The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 15% job growth for Computer and Information Science Managers between 2015 and 2024. At that rate, Computer Information Systems (CIS) will become the fastest-growing industry of all U.S. industries over the next decade, and that by an 8-point margin.
These data from BLS imply that both CIS and Computer Science are growing “much faster” than the average bear, so much so that career prospects in these industries will skyrocket well into the third decade of this century.
Graduates with degrees in CIS have a number of career options, including C-suite job titles like Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO), both of which tend to earn salaries well above the $100,000 mark. That’s in addition to high-demand jobs like IT Director and IT Security personnel, who tend to earn salaries in the upper quartile of the $100,000 mark, making a B.S. in Computer Information Systems one of the most highly desired degrees in the entire United States.
Given the meteoric rise of this career path to economic stardom, however, many learners who’ve recently heard about its explosive growth potential already have college degrees in other fields, while still younger learners may prefer to work remotely while earning their degree. Some perhaps already have many of the skills necessary to find work as CIS specialists and pay for their degree from home. Whatever a learner’s current level of education may be, a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems will undoubtedly increase their future earning potential, which is why we’ve put together a list of the Top 20 online bachelor’s programs in CIS.
Methodology:
Number of Specializations (1/4): The total number of areas of concentration a program offers.
Program Length (1/4): The total number of years a program claims it will take to complete.
Affordability (1/4): A particular program’s cost per credit hour.
Academic Prestige (1/4): Place in relation to similar institutions according to two prominent rankings.
1. College of St. Scholastica
College of St. Scholastica is located in Duluth, Minnesota. As a private Roman Catholic college, it is of moderate size, hosting a comparatively large undergraduate and graduate student population with a ratio of nearly 2:1 in favor of undergrads. St. Scholastica also supports in-state satellite campuses at Brainerd, St. Cloud, Rochester, and St. Paul, as well as an out-of-state campus in Phoenix, Arizona and a virtual campus. Students at its Duluth location will enjoy 186 acres on a hill overlooking Lake Superior, Benedictine-style buildings that include a monastery, as well as apartment housing and proximity to the downtown area. In 2016, St. Scholastica placed 33rd among U.S. News’ best schools of the Midwest.
St. Scholastica’s B.S. in CIS provides preparation for work in a wide variety of IT-related careers, including web development, systems analysis, and software engineering. The program offers concentrations in four areas: Business Analysis, Health Informatics, Mathematics, and Software Engineering. With its 100% online format, the entire program can be completed in approximately 2-3 years. Over the course of 128 credit hours, students learn how to analyze, design, and construct solutions to both practical and theoretical technological problems; evaluate, select, and apply software tools for several types of organization; as well as how to research, learn, and apply new and developing technologies in the field. With career outlooks for computer scientists always expanding as more businesses and institutions need specialists to bring them up to date, St. Scholastica’s B.S. in CIS will prepare its graduates well to face the constantly evolving computer science problems of today so that they can be solved tomorrow.
Program Length: 2 years
Cost per Credit Hour: $415
2. California University of Pennsylvania
California University of Pennsylvania is located in the southwestern corner of the state of Pennsylvania in the borough of California. Named after the California gold rush during which was founded, the town serves largely as host to the public university, established there in 1852, only three years after the town’s foundation. With enrollment bordering on 10,000 students, Cal U hosts an undergraduate and graduate student population that maintains a 4:1 ratio in favor of undergrads. Students at the California location will enjoy facilities that have been recently renovated, as well as free access to traveling exhibits from the Smithsonian Museum system: Cal U is the only school in the Pennsylvania State System for Higher Education that offers this opportunity. The university’s Global Online Program is recognized for being one of the best online schools in the nation.
