Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at Solano Community College

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.36 puts this program in manageable territory—you'd be borrowing roughly a third of what you'd expect to earn in that first year. While both the earnings figure ($35,979) and debt estimate ($13,012) come from national medians for similar associate's programs in interdisciplinary studies, they suggest a relatively balanced equation. The estimated debt here actually comes in below what other California programs in this field typically carry ($16,812 median), which could reflect Solano's community college pricing advantage.

The real challenge is what "interdisciplinary studies" means for your child's career path. These programs often serve as transfer springboards to four-year institutions or as flexible credentials for students already working who need a degree to advance. If this is a stopping point rather than a transfer step, $36,000 in first-year earnings may feel limiting in California's high-cost environment. But if it's keeping debt lower while your child figures out their direction or completes prerequisites for a bachelor's program, the math works differently.

The limited data here—too few graduates for the DOE to report specific outcomes—suggests this may be a smaller or newer program track. That's worth confirming directly with Solano: ask how many students complete this particular program annually and where they go next. If most transfer to four-year schools, the real return will depend on that next degree, not this one.