Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 227 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$156,855 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.
26.0 yrsModeled economic break-even
−62%Modeled 10-year ROI
$54,816Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$54,816Median reported earnings · year 4
$56,948Average reported earnings · year 5
$25,687Median federal debt
34thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
227Reporting programs
209With 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
- $66,603
- Federal debt
- $16,500
- Reporting programs
- 5
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $51,834
- Federal debt
- $13,023
- Reporting programs
- 44
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $54,816
- Federal debt
- $25,687
- Reporting programs
- 227
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $73,514
- Federal debt
- $18,837
- Reporting programs
- 1
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $70,493
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 26
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $85,987
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 3
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $97,530
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $65,118
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 5
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$49,706National median$54,81675th percentile$60,270
209 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1University of the Pacific$171,2612University of Michigan-Ann Arbor$128,2913Boston University$110,6224Thomas Edison State University$109,3955Drexel University$92,7786University of Richmond$90,3697University of Minnesota-Crookston$88,3198University of California, Berkeley$87,7919Vanderbilt University$86,55910Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute$83,958Observed 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 · 1 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 | University of the PacificBachelor's Degree | Stockton, CA | $171,261 | $15,500 | +348% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | University of Michigan-Ann ArborBachelor's Degree | Ann Arbor, MI | $128,291 | $19,000 | +258% | Strong payoff |
| 3 | Boston UniversityBachelor's Degree | Boston, MA | $110,622 | $22,625 | +136% | Strong payoff |
| 4 | Thomas Edison State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Trenton, NJ | $109,395 | $11,474 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 5 | Drexel UniversityBachelor's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $92,778 | $25,878 | +43% | Positive payoff |
| 6 | University of RichmondBachelor's Degree | University of Richmond, VA | $90,369 | $24,750 | +49% | Positive payoff |
| 7 | University of Minnesota-CrookstonBachelor's Degree | Crookston, MN | $88,319 | $31,000 | +89% | Positive payoff |
| 8 | University of California, BerkeleyBachelor's Degree | Berkeley, CA | $87,791 | $14,500 | +83% | Positive payoff |
| 9 | Vanderbilt UniversityBachelor's Degree | Nashville, TN | $86,559 | $12,000 | +71% | Positive payoff |
| 10 | Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteBachelor's Degree | Troy, NY | $83,958 | $27,000 | +20% | Positive payoff |
| 11 | Johns Hopkins UniversityBachelor's Degree | Baltimore, MD | $79,127 | $13,750 | +34% | Positive payoff |
| 12 | University of Arkansas GranthamBachelor's Degree | LIttle Rock, AR | $77,844 | $9,625 | +54% | Positive payoff |
| 13 | American UniversityBachelor's Degree | Washington, DC | $76,552 | $23,000 | -9% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | University of California, Los AngelesBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $75,504 | $15,000 | +33% | Positive payoff |
| 15 | Franklin and Marshall CollegeBachelor's Degree | Lancaster, PA | $74,099 | $19,875 | -11% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | Binghamton UniversityBachelor's Degree | Vestal, NY | $72,955 | $21,667 | +5% | Positive payoff |
| 17 | University of Colorado BoulderBachelor's Degree | Boulder, CO | $72,306 | $23,831 | -3% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | College of the Holy CrossBachelor's Degree | Worcester, MA | $72,290 | $27,000 | -19% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | University of ConnecticutBachelor's Degree | Storrs, CT | $71,283 | $23,307 | -6% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | University of Connecticut-Waterbury CampusBachelor's Degree | Waterbury, CT | $71,283 | $23,307 | +18% | Positive payoff |
| 21 | University of Connecticut-Avery PointBachelor's Degree | Groton, CT | $71,283 | $23,307 | +12% | Positive payoff |
| 22 | University of Connecticut-StamfordBachelor's Degree | Stamford, CT | $71,283 | $23,307 | +6% | Positive payoff |
| 23 | University of Connecticut-Hartford CampusBachelor's Degree | Hartford, CT | $71,283 | $23,307 | +7% | Positive payoff |
| 24 | University of North DakotaBachelor's Degree | Grand Forks, ND | $70,947 | $18,764 | +2% | Positive payoff |
