Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at Culinary Institute of America

The Culinary Institute of America's interdisciplinary bachelor's program sits right at the state median for earnings ($32,450 versus $32,652 statewide), but that's not particularly encouraging when New York's median itself trails the national average by $6,000. Graduates earn 16% less than the national median for interdisciplinary studies programs, placing this in just the 22nd percentile nationally. The debt load of $23,250 is slightly better than average, resulting in a manageable 0.72 debt-to-earnings ratio, but you're still looking at a sub-$33,000 starting salary from a culinary-focused institution charging private school prices.

The real question is whether this interdisciplinary degree connects to CIA's culinary network and industry relationships—or if students would be better served by the school's core food business programs. At 40th percentile within New York, this program underperforms peers like Empire State University and NYIT by $9,000-$10,000 annually, though it does beat Binghamton's surprisingly low returns. The 92% admission rate suggests this isn't a highly selective pathway.

For families considering CIA, the value proposition depends entirely on whether this degree plugs into hospitality careers where the school's reputation matters. If your child is pursuing a standard interdisciplinary studies path without that culinary connection, they'd likely see better returns at a SUNY school with lower tuition costs or at programs demonstrably outperforming the state median.