ROI Major

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

WI · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 30.99

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other degree from University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee earn a median salary of $56,786 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in WI, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $59,712. The degree typically pays for itself in 8.9 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

$42,596

Typical Career

$56,786

Top Performers

$73,759

Estimated break-even: 8.9 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$379

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,732. Most students can comfortably afford about a $379 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Wisconsin buys what costs $0.95 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 19.6%
Educational Services 12.2%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 11.9%

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

$59,712

Nominal: $56,786 in Wisconsin (COL 95.1% of national avg) · 5.2% higher 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).

8.9 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 $31,219 $42,942 $55,197
5 Years After Graduation $42,596 $56,786 $73,759
10 Years After Graduation $51,608 $71,728 $96,791

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 $56,786 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in WI, which has a cost-of-living index of 95.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $56,786 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9510) = $59,712 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 Wisconsin - Milwaukee can expect a positive earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $42,942, which increases to $56,786 five years post-graduation and reaches $71,728 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the median earnings five years after graduation equate to approximately $59,711.88 on a national scale, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive earning potential relative to their peers across the country.

The top industries for graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (19.6%), Educational Services (12.2%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (11.9%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 8.9 years, suggesting a reasonable return on investment for pursuing this degree. Overall, the data indicates that a degree in Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies can lead to stable career opportunities and a solid financial outlook over time.

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 Wisconsin - Milwaukee 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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