Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies

Types of Degrees Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many multi / interdisciplinary studies graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	12,425
Graduate Certificate	2,765
Doctor’s Degree	1,068

What Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to multi / interdisciplinary studies and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies Majors

Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Skills for Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies Majors

When studying multi / interdisciplinary studies, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities for Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies Majors

Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

What Can You Do With a Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies Major?

People with a multi / interdisciplinary studies degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Accountants	10.0%	$70,500
Anthropologists	3.9%	$62,410
Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators	11.5%	$62,270
Archivists	14.7%	$52,240
Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Professors	10.4%	$74,440
Auditors	10.0%	$70,500
Biological Science Professors	15.1%	$82,550
Business Intelligence Analysts	9.3%	$90,270
Climate Change Analysts	11.1%	$71,130
Clinical Research Coordinators	9.9%	$123,860
Community and Social Service Specialists	13.2%	$42,620
Curators	13.7%	$53,780
Data Warehousing Specialists	9.3%	$90,270
Database Architects	9.3%	$90,270
Dietetic Technicians	9.3%	$27,140
Dietitians and Nutritionists	14.6%	$60,370
Environmental Restoration Planners	11.1%	$71,130
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health	11.1%	$71,130
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers	14.1%	$91,130
Geospatial Information Scientists and Technologists	9.3%	$90,270
Historians	6.1%	$61,140
Information Technology Project Managers	9.3%	$90,270
Life Scientists	9.0%	$78,190
Mathematical Science Occupations	9.1%	NA
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists	13.4%	$84,810
Molecular and Cellular Biologists	8.0%	$79,590
Museum Technicians and Conservators	12.7%	$43,020
Natural Sciences Managers	9.9%	$123,860
Neuropsychologists and Clinical Neuropsychologists	10.3%	$100,770
Political Scientists	2.7%	$117,570
Professors	9.4%	$65,660
Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists	6.8%	$107,230
Social Sciences Professors	9.8%	$71,600
Transportation Planners	6.7%	$81,340
Video Game Designers	9.3%	$90,270
Water Resource Specialists	9.9%	$123,860
Web Administrators	9.3%	$90,270
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists	7.7%	$63,420

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies?

The major attracts more women than men. About 63% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of multi / interdisciplinary studies majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	883
Black or African American	1,097
Hispanic or Latino	1,271
White	5,570
International Students	2,556
Other Races/Ethnicities	1,048

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, too. About 20.6% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies Majors Make?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

The U.S. Department of Education found that students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a master’s degree in multi / interdisciplinary studies made a median starting salary of $47,706 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $40,671 (25th percentile) and $54,289 (75th percentile).

It’s important to note that just because the people reporting these salaries have a degree in multi / interdisciplinary studies, it does not mean that they are working in a job related to their degree.

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $65,310 to $95,610 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to multi / interdisciplinary studies. This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies

Some degrees associated with multi / interdisciplinary studies may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

Find out what the typical degree level is for multi / interdisciplinary studies careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	1.1%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	3.3%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	1.8%
Some College Courses	3.4%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	3.1%
Bachelor’s Degree	32.2%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	4.6%
Master’s Degree	26.7%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	1.2%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	0.8%
Doctoral Degree	13.9%
Post-Doctoral Training	8.0%

Online Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies Programs

In 2020-2021, 1,819 schools offered a multi / interdisciplinary studies program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	102	11
Certificate (2-4 Years)	18	0
Associate’s Degree	659	95
Bachelor’s Degree	526	94
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	1,010	134
Post-Master’s	102	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	318	9
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	3	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	4	0

Is a Degree in Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies Worth It?

The median salary for a multi / interdisciplinary studies grad is $78,820 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 98% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $778,400 after 20 years!

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.