ROI Major

Management Information Systems and Services at Tarleton State University

TX · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 52.12

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Management Information Systems and Services degree from Tarleton State University earn a median salary of $73,851 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in TX, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $80,186. The degree typically pays for itself in 5.6 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

$55,792

Typical Career

$73,851

Top Performers

$98,168

Estimated break-even: 5.6 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$492

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,154. Most students can comfortably afford about a $492 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.9x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.0x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Texas buys what costs $0.92 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 30.4%
Health Care & Social Assistance 15.9%
Manufacturing 7.0%

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

$80,186

Nominal: $73,851 in Texas (COL 92.1% of national avg) · 8.6% higher 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).

5.6 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 $40,425 $56,473 $73,521
5 Years After Graduation $55,792 $73,851 $98,168
10 Years After Graduation $62,439 $84,284 $116,008

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 $73,851 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in TX, which has a cost-of-living index of 92.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $73,851 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9210) = $80,186 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 Tarleton State University experience a positive earnings trajectory. One year after graduation, median earnings stand at $56,473, which increases to $73,851 after five years and reaches $84,284 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of approximately $80,185.67, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive financial standing relative to their peers across the country.

The program prepares students for diverse career opportunities, with the top industries being Educational Services (30.4%), Health Care & Social Assistance (15.9%), and Manufacturing (7.0%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 5.6 years, suggesting a favorable return on investment for those pursuing this degree. Overall, the combination of solid earnings growth and industry placement underscores the value of a degree in Management Information Systems and Services from Tarleton State University.

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 Tarleton 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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