Cal U’s B.S. in CIS equips graduates for continued study at the graduate level, as well as for employment in private industry or public government. By combining instruction in cutting-edge information technology systems and methodologies with instruction in the evolving needs of dynamic business environments, the fully online program concentrates on basic business functions as the keystone that bridges the twin arches of problem solving and staying up to date on current technologies, which hold together the study of computer information systems. Over the course of 2 years, students are expected to complete 120 credits, as they gain an ability to apply mathematical and computing knowledge to solve technological problems, to work with a team to accomplish a common goal, as well as form educated arguments about the local and global impact of computing on individuals, organizations, and society at large. In gaining an understanding these principles and practices, graduates from California University of Pennsylvania can expect a relatively seamless entrance into either internships or career in CIS upon completion of degree.
Program Length: 2 years
Cost per Credit Hour: $294
3. Walden University
Walden University is a private university headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As a Public Benefit Corporation and for-profit college, Walden is a member institution of the global network of 80 universities owned and operated by Laureate Education Incorporated and spanning 29 countries. With enrollment bordering on 50,000 students, Walden University hosts an undergraduate and graduate student population that maintains a 5:1 ratio in favor of graduates. Because all of Walden’s classes are offered online, it possesses no central location, although students enjoy courseware that permits them to interact with ease when compared to that of similar institutions. Although currently unranked among online universities, Walden is considered by many, including conceding critics of for-profit college education, to be among the best online institutions in the nation.
Walden University’s B.S. in CIS readies graduates to enter the fastest-growing sector of the economy: information technology. Designed to combine business and technical skillsets, Walden’s CIS curriculum offers 5 concentrations: General, Cyber Security for Information Systems, Healthcare Informatics, Information Systems Management, and Web and Mobile Applications Design. With its 100% online format, each of these concentrations can be completed in approximately 4 years. Over the course of 181 credit hours spread over 4 years, all CIS students acquire the most sought-after skills in the discipline, including those that combine business savvy with computer problem-solving, group analysis with design, as well as translation of distance-learning experience with the workplace, despite organizational, disciplinary, and geographic boundaries. Having been designated by the NSA and Department of Homeland Security as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Education, Walden’s B.S. in CIS is ideal for those seeking careers in Cyber Security.
Program Length: 4 years
Cost per Credit Hour: 325
4. City University of New York: School of Professional Studies
City University of New York is a public university system supporting eighteen branch locations throughout New York City, eleven of which are 4-year institutions, and eight of which are two-year institutions. The branch location dedicated to online education, continuing education, and lifelong learning is CUNY’s School of Professional Studies, which enrolls approximately 2,000 students seeking credit towards a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree. Although most students attend online, the School of Professional Studies maintains a brick-and-mortar location in NYC at 119 W. 31st St., containing 4 floors of classrooms. The School of Professional Studies is a growing branch of the CUNY system, which placed 66th among U.S. News’ best schools in the Northeast.
The B.S. in Information Systems offered by CUNY’s School of Professional Studies prepares students to enter the job market of a field that is rocketing with explosive growth potential. The program’s emphasis on experiential learning is designed to help students earn credentials and acquire skills in the areas of mobile app software programming, cybersecurity, database management, infrastructure, and support. Over the course of 4 years, students are expected to complete 120 credits to gain proficiency in core skillsets such as computer programming, web and mobile app development, as well as cloud computing. Students are also expected to customize their own curricula through a broad wide range of electives on topics such as e-commerce, marketing, data science, and computer forensics while simultaneously cultivating a strong sense of innovation and entrepreneurship throughout the program as they develop a specialization in either General Information Systems or Management Information Systems. Graduates from CUNY’s rigorous Information Systems program can expect to be highly competitive applicants in the highly competitive, emergent job market that is Computer Information Systems.
Program Length: 4 years
Cost per Credit Hour: 275
5. Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne
Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne is a public university located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Cooperatively managed by the Indiana University and Purdue University systems, IPFW enrolls approximately 13,500 students, the vast majority of which are undergraduates pursuing at least one of the university’s more than 200 degree programs. Students at the Fort Wayne location will enjoy proximity to the downtown area; however, a growing number of students are taking advantage of the university’s Continuing Studies Online program, which is the main reason why, in 2013, IPFW was forced to shut down their satellite campus in Warsaw, Indiana. Although currently unranked among online universities, Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne is increasingly considered among the best online institutions in nation.
