Systems Science and Theory Degree

6 schools compared · Average earnings $49,461/yr
Schools Offering
6
Avg Grad Earnings
$49,461/yr
Avg DegreeWorth Score
50/100
AI Automation Risk
Moderate
34% task exposure

Best Schools for Systems Science and Theory

Top 6 schools ranked by DegreeWorth Score. Click any row for full AI scenario analysis and earnings projections.

# School DW Score Earnings AI Risk ROI
1 James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA
78
75–79
$65,683/yr Moderate 17.7x
2 Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA
67
65–68
$95,598/yr Moderate 4.2x
3 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL
55
52–57
$35,239/yr Moderate 8.3x
4 Marshall University
Huntington, WV
53
54–51
$29,539/yr Moderate 7.3x
5 La Salle University
Philadelphia, PA
49
48–48
$36,442/yr Moderate 1.6x
6 Rhode Island School of Design
Providence, RI
44
42–45
$34,265/yr Moderate 0.4x

Highest Earning Systems Science and Theory Programs

Schools where Systems Science and Theory graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.

School 1-Year Earnings DW Score AI Risk
Carnegie Mellon University $95,598/yr 67 Moderate
James Madison University $65,683/yr 78 Moderate
La Salle University $36,442/yr 49 Moderate
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign $35,239/yr 55 Moderate
Rhode Island School of Design $34,265/yr 44 Moderate
Marshall University $29,539/yr 53 Moderate

Best ROI for Systems Science and Theory

Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Systems Science and Theory.

School ROI Multiple Earnings DW Score
James Madison University 17.7x $65,683/yr 78
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 8.3x $35,239/yr 55
Marshall University 7.3x $29,539/yr 53
Carnegie Mellon University 4.2x $95,598/yr 67
La Salle University 1.6x $36,442/yr 49
Rhode Island School of Design 0.4x $34,265/yr 44

Related Majors

Explore similar fields of study.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Systems Science and Theory graduates earn?
Across 6 schools, Systems Science and Theory graduates earn an average of $49,461 per year in their first year after graduation. Earnings range from $29,539 to $95,598 depending on the school.
What is the AI automation risk for Systems Science and Theory?
Systems Science and Theory is rated "Moderate" for AI automation risk, with an average of 34% of job tasks exposed to large language models and AI tools. This means some career tasks in this field could be augmented or replaced by AI over the next decade.
Which school has the best Systems Science and Theory program?
Based on our DegreeWorth Score (combining earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and ROI), James Madison University ranks #1 for Systems Science and Theory with a score of 78/100 and graduate earnings of $65,683/yr.
Is a Systems Science and Theory degree worth it?
On average, Systems Science and Theory graduates earn 6.6x their in-state tuition over 10 years. This is a moderate return — school choice matters significantly.

About This Data

This page aggregates Systems Science and Theory programs across 6 schools using earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, employment projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024–2034), and AI automation risk research from OpenAI and academic institutions.

The DegreeWorth Score (0–100) combines four equally weighted factors: graduate earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and return on investment. Each school's program page includes three AI scenarios (optimistic, base case, pessimistic) showing how automation could affect 10-year earnings.

Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Last updated 2025.