Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at Pomona College

Pomona College is among the nation's most selective liberal arts colleges, yet data from comparable interdisciplinary programs in California suggest first-year earnings around $40,000—nearly identical to the state median but dramatically lower than what some peer institutions report. UC Berkeley's interdisciplinary graduates earn $45,000 in their first year, while University of the Pacific's program produces six-figure earners, highlighting how much variation exists even among California's top schools.

The estimated debt of about $23,000 creates a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57, meaning graduates would owe roughly half their first-year income. That's better than the national median debt for these programs ($25,500) and suggests reasonable repayment prospects. However, these figures are drawn from other California interdisciplinary programs—not Pomona's actual outcomes—because the college's graduate cohort was too small for the Department of Education to report publicly.

For a school with a 7% admission rate and average SAT scores of 1520, these estimated earnings seem surprisingly modest. Interdisciplinary studies can lead anywhere from consulting to creative fields to graduate school, which likely explains both the suppressed data (small cohort, diverse paths) and the wide range among California programs. If your child is considering Pomona for this major, the college's career services office should be able to share actual placement data and typical career trajectories—information that matters more here than statewide estimates.