Library and Information Science Consumer Information

We provide a comprehensive look at what our graduates achieve as a result of taking our top-ranked program.

Graduation and Retention Data

Data for those matriculating (entering the MSLIS degree) from 2016 to 2020. Data for five years since matriculation is provided. While the number of credits a matriculated student may take will vary throughout the student’s program, the data below are based on the number of credits a student takes during the person’s first semester/term (0-8 credits for part-time; 9 or more for full-time). For full-time students, the MSLIS curriculum is optimized for completion in two years; Syracuse University requires that students in a master’s program graduate within seven years after beginning the program.

For campus-based full time students beginning the LIS program from 2016-17 to 2020-21, 99% completed their degrees. Of the 83 students who began in the LIS program full time, 7 changed from LIS to LIS: School Media*, 1 changed to Information Science, 1 changed to Applied Data Science, and 1 left the university after two semesters and did not graduate. 1 student was discontinued due to non-attendance.

Matric Year Total N Grad 2 Years Not Grad 2 Years Grad 3 Years Not Grad 3 Years Grad 4 Years Not Grad 4 Years Grad 5 Years Not Grad 5 Years
2016-17 14 9 (64.3%) 3 (21.4%) 13 (92.9%) 0   (0.0%) 13 (92.9%) 0 (0.0%) 13 (92.9%) 0 (0.0%)
2017-18 24 21 (87.5%) 3 (12.5%) 23 (95.8%) 1 (4.2%) 23 (95.8%) 1 (4.2%)
2018-19 23 19 (82.6%) 2  (8.7%) 21 (91.3%) 0   (0.0%)
2019-20 22 21 (95.5%) 1  (4.5%)

For campus-based part time students beginning the LIS program from 2016-17 to 2020-21, 67% completed their degrees. Of the 24 students who began in the LIS program part time, 1 changed from LIS to LIS: School Media*, 1 changed to Applied Data Science, and 1 left the university after one semester and did not graduate. 3 students were discontinued due to non-attendance. 1 student is still active in the program.

Matric Year Total N Grad 2 Years Not Grad 2 Years Grad 3 Years Not Grad 3 Years Grad 4 Years Not Grad 4 Years Grad 5 Years Not Grad 5 Years
2016-17 7 4 (57.1%) 3 (42.9%) 5 (71.4%) 2 (28.6%) 5 (71.4%) 2 (28.6%) 5 (71.4%) 2 (28.6%)
2017-18 6 3 (50.0%) 2 (33.3%) 4 (66.7%) 1 (16.7%) 4 (66.7%) 1 (16.7%)
2018-19 6 1 (16.7%) 5 (83.3%) 3 (50.0%) 3 (50.0%)
2019-20 5 3 (60.0%) 2 (40.0%)

During this period, no full-time online students changed programs. Very few online students are considered full-time. The explanation for the number of full-time non-graduates listed here is due to Winter and Spring terms grouped into one semester when they appear to be full-time, but actually are part-time. 19 of those students were discontinued due to non-attendance.

Matric Year Total N Grad 2 Years Not Grad 2 Years Grad 3 Years Not Grad 3 Years Grad 4 Years Not Grad 4 Years Grad 5 Years Not Grad 5 Years
2016-17 4 3 (75.0%) 1 (25.0%) 4 (100.0%) 0   (0.0%) 4 (100.0%) 0   (0.0%) 4 (100.0%) 0   (0.0%)
2017-18 36 21 (58.3%) 15 (41.7%) 26 (72.2%) 10 (27.8%) 27 (75.0%) 9

(25.0%)
2018-19 33 24 (72.7%) 9 (27.3%) 25 (75.8%) 8 (24.2%)
2019-20 20 18 (90.0%) 2 (10.0%)

During this period of time, of the 336 online part time students, 11 students who started in the LIS program changed to another program, 7 to LIS: School Media Specialization*, 3 to Data Science, and 1 to Information Management. 16 part-time students were discontinued due to non-attendance, not including the misrepresented full-time students above. 8 of the students graduated in Dec. 2022 but this data was derived prior to the posting of the degree conferral. The remaining part time students are still active.

* The LIS: School Media Specialization is part of the LIS program, but for state licensing purposes, it has a different code.