IPFW Online’s B.S. in Computer Science and Information Systems equips graduates with the knowledge necessary to enter professions for which demand will only increase by the year 2020. The program offers concentrations in seven areas,. These are Business Studies, Computer Science, Database, Computer Networking, Informatics, Networking Administration, and Organization, Leadership & Supervision. With its 100% online format, students can complete the program’s 120 hours in 4 years, during which time they will gain the following abilities: the ability to design, implement, and evaluate computer-based systems; the ability to understand the professional, ethical, legal, security, and social issues and responsibilities; and the ability to recognize when and where there is a need for continuing professional development. Graduates will be more than prepared to enter private industries because of the program’s emphasis on business knowledge, as well as continue their education at a graduate school of their choice due to the program’s impressive breadth of specializations.
Program Length: 4 years
Cost per Credit Hour: $360
6. Columbia College
Columbia College is a private university based in Columbia, Missouri. Although founded as a nonsectarian college in 1851, it has retained a loose affiliation with the Christian Church throughout its lifetime. The college enrolls approximately 2,100 students, all of which are undergraduates. Students at Columbia’s location will enjoy 231 acres of campus area, as well as a town that largely revolves around goings-on at the college, while students taking classes online will enjoy access to all course materials provided to on campus students for its more than 500 online courses and 18 online degree programs. Columbia College has consistently been recognized as one of the best colleges in the Midwest by both U.S. News and the Princeton Review, the former of which placed it 37th in the region.
Columbia College’s B.S. in CIS readies students with a thorough theoretical grounding in information systems, as well as the practical skills necessary to pursue a career in private industry, public government, or academia. Because of its emphasis on business savvy, the program requires several business courses and a wide range of elective courses designed to help students tailor their education as budding CIS entrepreneurs. With its 100% online format, students can complete the program’s 120 hours in 4 years, during which time they will gain a general liberal arts education, a knowledge of how to apply theoretical principles to everyday computing practices, as well as an awareness of current and important trends in the ever-developing field of Computer Information Systems. Students who complete the program will exit with thorough training in the computer science curriculum advocated by the Association for Computing Machinery and the IEEE Computer Society, suiting them well for careers in either business or academia, or both.
Program Length: 4 years
Cost per Credit Hour: $290
7. St. Louis University
St. Louis University is a private research university located in St. Louis, Missouri with a satellite campus in Madrid, Spain. As the oldest university west of the Mississippi River, SLU enrolls approximately 13,500 students, two-thirds of which are undergraduates, and the remaining one-third of which are graduate students, making its undergraduate-to-graduate student ratio 2:1 in slight favor of undergraduates. Students at the university’s St. Louis locations will enjoy 271 acres in close proximity to the downtown area, while online students will enjoy access to 25 completely online programs with all of the same course materials as students on location. St. Louis University is consistently recognized among the best national universities, with U.S. News placing it 96th in the nation.
St. Louis University’s B.S. in Computer Information Systems prepares career-minded students for graduate study or employment in the changing profession of computer science as a business. The program offers four specializations, all of which can be completed in 120 hours over the course of 4 years. These specializations are Data Analytics, Healthcare Information Systems, Information Security & Assurance, and Mobile, Web & Cloud Computing. All specializations come integrated with fundamental emphases on problem-solving in technology, application of theoretical principles to practical lab work, and a thorough grounding in the importance of user-oriented design. In addition to their degree, graduates from the program receive career assistance from the School of Professional Studies in sifting through the ample opportunities they are bound to be presented with upon earning a B.S. in Computer Information Systems from an institution as celebrated as SLU.
