Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at Rice University

Rice's highly selective environment—with an 8% admission rate and average SAT of 1553—doesn't appear to translate into earnings advantages for its interdisciplinary studies majors. Based on data from comparable Texas programs, graduates can expect around $48,000 in first-year earnings, identical to the state median and below what several public universities are producing. Texas Southern, University of Houston, and UH-Clear Lake all report higher outcomes, with earnings exceeding $56,000.

The estimated $25,000 in debt creates a manageable 0.52 debt-to-earnings ratio, roughly half of first-year income. That's workable, though this field sits at the lower end of bachelor's degree earnings nationally. The advantage here is really about what Rice offers beyond this major—the broader network, research opportunities, and institutional resources that might matter more for career trajectory than the degree title itself.

For an anxious parent, the question is whether Rice's premium makes sense for a field where peer programs produce similar or better earnings outcomes. The actual value proposition likely depends on graduate school plans, double majors, or career paths where the Rice credential opens doors that earnings data alone can't capture. If your child is committed to this major and staying in Texas, understand that less selective schools are delivering stronger initial returns for interdisciplinary studies graduates.