Systems Science and Theory
Interdisciplinary Studies
Median earnings by degree level
| Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Schools | Clear the bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | $64,444 | $52,880 to $80,927 | 7 | 86% |
| Master's Degree | $97,856 | $90,725 to $104,395 | 5 | 100% |
"Clear the bar" is the share of programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test). Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile of program medians.
Job outlook
Projected employment growth +3% (2025 to 2035), about 113,400 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, All Other | $141,900 | +4.9% | 100,900 |
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | $77,640 | +2% | 12,500 |
Occupation pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wages, Employment Projections). A field maps to several occupations, and the same occupations serve many majors, so these are the jobs this major commonly leads to, not positions reserved for its graduates; the openings should not be added up across majors.
Where this is studied
The 8 colleges where the most students complete a systems science and theory program, of 44 that report one. Ordered by number of completions only: this is where people study it, not a judgement about where to.
- The New School
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Rhode Island School of Design
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Harvard University
- Purdue University-Main Campus
- James Madison University
- North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Earnings source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10), median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.