2021 Best Colleges for Computer Information Systems
Approximately 63,410 computer information systems degrees were granted to students last year in the United States. With so many choices it can be difficult finding the right fit. This year's Best Colleges for Computer Information Systems ranking analyzed 293 colleges and universities that offer a bachelor's degree in computer information systems. We look at over 20 factors to determine the top 15% of schools for Computer Information Systems students.
Featured schools near , edit
Choosing a Great Computer Information Systems School
The CIS program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality CIS program can vary widely even among the top schools. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
A Great Overall School
A school that excels in educating for a particular major must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
Over 80% of the schools in this list are in the top 13% of our overall quality ranking while the lowest ranked school on the list is still in the top 19%.
Above Average Earnings After Graduation
A computer information systems degree from schools on this list typically translates into higher than average wages after graduation. While the average computer information systems bachelors degree from U.S. schools results in an average starting salary of $54,451, graduates of colleges on this list average $79,628.
Other Factors We Consider
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
- Major Focus - How much a school focuses on Computer Information Systems students vs. other majors.
- Major Popularity - How many other computer information systems students choose this school.
- Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or a recognized computer information systems related accrediting body.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for Computer Information Systems students.
One Size Does Not Fit All
When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings, including this Best CIS Schools list to help you make the college decision.
In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
Best Schools to Study Computer Information Systems in the United States
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for a Computer Information Systems degree. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
Top 25 Best CIS Colleges
University of Pennsylvania is a good choice for individuals pursuing a Computer Information Systems major. UPenn is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Philadelphia. A Best Colleges rank of 9 out of 1,715 schools nationwide means UPenn is a great university overall.
There were about 417 computer information systems individuals who graduated from this degree at UPenn in the most recent year we have data available. University of Pennsylvania computer information systems majors earn $55,572 more than the standard CIS grad.
More… Request Information
New Jersey Institute of Technology is among your best bets if you're planning on studying computer information systems. Located in the city of Newark, NJIT is a public school with a fairly large student population. This school ranks 302nd out of 1,715 colleges for overall quality in the state of New Jersey.
There were about 602 computer information systems individuals who graduated from this program at NJIT in the most recent data year. Soon after graduating, CIS students usually make around $62,500 in the first five years of their career.
More… Request Information
Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus is a wonderful choice for students pursuing a Computer Information Systems major. Georgia Tech is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Atlanta. A Best Colleges rank of 82 out of 1,715 colleges nationwide means Georgia Tech is a great school overall.
There were roughly 1765 computer information systems students who graduated from this degree at Georgia Tech in the most recent data year. Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus computer information systems students receive $5,372 more than the average CIS graduate.
More… Request Information
Rice University is a good choice for students pursuing a Computer Information Systems degree. Rice is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the city of Houston. A Best Colleges rank of 11 out of 1,715 colleges nationwide means Rice is a great university overall.
With 211 individuals who graduated from this program in the most recent year we have data available, Rice University is one of the most popular universities to study CIS in the United States. Rice University computer information systems graduates make $32,272 more than the average CIS graduate.
More… Request Information
Located in the city of New Haven, Yale is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of 10 out of 1,715 schools nationwide means Yale is a great university overall.
For those interested in something more advanced, Yale also offers 2 different higher degree levels in computer information systems, the most popular of which is a Master's Degree. Students from the computer information systems major at Yale University earn $40,672 above the typical college grad with the same degree when they enter the workforce.
More… Request Information
Johns Hopkins is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Baltimore. A Best Colleges rank of 20 out of 1,715 colleges nationwide means Johns Hopkins is a great university overall.
For those interested in something more advanced, Johns Hopkins also offers 2 different higher degree levels in computer information systems, the most popular of which is a Master's Degree. Graduates from the computer information systems program at Johns Hopkins University make $13,072 more than the standard college grad in this field shortly after graduation.
More… Request Information
Located in the large city of Boston, Northeastern is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of 81 out of 1,715 schools nationwide means Northeastern is a great university overall.
For those interested in something more advanced, Northeastern also offers 2 different higher degree levels in computer information systems, the most popular of which is a Master's Degree. Graduates from the computer information systems major at Northeastern University earn $6,172 above the typical college grad in this field when they enter the workforce.
More… Request Information
NYU is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of New York. This university ranks 130th out of 1,715 colleges for overall quality in the state of New York.
