Jobs After an MS in Information Systems (MIS): Which Roles Sponsor H-1B and Count for STEM OPT

An MIS degree supports STEM OPT only if its CIP code is on the DHS list, and your H-1B lottery weight depends on your salary's wage level for the job's SOC code. Here is the role map.

MS information systems jobs with H-1B sponsorship are real, and most of them sit in a handful of occupation codes: computer systems analysts (SOC 15-1211), business intelligence and data roles (15-2051.01 and 15-2051), database administrators and architects (15-1242, 15-1243) and IT project managers (15-1299.09). Two checks decide how far an MIS degree takes you. First, the CIP code on your I-20 must be on the DHS STEM list for you to get the 24-month STEM OPT extension, and code 52.1201, Management Information Systems, General, is not on it. Second, each job's duties need a logical connection to your degree.

Status as of November 1, 2026. In effect: the STEM OPT 180-day automatic extension for timely filers (the October 14, 2026 EAD rule did not touch it), wage-weighted H-1B selection (since February 27, 2026), and the 90-day OPT and 150-day STEM OPT unemployment limits. Not announced: FY2028 H-1B registration (March 2027 is an expectation only). Proposed, not law: the OPT fee NPRM ($70,000 before an initial OPT recommendation and $30,000 before each later one, STEM OPT included, with the school as legal payer and free to pass the cost on); comments close November 9, 2026, and it stays a proposal until DHS publishes a final rule. Blocked: collection of the $100,000 H-1B payment, which never covered change-of-status petitions USCIS grants inside the US.

Is an MS in Information Systems STEM designated?

An MS in Information Systems is STEM designated only when the CIP code your school assigned, printed on your Form I-20, appears on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. That list was last updated July 22, 2024, and is still the version ICE links as current (checked November 2, 2026). Codes such as 11.0401 Information Science/Studies and 11.0501 Computer Systems Analysis/Analyst qualify. Code 52.1201, Management Information Systems, General, does not.

Under 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(2)(i), a STEM field is one "included in the Department of Education's Classification of Instructional Programs taxonomy within the two-digit series or successor series containing engineering, biological sciences, mathematics, and physical sciences, or a related field." The DHS list takes in all of series 14, 26, 27 and 40, but series 11 (computer and information sciences) and 52 (business) only code by code. Find the six-digit code on page 1 of your I-20 and look it up in the current DHS STEM list.

MIS-type CIP codes and the DHS STEM list (as of 2026-11; list last updated July 22, 2024)

Common misconception: "My program is called MIS and the admissions page says STEM, so I'm covered," or "it's in the business school, so it can't be STEM." Correction: schools choose the code, and the same program name carries different codes at different schools. What counts is that exact code on the DHS list when your DSO recommends you.

If your code is 52.1201, the routes are slow. Your school can re-code the program. Any interested party, including a member of the public, can nominate a code; SEVP reviews nominations received by the annual August 1 deadline on ICE's SEVP schools page. Or STEM OPT can rest on an earlier STEM degree conferred within the prior 10 years by an accredited, SEVP-certified US institution, so a foreign engineering bachelor's does not count. Our guide to a CIP code that is not on the STEM list covers each route. Confirm which applies with your DSO, not an employer.

Which MS information systems jobs count for STEM OPT and H-1B sponsorship?

On 12-month OPT, any job directly related to your major qualifies. On STEM OPT, the job must be directly related to the qualifying STEM degree, at an E-Verify employer, for at least 20 hours a week, with a Form I-983. For H-1B, the job must be a specialty occupation that requires a degree in a specific specialty your degree matches.

Every H-1B petition needs a certified Labor Condition Application (Form ETA-9035) naming a Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code, and a cap-subject registration must list that code, the work area and the wage level. The code sets the prevailing wage and, through the wage level, your lottery weight. SOC titles below come from O*NET OnLine; the strength column is our reading, not a USCIS rating.

Degree-to-role map for MIS graduates (as of 2026-11)

Enterprise systems, data and requirements work is the core of most MIS curricula, so that link is easy to explain; general-business and pure software roles are where questions come from. Our guide to business analyst sponsorship at enterprise companies covers which employers file analyst roles. Computer and Information Systems Managers (11-3021) usually expect years of experience, so they are rarely a new-graduate role.

