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Systems Theory

Types of Degrees Systems Theory Majors Are Earning

Those studying Systems Theory may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	10
Bachelor’s Degree	507
Master’s Degree	498
Doctor’s Degree	46

What Systems Theory Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Systems Theory develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Systems Theory graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Systems Theory emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Law and Government — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Systems Theory program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Systems Theory careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Systems Theory graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.5 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.5 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.5 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.3 / 7
Communicating with People Outside the Organization	4.3 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Systems Theory professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft SharePoint	Document management software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—
Microsoft Visio	Process mapping and design software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Systems Theory graduates include:

• Naval Science Teacher
• College Instructor
• Braille Teacher
• Metal Crafts Teacher
• Science Teacher
• Humanities Teacher
• Interior Design Teacher
• Instructor
• Packaging Professor
• Flight Simulator Teacher
• Teacher
• Lecturer
• Military Science Teacher
• Associate Professor
• Foreign Service Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Systems Theory graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	61.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	10.0%
Master’s degree	8.1%
High school diploma or equivalent	7.5%
Postsecondary certificate	4.8%
Some college courses	3.8%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.1%
Doctoral degree	0.8%
Post-master’s certificate	0.5%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Systems Theory?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 52.6% women and 47.4% men among Systems Theory graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	558	52.6%
Men	503	47.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Systems Theory graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	363	34.2%
Asian	182	17.2%
Hispanic or Latino	64	6.0%
Black or African American	50	4.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	5	0.5%
Two or More Races	29	2.7%
Race Unknown	37	3.5%
International Students	331	31.2%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Systems Theory Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Systems Theory graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$64,573
4 years	$86,308
5 years	$99,874

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $99,874 — roughly 55% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Systems Theory Programs

Online study is reported by IPEDS for Systems Theory. 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
Bachelor’s	1	1
Master’s	5	4

^{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 Systems Theory Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Systems Theory graduates earn a median of $86,308 four years after completion — roughly 127% 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.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Multi Interdisciplinary Studies	30
Accounting and Computer Science	30.16
Anthrozoology	30.34
Behavioral Sciences	30.17
Biological and Physical Sciences	30.01
Biopsychology	30.10
Classical and Ancient Studies	30.22
Climate Science	30.35
Cognitive Science	30.25
Computational Science	30.30
Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature	30.36
Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis	30.26

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.