For those interested in something more advanced, NYU also offers 2 different higher degree levels in computer information systems, the most popular of which is a Master's Degree. Graduates of the CIS program report average early career earnings of $76,700.
More… Request Information
Located in the small city of Blacksburg, Virginia Tech is a public school with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of 88 out of 1,715 schools nationwide means Virginia Tech is a great school overall.
Virginia Tech is one of the most popular schools to study CIS in the United States with approximately 385 graduations in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates from the computer information systems major at Virginia Tech earn $3,972 more than the average graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.
More… Request Information
Located in the large city of Seattle, UW Seattle is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 97th out of 1,715 schools for overall quality in the state of Washington.
There were about 800 computer information systems individuals who graduated from this program at UW Seattle in the most recent data year. Grads of the CIS program state that they receive average early career wages of $68,300.
More… Request Information
Located in the small suburb of Charlottesville, University of Virginia is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of 42 out of 1,715 schools nationwide means University of Virginia is a great university overall.
With 240 individuals who graduated from this program in the most recent year we have data available, University of Virginia - Main Campus is one of the most popular universities to study CIS in the United States. Students from the computer information systems degree program at University of Virginia - Main Campus get $6,172 more than the average college grad with the same degree shortly after graduation.
More… Request Information
UW - Madison is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Madison. A Best Colleges rank of 76 out of 1,715 colleges nationwide means UW - Madison is a great university overall.
For those interested in something more advanced, UW - Madison also offers 2 different higher degree levels in computer information systems, the most popular of which is a Master's Degree. Graduates of the CIS program earn about $71,500 in their early career salary.
More… Request Information
Located in the city of Austin, UT Austin is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 91st out of 1,715 colleges for overall quality in the state of Texas.
There were roughly 421 computer information systems individuals who graduated from this program at UT Austin in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate from the CIS program make around $76,200 in the first couple years of working.
More… Request Information
Located in the city of Ithaca, Cornell is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of 17 out of 1,715 schools nationwide means Cornell is a great university overall.
Cornell University is a fairly popular university to study CIS in the United States with roughly 270 graduates in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate from this program state that they receive average early career wages of $79,600.
More… Request Information
SUNY Stony Brook is a very large public university located in the large suburb of Stony Brook. This university ranks 222nd out of 1,715 schools for overall quality in the state of New York.
There were about 590 computer information systems individuals who graduated from this program at SUNY Stony Brook in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate from the CIS program make an average of $71,300 in the first couple years of their career.
More… Request Information
UF is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Gainesville. A Best Colleges rank of 85 out of 1,715 schools nationwide means UF is a great university overall.
With 374 individuals who completed this degree in the most recent data year, University of Florida is one of the most popular universities to study CIS in the United States. Grads of the CIS program state that they receive average early career wages of $74,200.
More… Request Information
JMU is a fairly large public university located in the city of Harrisonburg. This university ranks 194th out of 1,715 colleges for overall quality in the state of Virginia.
With 88 students who graduated from this program in the most recent year we have data available, James Madison University is one of the most popular universities to study CIS in the United States. After getting their bachelor's degree, CIS students usually make about $67,900 at the beginning of their careers.
More… Request Information
U-M is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Ann Arbor. A Best Colleges rank of 38 out of 1,715 schools nationwide means U-M is a great university overall.
There were roughly 709 computer information systems individuals who graduated from this degree at U-M in the most recent year we have data available. Computer Information Systems students from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor earn a boost of about $7,272 over the typical earnings of computer information systems majors.
More… Request Information
Located in the city of New Brunswick, Rutgers New Brunswick is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 183rd out of 1,715 schools for overall quality in the state of New Jersey.
There were about 636 computer information systems individuals who graduated from this degree at Rutgers New Brunswick in the most recent data year. After graduation, CIS students generally make about $70,300 at the beginning of their careers.
More… Request Information
UofSC is a very large public university located in the city of Columbia. This university ranks 224th out of 1,715 colleges for overall quality in the state of South Carolina.
There were roughly 210 computer information systems students who graduated from this program at UofSC in the most recent year we have data available. After getting their bachelor's degree, CIS students generally earn an average of $60,200 at the beginning of their careers.
More… Request Information
Located in the medium-sized city of Richardson, UT Dallas is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 306th out of 1,715 schools for overall quality in the state of Texas.
