Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at Lawson State Community College

First-year earnings of $37,855 put Lawson State's interdisciplinary studies graduates slightly ahead of the typical Alabama outcome for this degree, landing at the 60th percentile statewide. While the $13,012 debt figure comes from national peer programs rather than Lawson State's actual graduates, that estimated burden translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.34—manageable by community college standards, particularly for a school where 60% of students receive Pell grants and need affordable pathways to higher earnings.

The challenge with interdisciplinary studies programs is their breadth: they don't lead to specific careers the way nursing or IT credentials do, which means salary outcomes depend heavily on what students do after graduation. At $37,855, graduates are earning roughly $2,000 more than peers at comparable Alabama programs, but they're also potentially carrying more debt than the state median of $9,625 suggests is typical. That gap matters if you're financing the credential entirely through loans.

For families weighing this option, the key question is whether your student has a clear plan for applying this degree—transferring to a four-year program, entering a field where the credential meets employer requirements, or pivoting to workforce training. The earnings advantage over peer programs is real but modest, and the estimated debt, while not crushing, still requires several months of post-graduation income to manage.