Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at Fort Lewis College

A bachelor's degree in Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies typically produces first-year earnings around $38,700 nationally, but Colorado's median for this field runs notably higher at $45,200. That $6,500 gap matters when you're carrying an estimated $25,400 in debt—a difference that could mean an extra year of loan payments. Fort Lewis operates in a state where interdisciplinary programs at schools like CU Boulder and Metro State Denver report actual outcomes in the low-to-mid $40,000s, suggesting the national baseline may understate what Colorado employers pay for these degrees.

The 0.66 debt-to-earnings ratio looks manageable on paper, but it assumes Fort Lewis graduates land near the national benchmark rather than the stronger Colorado median. Interdisciplinary Studies is inherently variable—outcomes depend heavily on how students combine fields and what career paths they pursue. At a school where 36% of students receive Pell grants, that $25,400 debt load represents a real financial commitment, particularly if graduates end up on the lower end of the earnings spectrum rather than matching Colorado's stronger market.

Without actual outcome data for Fort Lewis specifically, you're betting on state averages holding true for this particular program. If the degree leads to work in Durango's tourism or outdoor recreation economy rather than Denver's broader job market, those earnings assumptions could be optimistic. Press the school for specifics: what do their graduates actually do, and what are they earning in their first jobs?