ROI Major

Management Information Systems and Services at University of Alabama

AL · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 52.12

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Management Information Systems and Services degree from University of Alabama earn a median salary of $103,294 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in AL, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $117,113. The degree typically pays for itself in 3.5 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

$85,779

Typical Career

$103,294

Top Performers

$126,243

Estimated break-even: 3.5 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$689

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $8,608. Most students can comfortably afford about a $689 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.7x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.3x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Alabama buys what costs $0.88 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 16.5%
Educational Services 14.6%
Health Care & Social Assistance 14.2%

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

$117,113

Nominal: $103,294 in Alabama (COL 88.2% of national avg) · 13.4% 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).

3.5 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 $61,891 $74,037 $86,972
5 Years After Graduation $85,779 $103,294 $126,243
10 Years After Graduation $97,671 $127,711 $163,609

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 $103,294 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in AL, which has a cost-of-living index of 88.2% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $103,294 × (1.0 ÷ 0.8820) = $117,113 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates with a degree in Management Information Systems and Services from the University of Alabama experience a strong earnings trajectory. One year after graduation, the median earnings stand at $74,037, which increases significantly to $103,294 after five years and reaches $127,711 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equates to approximately $117,113.38 nationally, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive edge in the job market despite the cost of living in Alabama being lower than the national average.

The top industries for graduates include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (16.5%), Educational Services (14.6%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (14.2%). Given the estimated break-even point of approximately 3.5 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this degree is favorable. The combination of solid earning potential and diverse employment opportunities suggests that a degree in Management Information Systems and Services can provide a worthwhile career path for students.

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 University of Alabama 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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