Information professionals are in demand in a wide range of industries, including technology, business, health care, entertainment, education and government. 

“Our students go into pretty much every field you can imagine,” says Cliff Lampe, professor of information and associate dean for academic affairs at the University of Michigan School of Information. “It’s mostly only limited by their personal interests.” 

For example, a student of user experience design will learn how to design interfaces, apps and web pages that allow people to access information. UX design positions once existed only at big software companies; now, Lampe says, UMSI students go on to work as UX designers at companies like General Motors and Whirlpool, since their work touches everything from car infotainment systems to the interfaces on smart washing machines.

A student specializing in information analysis will learn to identify questions that matter to stakeholders in different industries. They specialize in structuring data — no matter how messy — so that it can be used to inform decision making, measure success, and separate fact from falsehood. On this path, popular careers include consultant, data analyst (using data to help organizations make better decisions) and business analyst (helping organizations use technology in cost-effective ways). 

Students who earn an information degree are fluent in the future of work. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs 2023 report, analytical thinking, creative thinking, digital literacy, artificial intelligence and big data analytics — all emphasized by UMSI’s curriculum — will be among the top 10 skills prioritized by companies in the next five years. 

UMSI graduates are hired by leading tech companies, consulting firms, government agencies, financial institutions, health care organizations, nonprofits, libraries and archives, universities and media companies. In a survey of 2022 graduates conducted by UMSI’s Career Development Office, 95% reported high levels of job satisfaction. Across all degree programs, the salaries of UMSI graduates sat at the top of national averages in comparative fields and industries. 

Read part one of the information explainer series: “What is information science?” 

— Abigail McFee, marketing and communications writer

LEARN MORE 

Explore UMSI’s degree programs and associated career paths: Bachelor of Science in Information, Master of Science in Information, Master of Health Informatics, Master of Applied Data Science and PhD in Information.

Read about career development and career outcomes at UMSI