Matric Year Total N Grad 2 Years Not Grad 2 Years Grad 3 Years Not Grad 3 Years Grad 4 Years Not Grad 4 Years Grad 5 Years Not Grad 5 Years
2016-17 39 18 (46.2%) 21 (53.8%) 24 (61.5%) 14 (35.9%) 26 (66.7%) 11 (28.2%) 26 (66.7%) 11 (28.2%)
2017-18 124 65 (52.4%) 59 (47.6%) 78 (62.9%) 43 (34.7%) 84 (67.7%) 37 (29.8%)
2018-19 106 50 (47.2%) 51 (48.1%) 68 (64.2%) 33 (31.1%)
2019-20 67 33 (49.3%) 33 (49.3%)

Graduate Employment Report: M.S .in Library & Information Science

*Classes of 2020-2022 graduated during the COVID-19 pandemic

Campus Graduates

Based on 83% response rate

2022 Graduate Placement Rate: 79%

5-year Rolling Average Placement Rate: 83%

2022 Job titles

  • Children’s Librarian
  • Collection Management Librarian
  • Curator of Plastics and Historical Artifacts and Lead Curator
  • Data Curator and Metadata Librarian
  • Data Governance Analyst
  • Family Engagement Librarian
  • Local History Librarian and Archivist
  • Metadata Strategies Librarian
  • Reference and Instruction Librarian
  • Web Services Librarian

2022 Employers

  • Corning Museum of Glass
  • Library of Congress
  • Lockheed Martin
  • Northern Michigan Univ.
  • Onondaga County Public Library
  • Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center
  • Princeton University
  • Richards Free Library
  • Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries
  • UMass Dartmouth

Job placement status after graduation

  • 63% Employed full time
  • 37% Still seeking
  • 0% Attending graduate school

Average time to employment when obtained job

  • 16% Before graduation
  • 84% 0-3 months
  • 0% 3-6 months
  • 0% 6+ months
Online Graduates

Response rate: 79%

2021 Graduate Placement Rate: 79%

5-year Rolling Average Placement Rate: 83% (online students were included in total count prior to 2021)

2022 Job titles

  • Access Services Librarian
  • Adult Services Librarian
  • Archivist
  • Cataloging Manager
  • Communications and Business Liaison Librarian
  • Digitization Technician
  • Librarian Collections and Digital Services
  • Library Media Specialist
  • Reference Librarian
  • Research and Instruction Librarian
  • Youth Services Librarian

2022 Employers

  • Anne Arundel County Public Library
  • Appalachian School of Law
  • Brooklyn Public Library
  • Darwin R. Barker Museum
  • Essex Free Library
  • Law Library of Congress, Washington D.C.
  • New York City Dept. of Education
  • Oregon Symphony
  • Sequoyah Regional Library System
  • SUNY Brockport

Job placement status after graduation

  • 79% Employed
  • 21 % Still seeking
  • 0% Attending graduate school

Average time to employment when obtained job

  • 22% Before graduation*
  • 73% 0-3 months*
  • 0% 3-6 months*
  • 0% 6+ months*

Graduate Employment Report: M.S in Library & Information Science with School Media specialization

Based on 100% response rate

2022 Graduate Placement Rate: 100%

5-year Rolling Average Placement Rate: 100%

Job placement status after graduation

  • 100% Employed

Average time to employment when obtained job

  • 71% Before graduation
  • 29% 0-3 months
  • 0% 3-6 months
  • 0% 6+ months

MSLIS Program Outcomes

Graduates of the iSchool MSLIS program:

  1. Advance information equity and justice by applying professional ethics, values, and standards to work towards a just and equitable information society.
  2. Connect, engage, and collaborate with users and their communities through the provision of inclusive resources, services, and spaces.
  3. Design and innovate to create equitable, just, and engaging information artifacts, including services, systems, spaces, resources, and technologies.
  4. Lead and manage people and projects in an equitable, just, and culturally responsive manner.
  5. Demonstrate information literacy and technological agility.

Successful Transfer of Credit into the MSLIS program

Graduate students in the iSchool may seek to transfer into their program of study up to six credits from another ALA accredited graduate institution. For those credits to be considered, it is required that they relate to the student’s program of study and be within 7 years of the student’s anticipated graduation from the MSLIS program.  It is our experience that few students transfer in credits, because of those requirements. However, we encourage any prospective student who is interested in this option to talk with an admissions counselor about the process.

MSLIS with School Library Media Specialization New York State Licensure Pass Rates

Teachers certified in New York State, who are seeking an MSLIS with School Library Media Specialization, do not have to take the Education All Students or the edTPA.  Students who do not pass the test on their first try are able to retake the test until they receive a passing score or, if available, use the Safety Net provided by the New York State Education Department.

The edTPA assessment was removed from New York State Education Department requirements in April 2022.

2022 100%
2021 100%
2020 100%
2019 100%
2018 100%
2017 100%
2016* 100%

*Safety Net requested

2022 100%
2021 100%
2020 100%
2019 100%
2018 100%
2017 100%
2016* 100%

*Safety Net requested