| 25 | William & MaryBachelor's Degree | Williamsburg, VA | $70,523 | $18,929 | -0% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | California Lutheran UniversityBachelor's Degree | Thousand Oaks, CA | $70,409 | $22,875 | -15% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | University of Hawaii-West OahuBachelor's Degree | Kapolei, HI | $69,931 | $17,820 | +13% | Positive payoff |
| 28 | Trinity CollegeBachelor's Degree | Hartford, CT | $68,998 | $23,927 | -25% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | Suffolk UniversityBachelor's Degree | Boston, MA | $67,779 | $24,485 | -24% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | University of IowaBachelor's Degree | Iowa City, IA | $67,760 | $24,929 | -16% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | Purdue University GlobalBachelor's Degree | West Lafayette, IN | $66,445 | $26,000 | +2% | Positive payoff |
| 32 | University of Virginia-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Charlottesville, VA | $66,350 | $26,700 | -20% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleBachelor's Degree | Carbondale, IL | $66,130 | Not available | -9% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | Rogers State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Claremore, OK | $66,130 | $31,827 | -12% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | University of Puget SoundBachelor's Degree | Tacoma, WA | $65,986 | Not available | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 36 | Montana State University BillingsBachelor's Degree | Billings, MT | $65,875 | $34,680 | -15% | Negative payoff |
| 37 | Boise State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Boise, ID | $65,089 | $26,000 | -25% | Negative payoff |
| 38 | University of BaltimoreBachelor's Degree | Baltimore, MD | $64,305 | Not available | -18% | Negative payoff |
| 39 | Loyola University MarylandBachelor's Degree | Baltimore, MD | $63,683 | $27,000 | -38% | Negative payoff |
| 40 | University of Massachusetts-AmherstBachelor's Degree | Amherst, MA | $63,383 | $29,309 | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 41 | Arizona State University Campus ImmersionBachelor's Degree | Tempe, AZ | $63,211 | $25,000 | -24% | Negative payoff |
| 42 | Arizona State University Digital ImmersionBachelor's Degree | Scottsdale, AZ | $63,211 | $25,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 43 | Christopher Newport UniversityBachelor's Degree | Newport News, VA | $62,828 | $26,000 | -34% | Negative payoff |
| 44 | Texas Southern UniversityBachelor's Degree | Houston, TX | $62,728 | $37,125 | -28% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | University of Michigan-FlintBachelor's Degree | Flint, MI | $62,420 | $41,866 | -16% | Negative payoff |
| 46 | New York Institute of TechnologyBachelor's Degree | Old Westbury, NY | $62,365 | $25,058 | -36% | Negative payoff |
| 47 | University of North Carolina at PembrokeBachelor's Degree | Pembroke, NC | $62,355 | $30,479 | -21% | Negative payoff |
| 48 | Stony Brook UniversityBachelor's Degree | Stony Brook, NY | $61,888 | $24,000 | -34% | Negative payoff |
| 49 | Miami University-OxfordBachelor's Degree | Oxford, OH | $61,145 | Not available | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 50 | University of Cincinnati-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Cincinnati, OH | $60,441 | $27,000 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 51 | University of Cincinnati-Clermont CollegeBachelor's Degree | Batavia, OH | $60,441 | $27,000 | -34% | Negative payoff |
| 52 | University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash CollegeBachelor's Degree | Blue Ash, OH | $60,441 | $27,000 | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 53 | University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesBachelor's Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $60,270 | $20,500 | -38% | Negative payoff |
| 54 | University of California, IrvineBachelor's Degree | Irvine, CA | $60,242 | $16,332 | -36% | Negative payoff |
| 55 | University of Houston-DowntownBachelor's Degree | Houston, TX | $59,924 | $28,237 | -33% | Negative payoff |
| 56 | Metropolitan State University of DenverBachelor's Degree | Denver, CO | $59,502 | $30,700 | -40% | Negative payoff |
| 57 | University of Southern CaliforniaBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $59,455 | $20,000 | -54% | Negative payoff |
| 58 | University of Alaska FairbanksBachelor's Degree | Fairbanks, AK | $59,348 | $33,469 | -36% | Negative payoff |
| 59 | Ohio State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Columbus, OH | $59,072 | $20,029 | -44% | Negative payoff |
| 60 | California Institute of Integral StudiesBachelor's Degree | San Francisco, CA | $59,036 | $24,177 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 61 | Austin CollegeBachelor's Degree | Sherman, TX | $58,913 | $25,142 | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 62 | Utah State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Logan, UT | $58,711 | $21,932 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 63 | University of HoustonBachelor's Degree | Houston, TX | $58,705 | $21,500 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 64 | Texas A&M University-College StationBachelor's Degree | College Station, TX | $58,697 | $20,500 | -48% | Negative payoff |
