Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General graduates earn a median $50,532 four years after finishing — $2,172/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,902/yr net price ($67,608 over four years), that pays back in about 31.1 years. Federal data pools 256 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 7,128 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General ranks #161 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 21% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lehigh University | PA | $91,697 |
| 2 | Stonehill College | MA | $72,121 |
| 3 | Marist University | NY | $67,076 |
| 4 | Indiana University-East | IN | $66,597 |
| 5 | Chadron State College | NE | $64,738 |
| 6 | Park University | MO | $60,509 |
| 7 | Mount Saint Mary College | NY | $60,133 |
| 8 | SUNY Buffalo State University | NY | $59,096 |
| 9 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | OK | $59,001 |
| 10 | National University | CA | $58,727 |
| 11 | The University of Alabama | AL | $56,945 |
| 12 | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | NY | $56,643 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.
How fast does Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General pay grow after graduation?
From $39,715 one year out to $50,532 four years out — a $10,817 climb, or 27% over three years. Both are federal medians of the same graduating cohorts, so the gap reflects real wage progression rather than a change in who is measured.
How many students graduate in Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General each year?
About 7,128 bachelor's graduates a year across 256 programs in the federal file. Cohort size matters when reading the median: a field this size averages across a wide range of employers, regions and job titles.