Program Length: 4 years
Cost per Credit Hour: $630
8. Northwestern State University of Louisiana
Northwestern State University of Louisiana is a public university based primarily in Natchidoches, Louisiana. Part of the University of Louisiana System, NSU enrolls approximately 9,000 students, of which around 8,000 are undergraduates and 1,000 are postgraduates. Students at the Natchitoches location will enjoy more than 50 accredited degree programs, while online students will enjoy access to the same. While NSU may be unranked by ranking institutions, it is recognized for its historic role in the government’s Joint Venture program to help NASA scientists perform research and analyze data on the 1996 Columbia Space Shuttle, as well as for hosting the state’s distinguished honors college for the liberal arts and sciences.
NSU’s B.S. in CIS equips students with both the theoretical and practical education necessary to pursue a career in either private industry, public government, or academia. Over the course of four years, students complete 120 semester hours and can choose one of four specializations: Application Development, Networking & Systems Management, Web Development, and Core Programming. Each of these specializations comes with its own set of challenges, but all ensure that students learn the core curricula of systems analysis, database design, Internet web development, and object-oriented programming, a curriculum delivered by a program recognized for its excellence in all these areas, having won 15 national titles in competitions for which these skills are tested since 1999. Graduating students have the opportunity to complete certifications in Cisco, A+, Network+, Security+, and Microsoft Office components, ensuring that they are well-qualified to take on whatever job opportunity comes knocking on their door.
Program Length: 4 years
Cost per Credit Hour: $325
9. Bellevue University
Bellevue University is a private non-profit university located in eight miles south of Omaha in Bellevue, Nebraska. Since it’s founding in 1966, Bellevue has emphasized the importance of continued, adult education, distance education, and education outreach, and it currently enrolls around 10,000 students with 2 undergraduates for every postgraduate. Students at the Bellevue location will enjoy while being within driving distance of the state’s largest city, while online students will enjoy access to all of the university’s degree programs, including those that are accelerated and cohort-based. Bellevue’s online program has performed consistently well according to multiple online program rankings, appearing in U.S. News’ top hundred online bachelor’s programs for several years running.
Bellevue’s B.S. in CIS readies students for careers in any sector of technology they choose by providing them with a solid foundation in design, implementation, and evaluation of processes, components, and programs. Over the course of 4 years, degree candidates are required to complete 127 credit hours and choose a specialization. Bellevue’s four specializations include Applications Development, Business Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Networking. All specializations are grounded in a curriculum that focuses on analyzing technical problems to identify and define computing requirements appropriate to their solution; building a computer-based system, process, component, or program to meet desire needs; forming an opinion on local and global impacts of computing on individuals, organizations, and society; as well as working as a team member to accomplish a group goal. Students who complete the program can expect to be able to enter a variety of tech-based careers in private industry or public government, pursue graduate studies, or enter the online job market as a freelance entrepreneur.
Program Length: 4 years
Cost per Credit Hour: $395
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11. LeTourneau University
LeTourneau University is a private, interdenominational Christian university located in Longview, Texas. Initially founded in 1946 as a technical institute to teach veterans returning from WWII, LeTourneau has grown to become a national master’s-granting institution enrolling over 4,000 students, with a student ratio of about 10:1 in favor of undergraduates. Students at the Longview location will enjoying being a community member of one of the fastest-growing small cities in the nation, while online students will enjoy access to many of the university’s degree programs designed for working adults. LeTourneau University has been recognized consistently as one of the best schools in the West, with U.S. News placing it 32nd in that region for the year 2016.
LeTourneau’s B.S. in Computer Information Systems prepares students for today’s increasingly technology-driven marketplace where there is also an increasing demand for CIS managers. Over the course of 4 years, degree candidates are expected to complete 126 credit hours in a curriculum that emphasizes computer system design, software publishing, data processing, and hosting. With these focus areas, students can expect to emerge from the program with a broad knowledge base in IT Support, as well as CIS planning, design, development, integration, and evaluation. In terms of career outcomes, LeTourneau’s CIS graduates can enter job and careers as varied and diverse as Software Engineer, IT Director, Software Developer, Programmer Analyst, IT Manager, Systems Administrator, and Senior Programmer Analyst.
