What do those occupations pay, and how big are they?

The question. For the occupations a discipline prepares students for, what are the national median wages and how many people hold them?

What it found

The spread within a discipline is usually wider than the spread between disciplines. Information Systems runs from Computer User Support Specialists at a $61,860 median across 717,190 jobs to Computer and Information Systems Managers at $175,140 across 670,570. Sales Engineers, the occupation BYU faculty attested was an IS destination, sits at $124,900 on 51,790 jobs. A curriculum decision that treats a discipline as one labour market is discarding most of the information on this page.

The numbers

Discipline	Occupation	Weight	Jobs (US)	Median	10th pct	90th pct
Entrepreneurial Management	Chief Executives	0.40	204,350	213,990	75,700	507,730
Strategic Management	Chief Executives	0.60	204,350	213,990	75,700	507,730
Information Systems	Computer and Information Systems Managers	0.60	670,570	175,140	107,550	297,510
Strategic Management	Computer and Information Systems Managers	0.15	670,570	175,140	107,550	297,510
Business Management	Computer and Information Systems Managers	0.15	670,570	175,140	107,550	297,510
Marketing	Computer and Information Systems Managers	0.10	670,570	175,140	107,550	297,510
Experience Design and Management	Marketing Managers	0.05	395,240	166,790	90,260	293,610
Strategic Management	Marketing Managers	0.10	395,240	166,790	90,260	293,610
Marketing	Marketing Managers	0.85	395,240	166,790	90,260	293,610
Finance	Financial Managers	1.00	841,710	166,570	94,310	323,270
Human Resource Management	Human Resources Managers	1.00	220,660	149,280	88,200	267,810
Human Resource Management	Compensation and Benefits Managers	1.00	22,940	149,230	89,160	256,570
Sales	Sales Managers	1.00	637,080	148,270	73,170	290,540
Global Supply Chain Management	Purchasing Managers	1.00	84,320	148,080	92,490	223,280
Marketing	Public Relations Managers	1.00	74,850	146,910	82,410	284,990
Marketing	Managers, All Other	0.20	622,190	141,900	74,300	238,270
Strategic Management	Managers, All Other	0.20	622,190	141,900	74,300	238,270
Business Management	Managers, All Other	0.40	622,190	141,900	74,300	238,270
Information Systems	Managers, All Other	0.20	622,190	141,900	74,300	238,270
Information Systems	Database Architects	1.00	67,140	139,500	86,240	204,000
Information Systems	Software Developers	0.30	1,687,890	135,980	82,460	214,670
Information Systems	Computer Network Architects	1.00	179,740	134,050	79,900	202,680
Marketing	Advertising and Promotions Managers	1.00	21,470	133,660	63,300	286,240
Human Resource Management	Training and Development Managers	1.00	48,050	133,000	79,550	233,600
Finance	Actuaries	1.00	26,670	130,000	78,570	215,100
Information Systems	Information Security Analysts	1.00	190,650	129,180	75,090	199,850
Global Supply Chain Management	Industrial Production Managers	1.00	246,250	126,060	78,000	205,520
Marketing	Fundraising Managers	1.00	38,810	125,470	75,130	222,350
Information Systems	Sales Engineers	0.55	51,790	124,900	73,870	195,270
Sales	Sales Engineers	0.45	51,790	124,900	73,870	195,270
Business Management	Data Scientists	0.25	262,440	120,230	67,240	199,130
Information Systems	Data Scientists	0.75	262,440	120,230	67,240	199,130
Finance	Financial Risk Specialists	0.75	63,850	117,330	64,820	196,110
Strategic Management	Financial Risk Specialists	0.25	63,850	117,330	64,820	196,110
Experience Design and Management	Computer Occupations, All Other	0.15	435,370	116,580	55,940	188,470
Information Systems	Computer Occupations, All Other	0.70	435,370	116,580	55,940	188,470
Business Management	Computer Occupations, All Other	0.15	435,370	116,580	55,940	188,470
Experience Design and Management	Art Directors	1.00	53,070	114,850	64,900	213,050
Business Management	Administrative Services Managers	1.00	263,960	114,130	67,100	207,720
