Systems Science and Theory graduates earn $88,036 four years out. Related careers are growing at up to 21.8%, one of the stronger demand signals across all fields. Computer & Information Research Scientist is among the highest-growth roles in the field.
This page covers Systems Science and Theory as a course of study: what it costs, where it is taught, and what graduates go on to earn. It sits inside the wider field of Interdisciplinary Studies and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.
Systems Science and Theory is a focused area of study within Interdisciplinary Studies. Pick this and you can expect to earn around $88,036 four years out, a strong return for a focused credential. You will not have trouble finding it: 58 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 1,080 students complete it each year, most walking away with a bachelor's. The focus is on writing, analysis, and communication that transfer across industries.
Four years after finishing Systems Science and Theory, a typical graduate earns $88,036, well above average for college graduates. Half of earners land somewhere between $56,212 and $134,909, so where you end up depends on the job and the employer. Do not judge the field on a starting paycheck alone: pay tends to jump in the first few years, climbing from $35,840 at one year out to $88,036 by year four. Source: College Scorecard.
What that figure means in practice depends on what the degree cost to get, which is a matter of lifetime earnings against total outlay.
Starting salaries only. Earnings in this field grow substantially in the first 3 to 5 years.
Well above average for college graduates.
Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size.
Not every Systems Science and Theory graduate ends up in the same place. Earnings spread out widely, so know what pushes people to one end or the other. Career path divergence explains most of the range. Law, consulting, and tech-adjacent roles pull the top end up; writing, education, and nonprofit roles tend to sit near the bottom.
Strong ROI. At median 4-year earnings of $88,036 against an estimated $100,012 four-year net cost, most graduates break even against baseline wages in under two years.
Based on outcomes from 23 schools. Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.
Of the 1,080 students who complete Systems Science and Theory programs each year, the majority (44%) earn a bachelor's degree. The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
This degree does not lock you into one job. Systems Science and Theory graduates show up in 8 different occupations, and Computer & Information Systems Manager pays the most at $175,140/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.
The best-paid of these is what a Computer & Information Systems Manager earns and how fast the role is growing, though entry requirements vary across the list.
Not sure where to study Systems Science and Theory? These 20 colleges graduate the most students in it each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.
Ranked by score, that list starts with the cost and outcomes at The New School, and the rest follow the same measures.
| # | College | Graduates | Acceptance | Net Price/yr | Earnings 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The New School New York, NY · Nonprofit | 162 | 63.5% | $58,741 | $52,901 |
| 2 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA · Nonprofit | 119 | 11.7% | $31,944 | $114,862 |
| 3 | Rhode Island School of Design Providence, RI · Nonprofit | 106 | 18.7% | $50,507 | $68,140 |
| 4 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL · Public | 71 | 42.4% | $14,355 | $81,054 |
| 5 | Harvard University Cambridge, MA · Nonprofit | 69 | 3.7% | $19,066 | $101,817 |
| 6 | James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA · Public | 50 | 71.5% | $23,322 | $69,954 |
| 7 | Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN · Public | 47 | 49.9% | $14,600 | $72,424 |
| 8 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC · Public | 44 | 41.7% | $17,303 | $68,758 |
| 9 | Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA · Nonprofit | 32 | 9.6% | $28,849 | $104,736 |
| 10 | Binghamton University Vestal, NY · Public | 30 | 38.6% | $21,620 | $80,596 |
| 11 | Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, GA · Nonprofit | 26 | 83% | $49,430 | $45,954 |
| 12 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ · Public | 24 | 89.9% | $14,967 | $62,668 |
| 13 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FL · Public | 23 | 40.1% | $10,411 | $58,308 |
| 14 | La Salle University Philadelphia, PA · Nonprofit | 23 | 96.6% | $19,409 | $67,416 |
| 15 | Boston University Boston, MA · Nonprofit | 20 | 11.1% | $24,402 | $83,238 |
| 16 | Rice University Houston, TX · Nonprofit | 19 | 8% | $13,370 | $89,718 |
| 17 | University of Vermont Burlington, VT · Public | 18 | 65.3% | $19,343 | $62,472 |
| 18 | University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY · Public | 15 | 74.2% | $20,995 | $70,814 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania Western University California, PA · Public | 14 | 94.3% | $18,256 | $47,295 |
| 20 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL · Nonprofit | 13 | 7.7% | $29,167 | $89,363 |
Ranked by Systems Science and Theory graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats. Read our methodology →
Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Systems Science and Theory program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find schools that match your profile.
See if a Systems Science and Theory degree pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings its graduates actually see.
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Strong earnings and positive career growth make Systems Science and Theory a solid option. The 4 strengths and 1 trade-offs below are data-sourced from College Scorecard, BLS, and IPEDS.
The highest-earning college major out-pays the lowest by a factor of two and a half. The full ranking of all 38 fields by median graduate earnings, with job growth alongside.
A popular claim holds that the applied engineering-tech degree pays more than the theoretical one. Across every program, engineering wins by about $10,000.
Across 88 STEM programs the top one out-earns the bottom by $65,000 a year. Operations research pays $122,531; environmental design pays $57,461.
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
Scout uses AI and can make mistakes. Verify important numbers on the page.