Program Length: 4 years
Cost per Credit Hour: $375
12. Strayer University
Strayer University is a private, for-profit university headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. Owned and operated by Strayer Education, Inc. and with 78 campuses across 15 states, Strayer University enrolls approximately 43,000 students at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Students at any of its locations across the United States will enjoy access to facilities providing academic and administrative support, including a library, classrooms, and computer labs, while online students are permitted to enjoy the same amenities at locations close to them, as well as access to the same class materials as students on location. Although Strayer is unranked, it has been praised for its business acumen, which can be evidenced by the fact that it has higher retention rates than most for-profit schools.
Strayer’s B.S. in CIS readies students to oversee teams and projects developing technology policies while tackling information systems challenges of the future. Over the course of 4 years, students will complete 120 course credits that come with the option of 8 concentration, which is more than we can say of any other institution on this list in terms of areas of specialization. These specializations are Computer Forensic Management, Enterprise Data Management, IT Project Management, Technology Management, Cybersecurity Management, Homeland Security Management, Software Engineering Management, and Geographic Information Systems Management. All these specializations are grounded in a curriculum that emphasizes a combination of training in emerging technologies with hands-on application of the latest technological principles. Graduates can expect to work with a complete range of platforms that will sharpen them for leadership roles in both government and business computer information systems.
Program Length: 4 years
Cost per Credit Hour: $473
13. Regis University
Regis University is a private Roman Catholic, Jesuit university located in Denver, Colorado. One of only 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, Regis University enrolls approximately 9,200 students, the vast majority of which are undergraduates. Students who attend the Denver location will enjoy close proximity to the Colorado capital, while online students will enjoy full access to a growing number of the university’s programs. Regis University is recognized for hosting the first online, bilingual, and joint MBA degree program, as well as for placing consistently among the best universities in the west, for which is was ranked 28th by U.S. News in 2016.
Regis’s B.S in CIS equips students to take to task some of the world’s largest technological problems, including data analytics, business process management, and software development. Over the course of 3.5 years, students will complete 128 course credits with an emphasis in the art of making data-driven decisions, considering the ethical and social dilemmas that come with handling information systems, as well as balancing theoretical problem-solving with the practical application of solutions. Graduates from the program can expect to exit the program having developed partnerships with impressive organizations such as the SAP, Oracle, and Hewlett Packard, as well as with the skill and ability to pursue careers at these organizations and many more practicing business analytics, resource planning, and enterprise consulting.
Program Length: 3.5 years
Cost per Credit Hour: $1,066
14. Florida Institute of Technology
Florida Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Melbourne, Florida. Established in 1958 with an emphasis in the STEM fields and aviation, FIT enrolls over 6,500 students with an undergraduate-to-graduate student ratio of close to 1:1. Students at the Melbourne location will enjoy proximity to the Kennedy Space Center and Orlando, while online students will enjoy access to many of the university’s programs and all their respective course materials. Florida Institute of Technology is well-known as one of the best STEM schools in the nation, with U.S. News placing it 161st among National Universities in 2016.
FIT’s B.S. in CIS prepares students to design, develop, and implement business solutions in today’s complex information systems environment. Over the course of 4 years, students complete 124 course credits with a solid foundation in technical skills spanning the full gamut of CIS concepts, theories, and practices in the technology-driven areas of programming languages, database and software systems, network theory and design, decision analysis, Internet and web applications, as well as systems analysis and design. Graduates from the program can expect to emerge from the program with the knowledge and skill necessary to pursue careers in private industry, public government, or academia, especially those interested in securing managerial positions for the strategic, and business-oriented support of organizations’ ever-growing computer information systems.
