Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at Spokane Community College

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.36 suggests this interdisciplinary associate's degree could work financially—similar programs nationally show graduates earning around $36,000 in their first year while carrying roughly $13,000 in debt. That's manageable by most standards, representing about four months of gross income. The challenge is that "interdisciplinary studies" covers enormous ground, and without reported outcomes from Spokane Community College specifically, parents are left guessing whether their child's particular program combination will match these peer-program benchmarks.

What makes this tricky is that interdisciplinary associate's degrees serve vastly different purposes—some students use them as efficient transfer pathways to four-year institutions, others as workforce credentials in fields where specific skills matter more than traditional majors. The national data reflects all these paths mixed together. If your child plans to transfer, the value proposition depends entirely on where they land next. If they're entering the workforce directly, the $36,000 estimate puts them in competitive territory for entry-level positions, though Washington's cost of living in Spokane is lower than Seattle, which helps.

The takeaway: This program appears financially safe on paper based on comparable programs nationwide, but the interdisciplinary label means you need to dig deeper into what specific courses and skills your child would actually be building. The debt load is reasonable enough that even if earnings fall short of estimates, it's unlikely to become crushing.