Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts graduates with this interdisciplinary degree earn roughly $5,000 less than the typical Massachusetts resident in the same major—a meaningful gap in a state where the median for this program already sits at $41,583. This lands MCLA in the bottom quartile (25th percentile) among Bay State schools offering interdisciplinary studies, well behind peers like UMass-Amherst ($47,762) and even below the national median of $38,704. The debt load of $26,000 isn't unusually high, but paired with first-year earnings of just $35,293, you're looking at a debt-to-income ratio that requires careful budgeting.

The modest 5% earnings growth over four years suggests graduates hit their earning potential quickly—but that ceiling is lower than most parents would hope for given Massachusetts' cost of living. With 40% of students receiving Pell grants, this program clearly serves students with financial need, but those families especially need to understand that interdisciplinary studies degrees often require additional credentialing or geographic flexibility to improve earning prospects. If your child is considering this program, the calculus changes significantly if they're planning graduate school or already have a clear career path where the liberal arts foundation makes sense. Otherwise, the combination of below-average state earnings and limited income growth makes this a challenging value proposition.