For STEM OPT, the I-983 training plan "must explain how the training is directly related to the student's qualifying STEM degree," and your DSO reviews it before recommending you. Our breakdown of writing an OPT "directly related to my major" explanation shows wording that passes and wording that gets flagged.

Can MIS graduates get software engineer jobs?

Yes, but it is the role where an MIS degree gets the most scrutiny, and two separate tests apply: your DSO checks the I-983 link for STEM OPT, and USCIS checks the H-1B petition against the specialty-occupation rule.

The H-1B definition in 8 CFR 214.2(h)(4)(ii), read on eCFR, says a position "is not a specialty occupation if attainment of a general degree, without further specialization, is sufficient." It then adds: "A position may allow for a range of qualifying degree fields, provided that each of those fields is directly related to the duties of the position. Directly related means there is a logical connection between the required degree, or its equivalent, and the duties of the position."

So the question is not whether MIS is "technical enough" in the abstract. It is whether the employer's requirement (often "a bachelor's in computer science or a related field") names fields that each connect to the duties, and whether your degree is one of them. A management-heavy MIS transcript invites that question; programming, data structures, databases and systems design coursework helps answer it. So does a CS or engineering bachelor's, including a foreign one with a credential evaluation, because USCIS asks whether you hold a qualifying degree or its equivalent. Presenting this is the employer's immigration attorney's job; our explainer on how the H-1B modernization rule tightened the degree-to-duties test covers the 2025 change.

It also pays to qualify for more than one SOC code. DOL OFLC's FY2026 Q3 LCA selected statistics (October 2025 to June 2026) put software developers at 29.1% of the 830,710 positions certified, the largest occupation, with data scientists (3.7%), IT project managers (3.4%) and business intelligence analysts (2.0%) also in the top 10. Certified positions are not hires; one LCA can cover many. Indeed's October 22, 2026 snapshot put its Software Development postings index at about 78-79 (February 1, 2020 = 100), the lowest of the five sectors it charted. A graduate who can credibly target 15-1211, 15-2051.01 and 15-1242 roles as well as 15-1252 has more doors.

How the SOC code and county set your H-1B lottery weight

Under the wage-weighted selection rule in effect since February 27, 2026, a registration at wage Level IV is entered four times, Level III three times, Level II twice and Level I once. The level depends on the offered salary for the job's SOC code in the area where you will work.

The regulation tells the registrant to select "the highest Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) wage level that the beneficiary's proffered wage equals or exceeds for the relevant Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code in the area(s) of intended employment" (Federal Register, weighted selection final rule). If you will work in several locations, the lowest level among them counts, and if the salary is a range, the bottom of the range counts.

The SOC code must follow the actual duties; choosing a code to reach a higher level is the employer's legal risk and can sink a petition. What you can do is read the numbers behind an offer (our explainer on how SOC codes set your wage level goes deeper):

1. Ask HR which SOC code and worksite county the role would use, or find the employer's past LCAs for the same title in the disclosure files on DOL's OFLC performance page (latest file: FY2026 Q3, through June 30, 2026).
2. Open DOL's OFLC Wage Search on FLAG and use the all-industries wages, or the ACWIA higher-education wages if the employer is a university or related nonprofit (ask the employer which applies).
3. Enter the SOC code and the county where you will actually work; for a remote role, ask the employer's attorney which location the LCA will list.
4. Note the highest of the Level I to IV figures the offered salary equals or exceeds.
5. Record the SOC code, county and level for each offer, so two offers with the same salary can be compared fairly.

DOL's prevailing-wage NPRM (RIN 1205-AC30) would raise the wage levels, but it is proposed only, with no final rule as of November 1, 2026. Separately, a master's or higher from a US "institution of higher education" (the Higher Education Act definition, which covers accredited public and nonprofit schools) makes you eligible for the additional 20,000-petition advanced-degree exemption described on USCIS's H-1B page; unlike a university job, it still goes through registration and selection.

Worked timeline: STEM-coded vs non-STEM-coded MIS degree

The CIP code decides how many H-1B registration seasons your work authorization can cover. Take a hypothetical student who finishes an MS in May 2027 and gets a post-completion OPT EAD running June 15, 2027 to June 14, 2028.

