Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at University of California-Irvine

UC Irvine's interdisciplinary studies program starts below expectations but shows impressive momentum. First-year graduates earn $35,404—below both the national median ($38,704) and California's median ($40,432) for this major. However, earnings jump 46% by year four to reach $51,708, eventually surpassing the state median and approaching what UCLA graduates earn. This trajectory suggests the program's value compounds with experience, though families should prepare for a slower financial start than many UC programs deliver.

The debt picture offers genuine relief: at $16,332, graduates carry roughly $9,000 less than the California median for interdisciplinary programs. This keeps the debt-to-earnings ratio at a manageable 0.46 even during that modest first year. Among California's 50 programs in this field, UCI ranks around the 40th percentile for initial earnings—middle of the pack in a competitive state—but the combination of low debt and strong earnings growth changes the calculation considerably.

For families who can support a graduate through those early years, this program becomes increasingly attractive over time. The 46% earnings increase suggests these graduates develop valuable, marketable skills that take time to translate into compensation. Just don't expect the immediate earning power of UCLA or UC Berkeley's interdisciplinary graduates, who start $10,000 higher. The real value here is in trajectory, not velocity.