There were approximately 1017 computer information systems students who graduated from this degree at UT Dallas in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduating, CIS students typically make around $64,800 in the first five years of their career.
More… Request Information
GMU is a very large public university located in the suburb of Fairfax. This university ranks 271st out of 1,715 colleges for overall quality in the state of Virginia.
There were about 711 computer information systems students who graduated from this degree at GMU in the most recent data year. Graduates of the CIS program earn about $64,300 for their early career.
More… Request Information
Located in the large city of Chicago, Illinois Tech is a private not-for-profit school with a medium-sized student population. This school ranks 154th out of 1,715 schools for overall quality in the state of Illinois.
For those interested in pursuing a higher degree, Illinois Tech also offers a Master's Degrees in computer information systems. Grads of the CIS program report average early career income of $60,900.
More… Request Information
Located in the small city of East Lansing, Michigan State is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 107th out of 1,715 colleges for overall quality in the state of Michigan.
There were roughly 268 computer information systems students who graduated from this degree at Michigan State in the most recent data year. Students who graduate from the CIS program make an average of $70,200 in the first couple years of working.
More… Request Information
Located in the medium-sized city of Richmond, VCU is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 322nd out of 1,715 schools for overall quality in the state of Virginia.
A popular choice for computer information systems undergrads, there were roughly 91 individuals who graduated from this program at VCU in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates of the CIS program make about $64,600 for their early career.
More… Request InformationRest of the Top Best Colleges for Computer Information Systems
Additional Noteworthy Schools
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Colleges for Computer Information Systems award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 44 | Villanova University | Villanova, PA |
| 45 | Marist College | Poughkeepsie, NY |
| 46 | Temple University | Philadelphia, PA |
| 47 | Lehigh University | Bethlehem, PA |
| 48 | University of Houston | Houston, TX |
| 49 | University of Richmond | University of Richmond, VA |
| 50 | University of Nebraska - Lincoln | Lincoln, NE |
| 51 | University of Iowa | Iowa City, IA |
| 52 | University of New Hampshire - Main Campus | Durham, NH |
| 53 | University of Missouri - Columbia | Columbia, MO |
| 54 | University of Kansas | Lawrence, KS |
| 55 | Brigham Young University - Provo | Provo, UT |
| 56 | Macalester College | Saint Paul, MN |
| 57 | Rutgers University - Newark | Newark, NJ |
| 58 | Marquette University | Milwaukee, WI |
Computer Information Systems by Region
View the Best Colleges for Computer Information Systems for a specific region near you.
| Region |
|---|
| Southeast |
| New England |
| Rocky Mountains |
| Plains States |
| Middle Atlantic |
| Far Western US |
| Southwest |
| Great Lakes |
Rankings in Majors Related to CIS
One of 10 majors within the Computer & Information Sciences area of study, Computer Information Systems has other similar majors worth exploring.
Majors Similar to CIS
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Computer Science | 47,463 |
| Information Technology | 21,859 |
| Information Science | 16,706 |
| Computer Software & Applications | 8,239 |
| Computer Systems Networking | 6,008 |
Notes and References
- The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard). More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
Request Info
|
Southern New Hampshire University
You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs ... Learn More > |
Request Info
|
Purdue University
Building on Purdue’s mission to provide greater access to affordable, world-class education, Purdue University Global delivers a fully personalized online experience that’s tailored to working adults. By opening the doors to adults who need flexibility to fit learning into their busy lives, we make it possible to achieve a high-quality education from the prestigious Purdue University system—completely online ... Learn More > |
Request Info
|
Grand Canyon University (GCU)
With a spotlight on intellectual creativity and innovation for the 21stcentury, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at GCU provides a job focused education. It blends the study of traditional humanities in a modern context. Through academic inquiry and beyond the box thinking, the college advances our society and its accomplishments ... Learn More > |
Request Info
|
Northcentral University
Northcentral University (NCU) was founded to provide accessible, high-quality, online graduate degrees to working professionals. As a regionally accredited, online university, NCU serves students worldwide, focusing on Doctoral and Master's degree programs in the Schools of Business and Technology Management, Education, Psychology, and Marriage and Family Sciences ... Learn More > |
Request Info
|
Colorado Technical University (CTU)
CTU could help you connect to what matters most: a powerful professional community, aculty who are real-world professionals, and innovative technology ... Learn More > |
College Factual provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© College Factual – All Rights Reserved.
