ROI Major

Management Information Systems and Services at Montana Technological University

MT · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 52.12

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Management Information Systems and Services degree from Montana Technological University earn a median salary of $63,234 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MT, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $60,744. The degree typically pays for itself in 7.8 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$48,296

Typical Career

$63,234

Top Performers

$83,996

Estimated break-even: 7.8 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$422

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,270. Most students can comfortably afford about a $422 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.6x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Montana buys what costs $1.04 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Mining, Quarrying & Oil/Gas Extraction, Health Care & Social Assistance.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 17.8%
Mining, Quarrying & Oil/Gas Extraction 14.6%
Health Care & Social Assistance 13.1%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$60,744

Nominal: $63,234 in Montana (COL 104.1% of national avg) · 3.9% lower purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

7.8 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $31,715 $42,890 $56,074
5 Years After Graduation $48,296 $63,234 $83,996
10 Years After Graduation $54,857 $76,015 $104,958

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $63,234 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MT, which has a cost-of-living index of 104.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $63,234 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0410) = $60,744 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

The earnings trajectory for graduates in Management Information Systems and Services at Montana Technological University shows a significant increase over time. One year after graduation, the median earnings stand at $42,890, which rises to $63,234 after five years and further to $76,015 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of $60,743.52, indicating that while graduates may face a slightly higher cost of living in Montana (COL index of 1.041), their earnings remain competitive.

Graduates typically enter industries such as Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (17.8%), Mining, Quarrying & Oil/Gas Extraction (14.6%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (13.1%). The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 7.8 years, suggesting a reasonable return on investment for those pursuing this degree. Overall, the combination of strong earnings potential and diverse industry opportunities supports a favorable outlook for graduates in this field.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Management Information Systems and Services degree at Montana Technological University stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.

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