ROI Major

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

TX · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 30.99

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other degree from University of Texas Rio Grande Valley earn a median salary of $60,086 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in TX, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $65,240. The degree typically pays for itself in 8 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 bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$53,308

Typical Career

$60,086

Top Performers

$68,321

Estimated break-even: 8 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$401

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,007. Most students can comfortably afford about a $401 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Texas buys what costs $0.92 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 45.2%
Health Care & Social Assistance 19.3%
Public Administration 5.8%

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

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$65,240

Nominal: $60,086 in Texas (COL 92.1% of national avg) · 8.6% 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).

8 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 $42,381 $52,133 $61,008
5 Years After Graduation $53,308 $60,086 $68,321
10 Years After Graduation $57,124 $63,843 $73,290

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 $60,086 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in TX, which has a cost-of-living index of 92.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $60,086 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9210) = $65,240 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies program at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley experience a steady earnings trajectory. One year after graduation, the median earnings stand at $52,133, increasing to $60,086 after five years and reaching $63,843 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $65,239.96, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive income relative to national standards, despite the cost of living index in Texas being lower than the national average.

The primary industries that graduates enter include Educational Services (45.2%), Health Care & Social Assistance (19.3%), and Public Administration (5.8%). Given the estimated break-even point of approximately eight years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this degree appears favorable. Graduates can expect to find opportunities in stable sectors, aligning with the growing demand for interdisciplinary skills in various fields.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other degree at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

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.

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