 |
| Montana | $132,860 | 1,180 | 0.53× | 13 | 373 |
| Wyoming | $120,850 | 330 | 0.27× | 7 | 199 |
| Alaskamoderate | $133,490 | 970 | 0.69× | 4 | 80 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Direct daily operations of department, analyzing workflow, establishing priorities, developing standards and setting deadlines.
- Meet with department heads, managers, supervisors, vendors, and others, to solicit cooperation and resolve problems.
- Review project plans to plan and coordinate project activity.
- Assign and review the work of systems analysts, programmers, and other computer-related workers.
- Provide users with technical support for computer problems.
- Develop computer information resources, providing for data security and control, strategic computing, and disaster recovery.
- Recruit, hire, train and supervise staff, or participate in staffing decisions.
- Stay abreast of advances in technology.
Skills
- Critical Thinking4.1
- Active Listening4.0
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Monitoring3.9
- Speaking3.9
- Writing3.8
- Active Learning3.4
- Learning Strategies3.3
Knowledge areas
- Computers and Electronics4.8
- Customer and Personal Service4.0
- Administration and Management3.7
- Engineering and Technology3.5
- English Language3.5
- Personnel and Human Resources3.4
Abilities
- Oral Comprehension4.0
- Problem Sensitivity4.0
- Inductive Reasoning4.0
- Deductive Reasoning4.0
- Oral Expression4.0
- Written Comprehension4.0
Core activities
- Working with Computers4.9
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.5
- Getting Information4.4
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.4
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.3
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work4.3
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Computer
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience needed
- 5 years or more
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 21 majors mapped to Computer and Information Systems Managers21 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 11.0101Computer and Information Sciences, General
- 11.0103Information Technology
- 11.0401Information Science/Studies
- 11.0701Computer Science
- 11.0802Data Modeling/Warehousing and Database Administration
- 11.0901Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
- 11.1001Network and System Administration/Administrator
- 11.1002System, Networking, and LAN/WAN Management/Manager
- 11.1003Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance
- 11.1005Information Technology Project Management
- 30.0801Mathematics and Computer Science
- 30.1601Accounting and Computer Science
- 30.3101Human Computer Interaction
- 30.3901Economics and Computer Science
- 30.7001Data Science, General
- 52.0205Operations Management and Supervision
- 52.1201Management Information Systems, General
- 52.1206Information Resources Management
- 52.1207Knowledge Management
- 52.1299Management Information Systems and Services, Other
- 52.2101Telecommunications Management
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a Computer?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Computer Science, which awarded 88,326 degrees in 2024-25, 25.2% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Computer?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 21 programs to this occupation. The largest are Computer and Information Sciences, Computer Science, Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management, Information Science/Studies, plus 10 more. Together they graduate about 350,346 people a year.
How much do computer and information systems managers earn?+
The median is $175,140 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $107,550 at the 10th percentile to $297,510 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for computer and information systems managers growing?+
BLS projects a +15.2% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, much faster than average, with roughly 55,600 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
2,402 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 21 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do computer and information systems managers work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Information Systems Manager (IS Manager), Information Systems Director (IS Director), Information Technology Manager (IT Manager), Information Technology Director (IT Director) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 11-3021.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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