Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia

Saint Joseph's Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies bachelor's points to a fundamental challenge: with estimated first-year earnings around $43,600 and debt near $26,000, graduates from similar Pennsylvania programs face a debt load equal to seven months of their starting salary. That's not catastrophic—the ratio of 0.60 falls within a manageable range—but it demands attention when you consider that interdisciplinary programs can vary wildly in career outcomes depending on how students structure their coursework and market themselves.

The estimated earnings here match Pennsylvania's median for these programs, which itself sits above the national figure of $38,700. That's somewhat reassuring, but the state data reveals troubling extremes: Drexel's interdisciplinary graduates earn $72,000 in year one, while Moravian's make $37,800. This spread suggests that program design, career services, and local employment networks matter enormously—and without actual outcome data from Saint Joseph's specifically, you're operating on educated guesses about where this program falls on that spectrum.

For parents, the question becomes whether your student has a clear plan for translating an interdisciplinary degree into employable skills. If they're using it strategically—combining business with communications for marketing roles, or pairing psychology with data analysis—the debt picture is workable. If it's serving as an exploratory major without direction, that $26,000 in loans could feel heavier than it should, especially when peer programs show such divergent results.