Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at College of Charleston

College of Charleston's interdisciplinary studies program shows surprisingly strong earnings—$45,613 puts graduates in the 72nd percentile nationally and matches the state median exactly—but the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers might not tell the full story. The program's first-year earnings beat the national median by $7,000, which is substantial, though the $39,037 debt load is notably higher than both the national median ($25,495) and the state median ($30,954). Still, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.86 means graduates could theoretically pay off their loans within a year of full-time work.

The combination of above-average earnings and manageable debt looks reasonable on paper, but interdisciplinary degrees often lack the clear career pathways of more specialized majors, which can make those early numbers volatile. With only 7 schools offering this program in South Carolina and a small graduating class here, it's hard to know if these outcomes are sustainable or if a few high earners are skewing the data upward.

For families considering this program, the key question is whether the flexibility of an interdisciplinary degree aligns with your child's career goals. If they have a specific plan for how to leverage this degree—perhaps combining it with internships, a minor, or graduate school—the numbers suggest it could work. If they're choosing it as a default without clear direction, the relatively high debt compared to the typical interdisciplinary studies graduate becomes a bigger concern.