Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at Lamar University

Lamar University's interdisciplinary studies program delivers something unusual: above-average national results with below-average state performance. At $46,064 initially, graduates earn 19% more than the national median for this major, placing them in the 74th percentile nationally. But in Texas, where the state median sits at $48,381, Lamar ranks in just the 40th percentile—trailing in-state alternatives like University of Houston ($56,904) and Texas Southern ($57,511) by substantial margins.

The debt picture offers some consolation. At $31,000, borrowers face higher-than-average debt (Texas median is $24,038), but the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67 remains manageable. Still, the complete stagnation in earnings—dropping slightly from year one to year four—means graduates don't grow into their debt burden the way most bachelor's holders do. For a program serving a student body where 44% receive Pell grants, this matters: there's no financial momentum post-graduation.

If your child is committed to staying in Texas, stronger interdisciplinary options exist at comparable public universities. Lamar works as a pathway to stable $45K employment, but don't expect the typical earnings trajectory that makes student debt easier to manage over time.