Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 76 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$208,183 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
51.0 yrsModeled economic break-even
−80%Modeled 10-year ROI
$50,074Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$50,074Median reported earnings · year 4
$49,390Average reported earnings · year 5
$26,000Median federal debt
21thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
76Reporting programs
65With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $66,766
- Federal debt
- $23,125
- Reporting programs
- 2
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $47,255
- Federal debt
- $11,938
- Reporting programs
- 4
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $50,074
- Federal debt
- $26,000
- Reporting programs
- 76
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $75,380
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 3
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $64,358
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $79,964
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$46,511National median$50,07475th percentile$55,978
65 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Lehigh University$91,6972Stonehill College$72,1213Marist University$67,0764Indiana University-East$66,5975Chadron State College$64,7386Park University$60,5097Mount Saint Mary College$60,1338SUNY Buffalo State University$59,0969University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus$59,00110National University$58,727Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
NO MATCHSOC 99-9999 · 2 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lehigh UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bethlehem, PA | $91,697 | $24,960 | +42% | Positive payoff |
| 2 | Stonehill CollegeBachelor's Degree | Easton, MA | $72,121 | Not available | -13% | Negative payoff |
| 3 | Marist UniversityBachelor's Degree | Poughkeepsie, NY | $67,076 | $31,142 | -36% | Negative payoff |
| 4 | Indiana University-EastBachelor's Degree | Richmond, IN | $66,597 | Not available | +2% | Positive payoff |
| 5 | Chadron State CollegeBachelor's Degree | Chadron, NE | $64,738 | Not available | -14% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | Park UniversityBachelor's Degree | Parkville, MO | $60,509 | $23,369 | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | Mount Saint Mary CollegeBachelor's Degree | Newburgh, NY | $60,133 | $26,500 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | SUNY Buffalo State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Buffalo, NY | $59,096 | Not available | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusBachelor's Degree | Norman, OK | $59,001 | $23,000 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | National UniversityBachelor's Degree | San Diego, CA | $58,727 | $33,094 | -49% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | The University of AlabamaBachelor's Degree | Tuscaloosa, AL | $56,945 | $29,311 | -56% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | SUNY College of Technology at AlfredBachelor's Degree | Alfred, NY | $56,643 | Not available | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | The University of Tennessee-ChattanoogaBachelor's Degree | Chattanooga, TN | $56,558 | Not available | -51% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Eastern Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Cheney, WA | $56,507 | $24,750 | -51% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | Lipscomb UniversityBachelor's Degree | Nashville, TN | $56,036 | Not available | -60% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | Brigham Young University-IdahoBachelor's Degree | Rexburg, ID | $55,978 | $13,730 | -48% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | University of KentuckyBachelor's Degree | Lexington, KY | $55,937 | $26,000 | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | Auburn UniversityBachelor's Degree | Auburn, AL | $55,331 | $23,000 | -63% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | Southern Illinois University EdwardsvilleBachelor's Degree | Edwardsville, IL | $55,110 | $30,357 | -58% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | Houston Christian UniversityBachelor's Degree | Houston, TX | $54,696 | $31,000 | -63% | Negative payoff |
| 21 | Touro UniversityBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $54,467 | $16,417 | -68% | Negative payoff |
| 22 | Western Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bellingham, WA | $54,290 | $24,055 | -65% | Negative payoff |
| 23 | University of ToledoBachelor's Degree | Toledo, OH | $53,672 | $31,355 | -65% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | University of ArizonaBachelor's Degree | Tucson, AZ | $53,471 | $25,000 | -66% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | Bethel UniversityBachelor's Degree | Mishawaka, IN | $53,152 | $46,989 | -68% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | Keiser University-Ft LauderdaleBachelor's Degree | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $52,293 | $41,026 | -76% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | University of Central FloridaBachelor's Degree | Orlando, FL | $51,959 | $24,700 | -69% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | Baylor UniversityBachelor's Degree | Waco, TX | $51,727 | $27,000 | -80% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | Boise State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Boise, ID | $51,708 | $31,613 | -75% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | Florida Atlantic UniversityBachelor's Degree | Boca Raton, FL | $51,082 | $22,324 | -72% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | Fitchburg State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fitchburg, MA | $50,089 | $26,000 | -79% | Negative payoff |