Illustrative timeline (as of 2026-11; your EAD, I-20 and DSO govern)

No registration season is announced yet; USCIS must give at least 30 days' notice, and March is only an expectation. Cap-gap keeps you working only if the petition is filed while your OPT or STEM OPT is still valid; a petition filed in the 60-day grace period extends your status but not your permission to work, per USCIS's cap-gap page. And USCIS's STEM OPT page says: "If you file your STEM OPT extension application on time and your OPT period expires while your extension application is pending, we will automatically extend your employment authorization for 180 days."

Which employers hire MIS graduates on STEM OPT?

The best fits are enrolled in E-Verify, will sign your I-983, and employ and train you themselves. They fall into five groups, each with a visa trade-off.

• Enterprise IT departments at banks, insurers, health systems, retailers and manufacturers hire systems analysts, BI analysts and ERP specialists, usually under 15-1211 or 15-2051.01.
• Consulting and ERP implementation firms hire for SAP, Oracle and Salesforce work. For STEM OPT, USCIS says the employer that signs the training plan must be "the same entity that employs the student and provides the practical training experience." A client site can fit only if your own employer still trains and supervises you; ask your DSO before accepting one.
• IT services firms were a traditional MIS route that has narrowed. A Congressional Research Service insight (CRS IN12747, October 14, 2026) says Cognizant, Infosys and Tata submitted 100%, 91% and 95% fewer FY2027 registrations. DOL's suspension of eight employers announced October 8, 2026 (Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, TCS, Wipro, HCL and Capgemini) covers PERM green-card filings, not H-1B, according to Mayer Brown, and had no written notice or end date as of November 1.
• Cloud and software vendors hire for cloud support, solutions and security roles, usually under 15-1244, 15-1241, 15-1299.08 or 15-1212.
• Universities and affiliated nonprofits file cap-exempt H-1B petitions, so there is no lottery, but no cap-gap either (why cap-gap skips cap-exempt employers). Florida paused new H-1B hires at 12 public universities from March 2, 2026 until at least January 5, 2027; Texas froze new H-1B petitions at state agencies and public universities from January 27, 2026 to May 31, 2027 unless the Texas Workforce Commission permits one. A DHS proposal under OIRA review since August 24, 2026 (RIN 1615-AD00) lists "revising eligibility for cap exemptions" in its agenda abstract; no text is public, and current rules apply.

To turn those groups into names, build the list from public filings rather than job-board labels:

1. Search the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub (it now says it covers through FY2026 Q4) by employer, city, state or NAICS code, and look at approvals for initial rather than continuing employment.
2. Filter DOL's LCA disclosure file by the SOC codes in the role map and your target counties.
3. Check each employer in E-Verify's employer search before applying for a STEM OPT role; our guide to building a target list from E-Verify participating employers shows the filters.
4. Run the OFLC Wage Search for each role's SOC code and county.
5. Ask the recruiter early: will you sign a Form I-983, do you sponsor H-1B for this role, and which SOC code do you usually file it under?

For context, October 2026 SEVIS data (our sums of DHS tables) show 1,192,572 active F and M records (down 7.1% year over year) and 234,034 Indian master's records (down 20.1%) (SEVIS data mapping tool). These count active records, not new students, and neither number is a hiring forecast.

Common mistakes

• Assuming "MIS" means STEM. Check the CIP code on your I-20 against the DHS list before counting on 36 months of work authorization.
• Writing a generic business description in your I-983 or SEVP portal entry. Name the systems, data and methods from your coursework that the job uses.
• Treating every analyst title as equal. A 13-1111 role with general business duties draws different questions than a 15-1211 systems analyst role.
• Reading the PERM suspension as an H-1B ban. It covers green-card labor certification at eight named employers, not H-1B petitions.
• Counting on cap-gap for a university job. Cap-exempt petitions get none, so plan the filing well before your EAD ends.
• Comparing offers on salary alone. The same salary can be Level I under one SOC code or county and Level II under another.

Frequently asked questions

Is an MS in Information Systems STEM designated?