| 65 | Metropolitan State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Saint Paul, MN | $58,568 | $35,110 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 66 | University of North Texas at DallasBachelor's Degree | Dallas, TX | $58,293 | Not available | -35% | Negative payoff |
| 67 | Bloomfield College of Montclair State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bloomfield, NJ | $58,236 | $25,000 | -55% | Negative payoff |
| 68 | Montclair State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Montclair, NJ | $58,236 | $25,000 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 69 | Fordham UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bronx, NY | $58,044 | $27,000 | -63% | Negative payoff |
| 70 | University of North TexasBachelor's Degree | Denton, TX | $58,004 | $23,573 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 71 | The University of Texas at DallasBachelor's Degree | Richardson, TX | $57,864 | $24,092 | -49% | Negative payoff |
| 72 | Belmont UniversityBachelor's Degree | Nashville, TN | $57,644 | $20,500 | -60% | Negative payoff |
| 73 | Bushnell UniversityBachelor's Degree | Eugene, OR | $57,601 | $21,500 | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 74 | Northeastern State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Tahlequah, OK | $57,549 | $30,750 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 75 | Portland State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Portland, OR | $57,438 | $16,500 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 76 | Empire State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Saratoga Springs, NY | $57,379 | $27,708 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 77 | Emmanuel CollegeBachelor's Degree | Boston, MA | $57,341 | $27,000 | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 78 | Texas Tech UniversityBachelor's Degree | Lubbock, TX | $57,262 | $22,800 | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 79 | Prairie View A&M UniversityBachelor's Degree | Prairie View, TX | $57,212 | $31,000 | -48% | Negative payoff |
| 80 | University of Houston-Clear LakeBachelor's Degree | Houston, TX | $57,065 | $20,904 | -50% | Negative payoff |
| 81 | The University of Texas at ArlingtonBachelor's Degree | Arlington, TX | $56,782 | $19,500 | -50% | Negative payoff |
| 82 | University of Arkansas at Little RockBachelor's Degree | Little Rock, AR | $56,650 | $20,166 | -53% | Negative payoff |
| 83 | Saint Cloud State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Saint Cloud, MN | $56,547 | $28,551 | -51% | Negative payoff |
| 84 | The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyBachelor's Degree | Edinburg, TX | $56,493 | $15,465 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 85 | The University of Texas at El PasoBachelor's Degree | El Paso, TX | $56,486 | $22,512 | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 86 | Sam Houston State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Huntsville, TX | $56,225 | $27,000 | -54% | Negative payoff |
| 87 | Eastern Michigan UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ypsilanti, MI | $56,207 | $31,125 | -54% | Negative payoff |
| 88 | The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleBachelor's Degree | Knoxville, TN | $56,155 | $20,500 | -56% | Negative payoff |
| 89 | D'Youville UniversityBachelor's Degree | Buffalo, NY | $56,053 | $25,000 | -58% | Negative payoff |
| 90 | University of Alaska SoutheastBachelor's Degree | Juneau, AK | $55,957 | Not available | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 91 | Old Dominion UniversityBachelor's Degree | Norfolk, VA | $55,889 | $27,000 | -54% | Negative payoff |
| 92 | Virginia Commonwealth UniversityBachelor's Degree | Richmond, VA | $55,855 | $25,125 | -60% | Negative payoff |
| 93 | Plymouth State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Plymouth, NH | $55,773 | $26,856 | -58% | Negative payoff |
| 94 | Dallas Baptist UniversityBachelor's Degree | Dallas, TX | $55,690 | $25,000 | -64% | Negative payoff |
| 95 | Saint Elizabeth UniversityBachelor's Degree | Morristown, NJ | $55,573 | $24,934 | -61% | Negative payoff |
| 96 | University of New Hampshire-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Durham, NH | $55,509 | $27,000 | -62% | Negative payoff |
| 97 | University of New Hampshire College of Professional Studies OnlineBachelor's Degree | Manchester, NH | $55,509 | $27,000 | -53% | Negative payoff |
| 98 | Florida International UniversityBachelor's Degree | Miami, FL | $55,402 | $26,610 | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 99 | Winona State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Winona, MN | $55,235 | $29,750 | -59% | Negative payoff |
| 100 | Texas A&M University-KingsvilleBachelor's Degree | Kingsville, TX | $55,231 | $19,581 | -55% | Negative payoff |
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.