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Systems Science & Theory

Types of Degrees Systems Science & Theory Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Systems Science & 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 Science & Theory Majors Need to Know

Programs in Systems Science & Theory build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Systems Science & Theory graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Systems Science & 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

Skills emphasized by a Systems Science & 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

Abilities most relevant to Systems Science & 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 Science & 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 Science & Theory professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft SharePoint	Document management 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 Science & Theory graduates include:

• University Teacher
• Weight Control Lecturer
• Labor Relations Teacher
• Foreign Student Adviser Teacher
• Survey Research Teacher
• Military Science Instructor
• Industrial Arts Teacher
• Urban Planning Teacher
• Lecturer
• Interior Design Teacher
• College Instructor
• Associate Professor
• Computer Technology Instructor
• Flight Teacher
• Humanities Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Systems Science & 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 Science & Theory?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 52.6% women and 47.4% men among Systems Science & 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 Science & 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 Science & Theory Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Systems Science & Theory 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	$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 Science & Theory Programs

Fully online options are documented by IPEDS for Systems Science & 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 Science & Theory Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Systems Science & 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
Systems Science and Theory	30.06
Digital Humanities and Textual Studies, General	30.5201
Digital Humanities	30.5202
Textual Studies	30.5203
Anthrozoology	30.3401

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.