Global Supply Chain Management	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers	1.00	221,180	107,230	65,120	194,900
Business Management	Facilities Managers	1.00	156,180	106,660	64,480	176,120
Information Systems	Computer Systems Analysts	0.85	519,530	105,850	67,340	167,710
Business Management	Computer Systems Analysts	0.15	519,530	105,850	67,340	167,710
Entrepreneurial Management	General and Operations Managers	0.10	3,503,020	105,770	50,090	253,390
Business Management	General and Operations Managers	0.90	3,503,020	105,770	50,090	253,390
Information Systems	Statisticians	0.40	29,030	105,650	64,000	174,050
Finance	Personal Financial Advisors	1.00	266,800	105,070	50,190	357,020
Sales	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products	1.00	284,800	104,920	52,600	200,440
Information Systems	Database Administrators	1.00	69,990	104,620	60,230	163,320
Information Systems	Web and Digital Interface Designers	0.20	113,330	104,000	53,750	201,550
Experience Design and Management	Web and Digital Interface Designers	0.80	113,330	104,000	53,750	201,550
Finance	Financial and Investment Analysts	1.00	361,980	102,740	63,720	180,860
Global Supply Chain Management	Project Management Specialists	0.15	1,066,670	102,320	61,580	167,970
Business Management	Project Management Specialists	0.60	1,066,670	102,320	61,580	167,970
Information Systems	Project Management Specialists	0.25	1,066,670	102,320	61,580	167,970
Finance	Management Analysts	0.10	898,280	101,860	60,640	171,640
Information Systems	Management Analysts	0.20	898,280	101,860	60,640	171,640
Strategic Management	Management Analysts	0.25	898,280	101,860	60,640	171,640
Business Management	Management Analysts	0.35	898,280	101,860	60,640	171,640
Entrepreneurial Management	Management Analysts	0.10	898,280	101,860	60,640	171,640
Information Systems	Network and Computer Systems Administrators	1.00	314,340	99,130	62,640	155,050
Human Resource Management	Labor Relations Specialists	1.00	64,810	95,420	50,490	156,180
Finance	Financial Examiners	1.00	67,830	94,160	56,230	174,200
Finance	Budget Analysts	1.00	47,160	91,640	62,250	136,660
Experience Design and Management	Technical Writers	1.00	45,500	90,390	57,440	145,270
Global Supply Chain Management	Operations Research Analysts	0.35	108,510	88,940	57,060	159,910
Information Systems	Operations Research Analysts	0.30	108,510	88,940	57,060	159,910
Finance	Operations Research Analysts	0.15	108,510	88,940	57,060	159,910
Business Management	Operations Research Analysts	0.20	108,510	88,940	57,060	159,910
Sales	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers	1.00	214,390	87,520	50,320	164,070
Experience Design and Management	Commercial and Industrial Designers	1.00	33,490	83,910	53,460	139,770
Accounting	Accountants and Auditors	1.00	1,449,500	83,680	56,020	144,090
Finance	Credit Analysts	1.00	64,390	83,510	56,250	169,230
Marketing	Business Operations Specialists, All Other	0.20	1,087,090	83,050	47,880	150,010
Finance	Business Operations Specialists, All Other	0.20	1,087,090	83,050	47,880	150,010
Business Management	Business Operations Specialists, All Other	0.35	1,087,090	83,050	47,880	150,010
Entrepreneurial Management	Business Operations Specialists, All Other	0.10	1,087,090	83,050	47,880	150,010
Global Supply Chain Management	Business Operations Specialists, All Other	0.15	1,087,090	83,050	47,880	150,010
Global Supply Chain Management	Logisticians	1.00	251,040	82,320	50,890	133,160
Finance	Insurance Underwriters	1.00	105,420	81,370	55,530	145,160
Finance	Financial Specialists, All Other	1.00	132,130	81,100	48,460	151,490
Human Resource Management	Compliance Officers	0.25	417,070	80,730	48,220	133,720
Strategic Management	Compliance Officers	0.45	417,070	80,730	48,220	133,720
Information Systems	Compliance Officers	0.30	417,070	80,730	48,220	133,720
