ROI Major

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other at Rochester Community and Technical College

MN · Associate's Degree · CIP 30.99

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other degree from Rochester Community and Technical College earn a median salary of $56,563 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MN, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $60,109. The degree typically pays for itself in 9.5 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$42,371

Typical Career

$56,563

Top Performers

$74,540

Estimated break-even: 9.5 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$377

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,714. Most students can comfortably afford about a $377 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Minnesota buys what costs $0.94 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Retail Trade, Public Administration.

Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 53.6%
Retail Trade 6.2%
Public Administration 6.2%

Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$60,109

Nominal: $56,563 in Minnesota (COL 94.1% of national avg) · 6.3% higher purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

9.5 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $26,937 $38,096 $53,326
5 Years After Graduation $42,371 $56,563 $74,540
10 Years After Graduation $50,683 $70,084 $90,418

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $56,563 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MN, which has a cost-of-living index of 94.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $56,563 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9410) = $60,109 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates of the Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies program at Rochester Community and Technical College experience a positive earnings trajectory over time. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $38,096, increasing to $56,563 after five years, and reaching $70,084 a decade post-graduation. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of $60,109.46, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive income relative to their peers across the country, despite Minnesota's cost of living index being slightly lower than the national average.

The primary industries for graduates are predominantly within Health Care & Social Assistance, with significant percentages entering this field at various stages of their careers. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 9.5 years, suggesting a reasonable return on investment for those pursuing this degree. Overall, the combination of stable earnings growth and strong industry placement in a critical sector supports a favorable outlook for students considering this path.

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Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.