Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies graduates earn $55,693 four years out. Related careers are growing at up to 19.7%, one of the stronger demand signals across all fields. Computer & Information Research Scientist is among the highest-growth roles in the field.
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies is a focused area of study within Interdisciplinary Studies. Graduates typically earn around $55,693 four years out, a solid return for a focused credential. The program is available at 855 colleges across the U.S., from community colleges to research universities. About 29,596 students complete this program each year, most earning a bachelor's. The focus is on writing, analysis, and communication that transfer across industries.
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies graduates earn $55,693 four years out, near the national median for college graduates. The middle 50% of earners fall between $40,311 and $72,165. Earnings typically jump significantly in the first few years. The one-year figure of $38,654 climbs to $55,693 by year four.
Starting salaries only. Earnings in this field grow substantially in the first 3 to 5 years.
Near the national median for college graduates.
Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size.
There is a moderate earnings spread across Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies graduates. Career path divergence explains most of the range. Law, consulting, and tech-adjacent roles pull the top end up; writing, education, and nonprofit roles tend to sit near the bottom.
Solid ROI. At median 4-year earnings of $55,693 and an estimated $60,696 four-year net cost, the typical graduate reaches earnings breakeven in roughly 2.4 years.
Based on outcomes from 667 schools. Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.
Of the 29,596 students who complete Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies programs each year, the majority (72%) earn a bachelor's degree. The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies connects to 8 occupations in the job market. Computer & Information Systems Manager leads at $175,140/yr median. Expand any card to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.
The 20 colleges below are ranked by how many Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies students they graduate each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.
| # | College | Graduates | Acceptance | Net Price/yr | Earnings 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VA · Nonprofit | 1,824 | 99% | $29,357 | $44,813 |
| 2 | Texas A&M University-College Station College Station, TX · Public | 624 | 57.4% | $21,315 | $72,097 |
| 3 | University of North Texas Denton, TX · Public | 612 | 72.2% | $15,649 | $57,010 |
| 4 | Citrus College Glendora, CA · Public | 583 | Open | $4,135 | $42,065 |
| 5 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN · Public | 491 | 79.8% | $16,778 | $69,020 |
| 6 | University of Maryland-Baltimore County Baltimore, MD · Public | 488 | 72.4% | $16,467 | $69,960 |
| 7 | Georgia State University Atlanta, GA · Public | 463 | 55.4% | $15,931 | $47,384 |
| 8 | University of Houston-Downtown Houston, TX · Public | 428 | 90% | $10,542 | $53,551 |
| 9 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TX · Public | 376 | 94.2% | $4,831 | $49,620 |
| 10 | East Texas A&M University Commerce, TX · Public | 337 | 92.2% | $11,841 | $50,296 |
| 11 | Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN · Public | 293 | 69.1% | $13,359 | $48,541 |
| 12 | University of Houston-Clear Lake Houston, TX · Public | 282 | 90.5% | $15,563 | $59,004 |
| 13 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN · Nonprofit | 281 | 5.9% | $15,846 | $91,565 |
| 14 | Duke University Durham, NC · Nonprofit | 281 | 5.7% | $29,612 | $97,800 |
| 15 | Stephen F Austin State University Nacogdoches, TX · Public | 280 | 94% | $14,260 | $49,634 |
| 16 | Lamar University Beaumont, TX · Public | 280 | 86.4% | $9,366 | $49,652 |
| 17 | University of Houston Houston, TX · Public | 269 | 73.9% | $14,276 | $62,377 |
| 18 | University of Maryland-College Park College Park, MD · Public | 267 | 44.8% | $15,678 | $82,860 |
| 19 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst Amherst, MA · Public | 265 | 59.7% | $22,383 | $71,631 |
| 20 | Tulsa Community College Tulsa, OK · Public | 264 | Open | $6,288 | $39,746 |
Ranked by Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats. Read our methodology →
Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find schools that match your profile.
See if a Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies degree pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings its graduates actually see.
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
The data on Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies shows 4 measurable strengths and 1 real trade-offs. All points are sourced from College Scorecard earnings, BLS projections, and IPEDS graduate counts.
The highest-earning college major out-pays the lowest by a factor of two and a half. The full ranking of all 38 fields by median graduate earnings, with job growth alongside.
A popular claim holds that the applied engineering-tech degree pays more than the theoretical one. Across every program, engineering wins by about $10,000.
Across 88 STEM programs the top one out-earns the bottom by $65,000 a year. Operations research pays $122,531; environmental design pays $57,461.
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
Scout uses AI and can make mistakes. Verify important numbers on the page.