Program Length: 4 years
Cost per Credit Hour: $510
15. National University
National University is a private non-profit university located in San Diego, California. Supporting satellite locations throughout the Golden State, as well as online learning environments in Florida, Georgia, Nevada, and Virginia, NU enrolls nearly 25,500 students with an undergraduate-to-graduate student ratio of 1:1. Students who attend at at any of locations will enjoy proximity to major U.S. metropolitan areas, while online students will enjoy access to the same course materials and level of instruction as those on location. National University has been recognized as one of the best institutions for adult learners, lifelong learners, and online learners, having placed among U.S. News Best Online Bachelor’s programs for multiple years.
NU’s Bachelor of Science in Information Systems readies students to integrate business and technology in their professional lives as computer scientists. Over the course of four years, students complete 180 quarter units (i.e., 45 courses) whose curriculum emphasizes application of information science to many fields of inquiry with the use of expertise in data communications, systems analysis, systems development, database management systems, project management, enterprise architecture, IT infrastructure, and management and acquisition. By program completion, students can expect to discuss the potential global impact of specific information system solutions; plan and design organizational communications infrastructure; as well as identify innovative and efficient solutions to solve organizational problems. In other words, National University graduates will be fit to lead in whatever business or industry they so choose.
Program Length: 4 years
Cost per Credit Hour: $354
16. Austin Peay State University
Austin Peay State University is a public university located in Clarksville, Tennessee. One of the fastest-growing institutions in the state, APSU enrolls approximately 10,000 students, with a 10:1 ratio in favor of undergraduates. Students at the Clarksville location will enjoy proximity to the downtown area of the state’s fifth-largest city, while online students will enjoy access to many of the university’s growing number of online degree programs. Austin Peay State University places 68th in the South for best schools in that region according to U.S. News in 2016.
APSU’s B.S. in CIS equips students with the knowledge base and set of skills they need to enter jobs that require a high degree of technological proficiency. Over the course of 4 years, students complete 120 semester hours and choose one of three concentrations, which can be complete 100% online. These concentrations are: Information Systems, Internet and Web Technology, and Database Administration. Before delving into their respective areas of expertise, each concentration track ensures that students receive adequate instruction in working with computer applications in a business setting. Depending on their chosen concentration, graduates from the program can expect to enter careers with job titles like Systems Analyst, Applications Programmers, Network Manager, Data Architect, Database Administrator, and Webmaster. As a military-friendly institution, APSU happily accepts military credit toward degree from transfer students and veterans with appropriate qualifications from accredited institutions.
Program Length: 4 years
Cost per Credit Hour: $480
17. Grantham University
Grantham University is a private, for-profit university based in Lexena, Kansas. With most of its matriculates seeking one of its 100% online degrees, Grantham enrolls approximately 17,500 students, of which there are 5 undergraduates for every postgraduate. Students at any of its many locations across the United States will enjoy proximity to many of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas, while online students will enjoy access to more than 40 degree programs whose schools have been accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission since 1961. Although unranked by U.S. News, Grantham University’s online and distance education programs have consistently been recognized as some of the best online degree programs in both the United States and world, supporting a diverse student body from all 50 states, 106 countries, and counting.
Grantham’s B.S. in Information Systems prepares students to organize, coordinate, and direct both research and business-oriented computer systems. Over the course of 4 years, students complete 125 course credits whose curriculum emphasizes the importance of gaining a broad base of knowledge, while simultaneously encouraging focus areas such as applied information systems, business, and health informatics. In this curriculum of both depth and breadth, students will learn to apply mathematical and computing principles to solve business and workplace problems, communicate effectively with a wide range of professional audiences, as well as stay up-to-date on the current skills, tools, and techniques necessary to adapt to changes in a fast-evolving profession. In other words, graduates should expect nothing less than the best in terms of job preparation and prospect’s from the online program in Information Systems at Grantham University.
