Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies at Jacksonville University

Jacksonville University's interdisciplinary bachelor's program comes with an estimated $29,319 in debt—roughly $5,000 above what similar Florida programs typically require and notably higher than the $24,362 state median. When graduates from comparable programs in Florida earn around $35,476 their first year, that debt load translates to a nearly one-to-one debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.83. This isn't unmanageable territory, but it does mean your child would be starting their career carrying almost 83% of their first-year salary in student loans.

The challenge with interdisciplinary studies programs is that outcomes vary dramatically based on how students customize their coursework and what they do with the degree afterward. The top-performing programs in Florida—particularly those at Hodges and the Embry-Riddle campuses—see earnings in the $40,000-$60,000 range, suggesting the degree can lead somewhere substantial when paired with the right focus or industry connections. But the median tells a more modest story: most graduates are earning in the mid-$30,000s nationally, which aligns with what peer programs in Florida suggest for Jacksonville's graduates.

Before committing, have a direct conversation with the program about where recent graduates have actually landed and what concentration or focus areas produce the strongest outcomes. The debt premium here makes sense only if there's a clear pathway from this specific degree to employment that justifies both the cost and the flexibility trade-off inherent in interdisciplinary programs.