Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at Saint Mary's College

Saint Mary's interdisciplinary studies program sits in challenging territory—the estimated $40,588 first-year earnings from comparable Indiana programs matches the state median, but the estimated $25,878 debt load is notably higher than the $20,421 typical for similar programs in Indiana. That 0.64 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates might carry debt equal to roughly eight months of their first-year salary, a burden that could constrain early-career flexibility when many interdisciplinary studies graduates are still exploring career paths.

The wide range among Indiana programs is telling: comparable graduates at Purdue Global earn around $57,000 while DePauw's sit near $27,000. This spread suggests that what students do with an interdisciplinary degree matters enormously—the specific concentrations chosen, internships secured, and networks built likely determine outcomes more than the degree itself. Saint Mary's smaller size and 81% admission rate position it differently than these peers, but without actual graduate data for this program, it's difficult to know where its graduates truly land.

For families considering this program, the key question is whether the flexibility of interdisciplinary studies justifies higher-than-average Indiana debt when career direction may still be forming. The investment makes more sense if your student has a clear plan for how to leverage the degree—whether toward graduate school, a specific industry, or combining it with practical skills that command market value.