| 32 | Roanoke CollegeBachelor's Degree | Salem, VA | $50,074 | Not available | -82% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | Utah Tech UniversityBachelor's Degree | Saint George, UT | $49,936 | $25,996 | -80% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | University of North FloridaBachelor's Degree | Jacksonville, FL | $49,804 | $22,500 | -78% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | Jackson State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Jackson, MS | $49,299 | $42,752 | -84% | Negative payoff |
| 36 | Northern Arizona UniversityBachelor's Degree | Flagstaff, AZ | $49,080 | $26,899 | -83% | Negative payoff |
| 37 | Florida Gulf Coast UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fort Myers, FL | $48,879 | $19,500 | -83% | Negative payoff |
| 38 | University of Washington-Seattle CampusBachelor's Degree | Seattle, WA | $48,753 | $15,215 | -84% | Negative payoff |
| 39 | University of Washington-Tacoma CampusBachelor's Degree | Tacoma, WA | $48,753 | $15,215 | -83% | Negative payoff |
| 40 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan CampusBachelor's Degree | Teaneck, NJ | $48,292 | $25,000 | -86% | Negative payoff |
| 41 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham CampusBachelor's Degree | Madison, NJ | $48,292 | $25,000 | -88% | Negative payoff |
| 42 | Corban UniversityBachelor's Degree | Salem, OR | $48,080 | $23,562 | -89% | Negative payoff |
| 43 | California State University, FresnoBachelor's Degree | Fresno, CA | $47,817 | $20,202 | -86% | Negative payoff |
| 44 | University of ArkansasBachelor's Degree | Fayetteville, AR | $47,766 | $30,944 | -89% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | Towson UniversityBachelor's Degree | Towson, MD | $47,597 | Not available | -90% | Negative payoff |
| 46 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical UniversityBachelor's Degree | Tallahassee, FL | $47,139 | $31,000 | -91% | Negative payoff |
| 47 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and ScienceBachelor's Degree | Paul Smiths, NY | $46,834 | Not available | -94% | Negative payoff |
| 48 | College of Coastal GeorgiaBachelor's Degree | Brunswick, GA | $46,511 | $24,725 | -94% | Negative payoff |
| 49 | Liberty UniversityBachelor's Degree | Lynchburg, VA | $46,274 | $27,832 | -96% | Negative payoff |
| 50 | Slippery Rock University of PennsylvaniaBachelor's Degree | Slippery Rock, PA | $46,176 | $26,264 | -95% | Negative payoff |
| 51 | Millersville University of PennsylvaniaBachelor's Degree | Millersville, PA | $46,119 | $25,990 | -96% | Negative payoff |
| 52 | Covenant CollegeBachelor's Degree | Lookout Mountain, GA | $44,909 | $22,500 | -100% | Negative payoff |
| 53 | Maranatha Baptist UniversityBachelor's Degree | Watertown, WI | $44,455 | Not available | -102% | Negative payoff |
| 54 | Indiana University-KokomoBachelor's Degree | Kokomo, IN | $43,436 | Not available | -108% | Negative payoff |
| 55 | University of South AlabamaBachelor's Degree | Mobile, AL | $43,023 | $29,625 | -108% | Negative payoff |
| 56 | Eastern Oregon UniversityBachelor's Degree | La Grande, OR | $42,838 | $37,568 | -109% | Negative payoff |
| 57 | Savannah State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Savannah, GA | $39,208 | $35,576 | -127% | Negative payoff |
| 58 | Chowan UniversityBachelor's Degree | Murfreesboro, NC | $36,682 | Not available | -135% | Negative payoff |
| 59 | Wiley UniversityBachelor's Degree | Marshall, TX | $36,678 | $30,000 | -140% | Negative payoff |
| 60 | Trinity College of JacksonvilleBachelor's Degree | Jacksonville, FL | $36,114 | $21,875 | -134% | Negative payoff |
| 61 | Auburn University at MontgomeryBachelor's Degree | Montgomery, AL | $35,798 | $31,500 | -140% | Negative payoff |
| 62 | University of North AlabamaBachelor's Degree | Florence, AL | $34,810 | Not available | -145% | Negative payoff |
| 63 | College of the AtlanticBachelor's Degree | Bar Harbor, ME | $31,138 | $25,475 | -149% | Negative payoff |
| 64 | Quinnipiac UniversityBachelor's Degree | Hamden, CT | Not available | $26,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $40,675 |
| 65 | Sacred Heart UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fairfield, CT | Not available | $26,831 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $46,174 |
| 66 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona BeachBachelor's Degree | Daytona Beach, FL | Not available | $29,319 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $41,272 |
| 67 | Florida International UniversityBachelor's Degree | Miami, FL | Not available | $24,025 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $9,288 |
| 68 | University of MississippiBachelor's Degree | University, MS | Not available | $24,525 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $13,314 |
| 69 | Elizabeth City State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Elizabeth City, NC | Not available | $32,021 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $6,364 |
| 70 | Coker UniversityBachelor's Degree | Hartsville, SC | Not available | $29,116 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $20,286 |
| 71 | Northwest UniversityBachelor's Degree | Kirkland, WA | Not available | $26,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $22,288 |
| 72 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-WorldwideBachelor's Degree | Daytona Beach, FL | Not available | $29,319 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $18,725 |
| 73 | Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended EducationBachelor's Degree | Kirkland, WA | Not available | $26,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $35,671 |
| 74 | Hodges UniversityBachelor's Degree | , | $65,916 | Not available | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 75 | Sierra Nevada UniversityBachelor's Degree | , | $38,725 | $21,545 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 76 | Alliance UniversityBachelor's Degree | , | Not available | $39,100 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.