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Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies

Types of Degrees Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies Majors Are Earning

Those studying Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	1,954
Associate’s Degree	31,048
Bachelor’s Degree	59,105
Master’s Degree	40,922
Doctor’s Degree	1,439

What Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies Majors Need to Know

Programs in Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Processing Information	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	✓
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies graduates include:

• Lecturer
• Associate Professor
• Assistant Professor
• Instructor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Faculty Member
• College Professor
• University Faculty Member
• Professor
• College Faculty Member
• Teacher
• Computer Technology Instructor
• Science Teacher
• Liberal Arts Teacher
• City Planning Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	30.3%
Master’s degree	25.7%
Doctoral degree	23.3%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	4.6%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.4%
Post-doctoral training	3.1%
Postsecondary certificate	2.9%
Some college courses	2.2%
High school diploma or equivalent	1.9%
Post-master’s certificate	1.4%
First professional degree	0.7%
Less than a high school diploma	0.7%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 59.4% women and 40.6% men among Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	79,960	59.4%
Men	54,734	40.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	54,980	40.8%
Asian	13,891	10.3%
Hispanic or Latino	26,663	19.8%
Black or African American	10,734	8.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native	528	0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	268	0.2%
Two or More Races	5,513	4.1%
Race Unknown	4,164	3.1%
International Students	17,953	13.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$43,366
4 years	$46,079
5 years	$53,317

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $53,317 — roughly 23% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies Programs

Fully online options are documented by IPEDS for Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	112	61
Bachelor’s	230	183
Master’s	257	170
Doctoral (Research)	14	16

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies graduates earn a median of $46,079 four years after completion — roughly 21% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.