Program Length: 4 years
Cost per Credit Hour: $265
18. Champlain College
Champlain College is a private college located in Burlington, Vermont with international satellite campuses in Dublin, Ireland and Montreal, Canada. It is one of the oldest colleges in both the state and nation to offer a substantial portion of its courses, certifications, and degree programs 100% online, enrolling approximately 2,000 students, most of which are undergraduates. Students at the Vermont location will enjoy close proximity to downtown Burlington, while online students will enjoy access to all the same course materials as those on location, as well as the international network that comes from Champlain’s satellite campuses in Canada and Ireland, as well as its international online students from over 20 countries. Regionally ranked 14th in the Northeast by U.S. New for 2016, Champlain also places consistently among the best institutions to offer online bachelor’s programs in the nation.
Champlain’s B.S. in Computer and Information Systems readies students to meet the high demand and high expectations that career CIS workers are expected to fulfill. Over the course of 4 years, students complete 120 course credits in a curriculum that emphasizes the accumulation of strong interpersonal communication skills that enable easy and efficient collaboration across academic and business disciplines to achieve common goals. Champlain’s B.S. in CIS also offers ample room for customization, allowing students the opportunity to specialize and earn a certificate in a number of in-demand areas of expertise, including C++ programming, system administration, computer forensics & digital investigations, and many more. Graduates from the program will be very well-suited to enter jobs and careers that enable both professional and social mobility in IT support, app development, IT consulting, and infrastructure architecture to name only a few.
Program Length: 4 years
Cost per Credit Hour: $641
19. Saint Leo University
Saint Leo University is a private, non-profit, Catholic liberal arts school located north of Tampa in Saint Leo, Florida. As the oldest Catholic college in Florida, Saint Leo enrolls approximately 16,300 students, of which majority are undergraduates. Students at the Florida location will enjoy close proximity to one of the state’s largest metropolitan areas, while online students will enjoy access to most of the university’s over 40 degree programs entirely via courseware that can transfer all course materials that students on location would also receive. Saint Leo University is recognized regionally for being among the best institutions in the South and nationally for its growing online degree programs.
Saint Leo’s B.S. in CIS equips students to take on the challenges that the intersection of business and computer science will bring in the future. Over the course of 4 years, students complete 120 credit hours in a curriculum that focuses on teaching the how to implement information security, decision support systems, systems analysis and design, database concepts and programming, as well as network theory and design. All of this goes towards the program’s ultimate goal of teaching the analytical and critical thinking skills necessary to shape tomorrow’s leaders and complex problem solvers. Learning these abilities serves Saint Leo graduates well in the business realm, where many go on to have successful careers as programmers, systems analysts, IT managers, and web designers.
Program Length: 4 years
Cost per Credit Hour: $470
20. Post University
Post University is a private, for-profit university based in Waterbury, Connecticut. Formerly affiliated with Teikyo University in Tokyo, Japan and now hosting satellite campuses in Connecticut’s Meriden, Danbury, and Wallingford, Post enrolls approximately 7,300 students, most of which are undergraduates. Students at any of Post’s Connecticut locations will enjoy proximity to many of the Northeastern region’s largest metropolitan areas, while online students will enjoy access to many of the university’s degree programs and all of the coursework that students on location would receive. Post University has been seen climbing the ladder in terms of its online programs, with U.S. News placing it 19th among universities with the Best Online Programs in recent years.
Post’s B.S. in CIS prepares students to become essential computer systems professionals and workplace collaborators. Over the course of 4 years, students complete 120 course credits with the option to concentrate in Computer Networking, Cybersecurity, or Software Development. Each of the concentrations in an area of expertise has a firm grounding in the program’s depth and breadth-centered curriculum, which is there to ensure that every student exits the program well-rounded in problem solving, IT theory, and business, as well as well-versed in the ethical issues surrounding the responsibility of developing new technologies. Graduates from the program can expect career opportunities in information services support groups, database administration, systems analysis, and application programming, as well as internship and cooperative education opportunities. With prospects like these, it’s no wonder Post University’s B.S. in Computer Information Systems is steadily becoming one of the best.
Program Length: 4 years
Cost per Credit Hour: $570