ROI Major

Management Information Systems and Services at Oregon State University

OR · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 52.12

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Management Information Systems and Services degree from Oregon State University earn a median salary of $88,442 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OR, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $77,377. The degree typically pays for itself in 4.5 years.

Quick Insights

Solid Investment

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

$67,523

Typical Career

$88,442

Top Performers

$112,259

Estimated break-even: 4.5 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$590

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $7,370. Most students can comfortably afford about a $590 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.3x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.1x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Oregon buys what costs $1.14 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 13.9%
Health Care & Social Assistance 13.1%
Educational Services 13.0%

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

$77,377

Nominal: $88,442 in Oregon (COL 114.3% of national avg) · 12.5% 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).

4.5 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 $44,831 $61,284 $73,181
5 Years After Graduation $67,523 $88,442 $112,259
10 Years After Graduation $85,400 $113,369 $144,040

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 $88,442 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OR, which has a cost-of-living index of 114.3% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $88,442 × (1.0 ÷ 1.1430) = $77,377 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Management Information Systems and Services program at Oregon State University experience a significant earnings trajectory. One year after graduation, the median earnings stand at $61,284, which increases to $88,442 after five years and reaches $113,369 after ten years. When adjusting for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $77,377.08, indicating that while the cost of living in Oregon is higher (COL index of 1.143), the earnings potential remains competitive.

The program prepares graduates for diverse career paths, with top industries including Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (13.9%), Health Care & Social Assistance (13.1%), and Educational Services (13.0%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 4.5 years, suggesting a favorable return on investment for pursuing this degree. Overall, the combination of strong earnings potential and industry demand indicates a positive 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 Oregon State 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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