Marketing	Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists	0.85	899,580	78,760	43,390	155,480
Entrepreneurial Management	Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists	0.15	899,580	78,760	43,390	155,480
Finance	Cost Estimators	1.00	224,220	78,740	48,530	130,820
Sales	Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents	1.00	489,570	78,660	48,040	212,880
Human Resource Management	Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists	1.00	112,380	78,210	49,480	128,920
Marketing	Editors	1.00	91,690	77,920	41,250	153,700
Global Supply Chain Management	Buyers and Purchasing Agents	1.00	491,430	77,710	48,380	128,870
Marketing	Writers and Authors	1.00	47,940	76,910	44,310	139,870
Finance	Loan Officers	1.00	274,330	76,690	39,430	153,180
Information Systems	Computer Network Support Specialists	1.00	146,190	76,220	47,120	127,780
Human Resource Management	Human Resources Specialists	1.00	912,430	75,940	47,180	128,720
Marketing	Public Relations Specialists	1.00	283,380	74,750	44,110	135,150
Sales	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products	1.00	1,238,190	72,080	39,090	137,550
Sales	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel	1.00	1,256,010	69,990	37,980	148,840
Human Resource Management	Training and Development Specialists	1.00	458,300	69,280	38,760	123,250
Experience Design and Management	Designers, All Other	1.00	9,480	64,950	43,030	129,110
Sales	Advertising Sales Agents	1.00	91,700	64,820	35,240	146,010
Experience Design and Management	Graphic Designers	1.00	197,830	62,960	39,520	104,910
Accounting	Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents	1.00	56,610	62,370	42,000	114,550
Sales	Insurance Sales Agents	1.00	479,100	62,280	37,330	138,140
Information Systems	Computer User Support Specialists	1.00	717,190	61,860	40,980	100,540
Marketing	Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners	1.00	142,860	61,160	36,830	101,700
Global Supply Chain Management	Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks	1.00	390,160	59,650	40,080	86,000
Accounting	Tax Preparers	1.00	76,480	54,920	33,760	99,270
Accounting	Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks	1.00	1,373,680	50,670	36,000	74,550
Sales	First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers	1.00	1,121,800	48,520	33,120	77,080
Sales	Sales and Related Workers, All Other	1.00	93,180	48,280	29,720	97,910
Global Supply Chain Management	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks	1.00	816,870	45,260	34,650	62,190
Sales	Customer Service Representatives	0.55	2,595,750	44,770	31,750	63,590
Experience Design and Management	Customer Service Representatives	0.45	2,595,750	44,770	31,750	63,590
Marketing	Demonstrators and Product Promoters	1.00	64,520	39,320	31,200	63,850
Sales	Telemarketers	1.00	58,430	35,450	27,040	50,350

BLS OEWS May 2025, national and cross-industry, annual USD. No cost-of-living adjustment. An occupation appears once per discipline it maps to, so rows are not mutually exclusive and must not be summed.

How it was computed

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 national estimates, public domain, retrieved 2026-09-13 and checksummed against the source file after loading. Joined to the SOC crosswalk on SOC code. 128 of the 129 crosswalk occupations are covered; Legislators (11-1031) is not published nationally by OEWS.

How to read it

National and cross-industry: not regional, not industry-specific, and not adjusted for cost of living, so it cannot answer what a graduate in a particular city will earn. There is deliberately no single wage figure per discipline, because combining occupational medians produces a mean of medians, which is not a median of anything. Weights are fractional allocations from the crosswalk, and where basis is declared they carry the crosswalk author's judgement rather than observed evidence.

Source view: discipline_occupation_pay · published 2026-09-13