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Featured Information Science Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
AS in Information Technologies
Gain the specialized knowledge and critical-thinking skills required to begin a career in tech with this online associate degree from Southern New Hampshire University.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the information science degrees they offer, see the list below.
For return on investment in information science, no school beat George Mason University this year. Located in the suburb of Fairfax, George Mason University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,220, compared with $38,688 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,529 to complete the information science program here. Information Science graduates of George Mason University earn a median of $63,131 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
James Madison University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in information science, landing the #2 spot this year. James Madison University is a very large public school located in the city of Harrisonburg. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,966, compared with $31,312 for out-of-state students. Information Science graduates carry a median of $21,025 in student loans. Information Science graduates of James Madison University earn a median of $80,173 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Virginia Commonwealth University one of the best values for information science. Located in the city of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $16,720 in tuition and fees, compared with $39,884 for out-of-state students. Information Science graduates carry a median of $24,364 in student loans. Early-career information science graduates make about $62,116. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Christopher Newport University earned it the #4 place for information science. Christopher Newport University is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Newport News. In-state tuition and fees average $16,828, compared with $31,178 for out-of-state students. Information Science graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Early-career information science graduates make about $58,550. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Christopher Newport University admits about 86% of applicants.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
- 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 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.
[Information Science](/majors/computer-information-sciences/information-science-is/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong information science education at a price that pays off.
