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Computer & Information Sciences

Types of Degrees Computer & Information Sciences Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Computer & Information Sciences can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	15,323
Associate’s Degree	40,789
Bachelor’s Degree	126,500
Master’s Degree	142,181
Doctor’s Degree	3,248

What Computer & Information Sciences Majors Need to Know

Studies in Computer & Information Sciences develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Computer & Information Sciences graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Computer & Information Sciences emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.8 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills built by a Computer & Information Sciences program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Complex Problem Solving — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Computer & Information Sciences careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Computer & Information Sciences graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.7 / 7
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.2 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Computer & Information Sciences professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Linux	Operating system software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	✓
UNIX	Operating system software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
C++	Object or component oriented development software	✓
C#	Object or component oriented development software	✓
C	Development environment software	✓
PHP	Web platform development software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Computer & Information Sciences graduates include:

• Professor
• Computer Technology Instructor
• Instructor
• Associate Professor
• Faculty Member
• Adjunct Instructor
• Assistant Professor
• Computer Science Assistant Professor
• College Professor
• Computer Information Systems Instructor (CIS Instructor)
• Computer Networking Instructor
• Information Technology Instructor (IT Instructor)
• IT Adjunct Faculty Member (Information Technology Adjunct Faculty Member)
• Computer Information Systems Professor (CIS Professor)
• Computer Engineering Professor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Computer & Information Sciences graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	45.9%
Master’s degree	15.8%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	10.2%
Doctoral degree	9.6%
Postsecondary certificate	6.6%
Some college courses	4.1%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.9%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.5%
Less than a high school diploma	0.7%
Post-master’s certificate	0.6%
First professional degree	0.2%
Post-doctoral training	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Computer & Information Sciences?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 72.7% of Computer & Information Sciences degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	90,629	27.3%
Men	241,587	72.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Computer & Information Sciences graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	114,948	34.6%
Asian	41,574	12.5%
Hispanic or Latino	40,865	12.3%
Black or African American	32,437	9.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1,191	0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	577	0.2%
Two or More Races	11,056	3.3%
Race Unknown	13,712	4.1%
International Students	75,856	22.8%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Computer & Information Sciences Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Computer & Information Sciences graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$66,464
4 years	$68,066
5 years	$77,173

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $77,173 — roughly 16% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Computer & Information Sciences Programs

Online study is reported by IPEDS for Computer & Information Sciences. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	608	367
Bachelor’s	479	329
Master’s	409	262
Doctoral (Research)	30	18

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Computer & Information Sciences Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Computer & Information Sciences graduates earn a median of $68,066 four years after completion — roughly 79% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.