U.S. median for this major: $50,540.
College Scorecard field of study; 50 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 57% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,000.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $32,198. College Scorecard.
MSU History: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses MSU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $7,068 | $29,968 | 2.2 years |
| $30–48k | $10,830 | $45,919 | 3.3 years |
| $48–75k | $16,521 | $70,049 | 5.1 years |
| $75–110k | $22,703 | $96,261 | 7.0 years |
| $110k+ | $28,546 | $121,035 | 8.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (65% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of History graduates 4 years after graduating ($47,224) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $13,813 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
History at Michigan colleges
Every Michigan college we cover that reports History graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | $62,077 | $19,494 | $13,138 | 93% |
| 2 | Wayne State University | $50,251 | $32,544 | $12,766 | 58% |
| 3 | Oakland University | $48,990 | $22,875 | $9,120 | 58% |
| 4 | Michigan State University | $47,224 | $27,000 | $19,680 | 81% |
| 5 | Grand Valley State University | $47,218 | $26,500 | $16,317 | 67% |
| 6 | Western Michigan University | $46,909 | $31,000 | $15,273 | 58% |
| 7 | University of Michigan-Flint | $43,537 | — | $7,007 | 40% |
| 8 | Saginaw Valley State University | $42,803 | $29,702 | $10,775 | 48% |
| 9 | Central Michigan University | $40,918 | $25,905 | $17,597 | 59% |
| 10 | Eastern Michigan University | $39,709 | $29,118 | $15,407 | 46% |
| 11 | Northern Michigan University | $34,318 | $27,000 | $14,085 | 52% |
21 more Michigan colleges offer History but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for History graduates
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Natural Sciences Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +8.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Museum Technicians and Conservators
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +3.6% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at MSU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About MSU
- Acceptance rate: 85% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 81% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $67,253
- Full cost breakdown · all 105 majors · overview
Related majors at MSU
- English$49,154
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$59,315
- Philosophy—
- Linguistics$65,667
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$51,436
- Studio Art$50,098
MSU History questions
How much do MSU History graduates earn?
History graduates of Michigan State University earn a median $47,224 four years after graduating and $32,434 one year after. The U.S. median for History graduates across 454 colleges is $50,540.
How much debt do MSU History graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for History graduates of Michigan State University is $27,000, about 57% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,000.
Is MSU a good school for History in Michigan?
On pay, History graduates of Michigan State University earn $47,224 four years out, $315 above the median for the same major across 11 Michigan colleges ($46,909) and $3,316 below the U.S. median ($50,540). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does MSU rank for History in Michigan?
Of 11 Michigan colleges reporting History graduate earnings, Michigan State University ranks 4th. The highest is University of Michigan-Ann Arbor at $62,077.
What jobs do History graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $63,900 in the Lansing-East Lansing, MI area and $72,040 nationally. Others include natural sciences managers and museum technicians and conservators.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Michigan State University History: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/michigan-state-university/majors/history (College Scorecard and BLS data).