Only if the CIP code your school assigned, printed on your Form I-20, is on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List (last updated July 22, 2024, and still the version ICE links as current in November 2026). Codes such as 11.0401 Information Science/Studies, 11.0501 Computer Systems Analysis/Analyst and 11.0103 Information Technology are on it. Code 52.1201, Management Information Systems, General, is not, so a program coded that way gets 12 months of OPT but no 24-month STEM OPT extension. Confirm your code with your DSO.

What jobs can I get with an MIS degree on OPT?

Any job directly related to your major, which for most MIS graduates means systems analyst, business intelligence or data analyst, database, ERP or CRM analyst, information security, cloud support and IT project roles. On STEM OPT the employer must also be enrolled in E-Verify and sign a Form I-983 training plan that explains how the training relates to your qualifying STEM degree. As of November 2026 the unemployment limits are 90 days on OPT and 150 days in total with STEM OPT.

Is MIS good for H-1B sponsorship?

It can be, when the job is a specialty occupation and there is a logical connection between your degree and the duties, which is how 8 CFR 214.2(h)(4)(ii) defines "directly related." Since February 27, 2026, wage-weighted selection enters you four times at wage Level IV down to once at Level I, based on the offered salary for the job's SOC code in the worksite area. A master's from a US institution of higher education also makes you eligible for the 20,000 advanced-degree exemption.

Can MIS graduates get software engineer jobs?

Yes, employers do hire MIS graduates as software developers, but this is the role where degree fit gets the most scrutiny. Your I-983 must explain how the training relates to your STEM degree, and for H-1B, USCIS can ask whether information systems is directly related to software development duties. Programming coursework on your transcript or a computer science or engineering bachelor's helps, and the employer's immigration attorney decides how to present it.

Which employers hire MIS graduates on STEM OPT?

Employers that are enrolled in E-Verify, will sign your I-983 and train you directly, such as enterprise IT departments at banks, insurers, health systems and retailers, consulting and ERP firms that employ you themselves, cloud and software vendors, and universities. University H-1B petitions are cap-exempt, so there is no lottery, but they get no cap-gap. Build the list from the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub and DOL LCA disclosure data filtered by SOC code, then check E-Verify.

Sources

• DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List, last updated July 22, 2024 (ICE)
• SEVP information for schools, including the STEM CIP code nomination process (ICE)
• 8 CFR 214.2, STEM OPT, cap-gap and H-1B specialty occupation text (eCFR)
• Optional Practical Training Extension for STEM Students (USCIS)
• Cap-gap extension of OPT and F-1 status (USCIS)
• H-1B Specialty Occupations (USCIS)
• Weighted Selection Process for Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions (Federal Register)
• Optional Practical Training Fees, proposed rule (Federal Register)
• OFLC performance data and LCA disclosure files (DOL)
• LCA Selected Statistics, FY2026 Q3 (DOL OFLC)
• OFLC Wage Search on FLAG (DOL)
• H-1B Employer Data Hub (USCIS)
• October 2026 SEVIS data mapping tool (Study in the States)
• CRS Insight IN12747, H-1B Executive Actions in 2026 (Congress.gov)
• RIN 1615-AD00, Reforming the H-1B Nonimmigrant Visa Classification Program (Unified Agenda)
• DOL enforcement actions in H-1B and PERM fraud probe (Mayer Brown)
• US labor market snapshot, October 2026 (Indeed Hiring Lab)
• O*NET OnLine occupation profiles (SOC titles)

How we checked this: on November 1-2, 2026 we read the DHS STEM list (July 22, 2024 edition) and ICE's schools page, 8 CFR 214.2 on eCFR, the weighted-selection final rule, USCIS's STEM OPT, cap-gap and H-1B pages, DOL OFLC's FY2026 Q3 LCA statistics, O*NET's SOC titles, the CRS insight and the October 2026 SEVIS tables, and dated every rule status to November 1, 2026.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice; your own I-20, EAD and I-797, and your DSO (for OPT and STEM OPT) or the employer's immigration attorney (for H-1B), govern your situation.

If you want help turning an MIS degree into a list of roles and employers that fits your visa timeline, F1Jobs is happy to talk it through with you.