History

Salary data, best schools, and honest ROI assessment

Avg Earnings (4yr)

$35,479

Median Earnings

$50,693

Schools Offering

475

ROI Grade

Earnings Range (4 Years After Graduation)

25th: $46,133Median: $50,69375th: $56,081

Best Schools for History by Earnings

#	School	ROI	4yr Earnings	Net Price	Major Debt	Grade
1	Dartmouth College NH · Private	95	$136,403	$29,519	$19,000	B+
2	Duke University NC · Private	96	$112,377	$29,612	$13,000	A
3	Yale University CT · Private	97	$109,947	$23,777	$12,000	A
4	Amherst College MA · Private	90	$103,601	$23,367	N/A	-
5	Washington and Lee University VA · Private	91	$100,087	$23,781	N/A	-
6	Columbia University in the City of New York NY · Private	96	$98,079	$21,590	$22,000	B
7	University of Pennsylvania PA · Private	97	$88,517	$28,699	$11,000	A
8	Brown University RI · Private	96	$85,520	$25,184	$13,491	B+
9	Cornell University NY · Private	96	$82,031	$28,690	$16,884	B
10	Princeton University NJ · Private	94	$80,347	$6,128	N/A	-
11	Boston College MA · Private	92	$80,073	$41,704	$19,000	C+
12	University of Southern California CA · Private	91	$79,940	$32,740	$12,638	B+
13	Northwestern University IL · Private	94	$78,966	$29,167	$15,917	B+
14	Colgate University NY · Private	92	$75,784	$28,786	N/A	-
15	Georgetown University DC · Private	93	$75,501	$40,815	$16,640	B+
16	New York University NY · Private	84	$74,545	$37,050	$19,000	C+
17	Virginia Military Institute VA · Public	88	$72,630	$17,113	$19,500	C+
18	College of the Holy Cross MA · Private	85	$72,423	$38,782	$27,000	C
19	Fordham University NY · Private	79	$72,389	$44,338	$26,000	F
20	University of Virginia-Main Campus VA · Public	95	$71,187	$21,565	$19,352	C
21	George Washington University DC · Private	88	$70,734	$36,586	$23,250	C
22	Harvard University MA · Private	96	$70,679	$19,066	$12,721	A
23	University of Notre Dame IN · Private	97	$70,423	$26,780	$19,000	C+
24	Emory University GA · Private	92	$69,988	$22,585	$21,000	C
25	Vanderbilt University TN · Private	97	$69,820	$15,846	$15,000	B+
26	University of Scranton PA · Private	75	$68,443	$32,568	$25,000	D
27	Bowie State University MD · Public	40	$68,077	$19,298	$32,229	C+
28	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo CA · Public	96	$66,518	$16,665	$17,627	C
29	Norwich University VT · Private	71	$66,185	$22,257	$27,000	C
30	Binghamton University NY · Public	89	$65,984	$21,620	$19,596	D
31	Tufts University MA · Private	86	$65,540	$39,998	$15,750	B
32	California State University-East Bay CA · Public	81	$65,217	$9,320	$20,000	C
33	Syracuse University NY · Private	76	$64,871	$38,793	$26,000	D
34	Citadel Military College of South Carolina SC · Public	85	$64,869	$20,723	$25,524	C
35	University of California-Berkeley CA · Public	97	$64,755	$13,481	$13,068	C+
36	CUNY Bernard M Baruch College NY · Public	92	$64,570	$3,033	N/A	-
37	University of Chicago IL · Private	98	$64,330	$14,860	N/A	-
38	Monmouth University NJ · Private	63	$63,947	$30,988	$27,000	C
39	William & Mary VA · Public	91	$63,632	$19,096	$17,750	C
40	Mount Saint Mary College NY · Private	67	$63,174	$25,522	$26,999	D
41	College of Staten Island CUNY NY · Public	67	$63,071	$5,579	$12,648	A
42	Barnard College NY · Private	90	$62,258	$28,800	$16,425	B+
43	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor MI · Public	95	$62,077	$13,138	$19,494	C
44	University of California-San Diego CA · Public	96	$61,745	$12,470	$17,467	D
45	CUNY Lehman College NY · Public	78	$61,512	$3,148	$15,090	B+
46	The University of Texas at Dallas TX · Public	84	$61,321	$18,267	$23,000	C
47	University of Washington-Seattle Campus WA · Public	94	$61,059	$14,091	$15,000	C
48	University of Washington-Tacoma Campus WA · Public	91	$61,059	$10,163	$15,000	C
49	Oberlin College OH · Private	45	$60,895	$38,645	$26,050	B
50	Hobart William Smith Colleges NY · Private	70	$60,616	$31,563	$27,000	D

School-by-school analysis: History

Editorial breakdowns of how history graduates fare at the top-earning programs in our dataset.

Yale University

CT · Private · $109,947 4yr earnings · $12,000 median debt

History earns an A-grade ROI at Yale: 96 graduates, $54,700 median year-one, $109,947 at year four. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.219 (ROI grade A) is unusually clean for a humanities field and reflects the Yale brand effect on professional school placement. History graduates from Yale go to law school, policy programs, finance, and consulting at rates that most universities cannot replicate -- the 4-year jump to $109k is direct evidence of that career arc. This is not typical humanities ROI; the Yale credential is doing the heavy lifting.

Washington and Lee University

VA · Private · $100,087 4yr earnings

History (17 graduates) reaches $100,087 at year four (no year-one or debt data). A year-four earnings figure above $100,000 for a humanities program reflects the W&L brand effect on professional school and elite employer placement -- broadly consistent with what Yale's History program achieves. No debt data limits the ROI grade, but for a humanities field, $100,087 at year four is exceptional and indicates law or finance career pipelines absorbing a significant share of graduates.

Princeton University

NJ · Private · $80,347 4yr earnings

72 graduates with 1-year earnings of $45,363 and 4-year earnings of $80,347. Debt data not available. History at Princeton feeds into law school, consulting (through case-based analytical skills), government, and publishing. First-year earnings in the mid-$40s reflect the reality that many graduates pursue graduate school before entering the workforce at higher earning levels. The 4-year number above $80,000 understates the full career trajectory for those who complete professional degrees.

Below Average Value

Is History Worth It?

Proceed With a Plan

The financial returns for History are below average. At $35,479 in average earnings four years out, graduates often face a long payback period, especially at higher-cost institutions. This doesn't mean the field is worthless - it means the financial math demands careful attention to school cost and debt levels.

475 schools offer this major, giving you reasonable options. Compare net prices and graduate earnings at your specific target schools - the range between the best and worst ROI within this field is substantial.

The top school for this major by earnings is Washington and Lee University, where graduates earn $100,087 four years out. But averages hide a wide range - where you attend and what you do with the degree matter as much as the major itself.

Best ROI Schools for History All Majors ROI Calculator Compare Schools

Related Majors

Political Science English Philosophy

Earnings data represents median earnings 4 years after graduation for graduates of bachelor's programs, as reported by the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Individual outcomes vary significantly based on career path, location, and other factors.