Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies at Davis & Elkins College

Davis & Elkins joins hundreds of colleges offering interdisciplinary bachelor's degrees, but the lack of concrete outcomes data makes it harder to assess this particular program's value. Peer programs nationally suggest first-year earnings around $35,000—a modest return that puts this degree well below what you'd see from more career-focused majors at similar institutions. The estimated $26,500 debt load creates a challenging first-year debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75, meaning nearly three-quarters of a year's income goes toward repaying student loans.

West Virginia has limited options for interdisciplinary studies degrees, with only four schools offering this major statewide, and none of them have reportable outcomes data. This creates a visibility problem: without transparent results from any in-state program, you're essentially making a decision based on what happens elsewhere. The college's 40% Pell population shows it serves many price-sensitive families, yet the combination of estimated moderate debt and modest earnings could strain finances for graduates who don't immediately secure higher-paying positions.

Given the uncertainty around both the data and the major itself—interdisciplinary studies can mean vastly different things at different schools—you need to understand exactly what skills and career paths this specific program prepares students for. If Davis & Elkins can't show you clear employment outcomes or graduate trajectories, that's a warning sign when you're committing to nearly $27,000 in debt for a degree whose typical graduate earns $35,000.