ROI Major

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other at University of Arizona (The)

AZ · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 30.99

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other degree from University of Arizona (The) earn a median salary of $60,442 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in AZ, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $56,753. The degree typically pays for itself in 8.2 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$42,884

Typical Career

$60,442

Top Performers

$84,999

Estimated break-even: 8.2 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$403

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,037. Most students can comfortably afford about a $403 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.6x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Arizona buys what costs $1.07 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 15.6%
Educational Services 15.5%
Health Care & Social Assistance 15.4%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$56,753

Nominal: $60,442 in Arizona (COL 106.5% of national avg) · 6.1% lower purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

8.2 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $26,773 $38,416 $52,989
5 Years After Graduation $42,884 $60,442 $84,999
10 Years After Graduation $59,045 $83,557 $123,503

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $60,442 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in AZ, which has a cost-of-living index of 106.5% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $60,442 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0650) = $56,753 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates with a degree in Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Arizona experience a steady increase in earnings over time. One year after graduation, the median earnings stand at $38,416, which rises to $60,442 after five years and further to $83,557 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent is approximately $56,753.05, reflecting the cost of living in Arizona, which has a COL index of 1.065 compared to the national average of 1.0. This indicates that while initial earnings may be lower, the long-term financial outlook is promising.

The top industries that graduates enter include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (15.6%), Educational Services (15.5%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (15.4%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 8.2 years, suggesting that the investment in a degree can yield significant returns over time. Overall, the degree appears to provide a favorable return on investment, particularly as graduates advance in their careers and earnings potential increases.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other degree at University of Arizona (The) stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.

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