Northern Arizona University History: earnings, debt & careers

History graduates of Northern Arizona University earn a median $45,795 four years after graduating ($28,862 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $21,250. That is $4,745 below the U.S. median for History graduates ($50,540 across 454 colleges), and ranks 3rd of 3 Arizona colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$45,795

U.S. median for this major: $50,540.

College Scorecard field of study; 26 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
$28,862

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$21,250

About 46% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,000.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$14,158 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $29,933. College Scorecard.

NAU History: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

NAU graduates$45,795
Arizona median (4 colleges)$53,268 (−$7,473)
U.S. median (454 colleges)$50,540 (−$4,745)

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.

History nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →

Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income

Uses NAU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$9,709$41,0694.5 years
$30–48k$10,398$43,9844.8 years
$48–75k$13,330$56,3866.2 years
$75–110k$18,050$76,3528.4 years
$110k+$20,686$87,5029.6 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (45% 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 ($45,795) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in AZ (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $9,134 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 Arizona colleges

Every Arizona college we cover that reports History graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1Arizona State University Campus Immersion$54,798$28,513$14,96768%
2University of Arizona$51,737$25,250$16,67468%
3Northern Arizona University$45,795$21,250$14,15861%

1 more Arizona college offers History but has too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for History graduates

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

Flagstaff area$57,450
Arizona$58,360
U.S.$72,040

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Natural Sciences Managers

Flagstaff area$112,260
Arizona$124,920
U.S.$167,220

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +8.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Museum Technicians and Conservators

Arizona$46,650
U.S.$51,440

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 NAU, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About NAU

Related majors at NAU

NAU History questions

How much do NAU History graduates earn?

History graduates of Northern Arizona University earn a median $45,795 four years after graduating and $28,862 one year after. The U.S. median for History graduates across 454 colleges is $50,540.

How much debt do NAU History graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for History graduates of Northern Arizona University is $21,250, about 46% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,000.

Is NAU a good school for History in Arizona?

On pay, History graduates of Northern Arizona University earn $45,795 four years out, $7,473 below the median for the same major across 4 Arizona colleges ($53,268) and $4,745 below the U.S. median ($50,540). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does NAU rank for History in Arizona?

Of 3 Arizona colleges reporting History graduate earnings, Northern Arizona University ranks 3rd. The highest is Arizona State University Campus Immersion at $54,798.

What jobs do History graduates get?

A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $57,450 in the Flagstaff, AZ 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
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Cite this: “Northern Arizona University History: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/northern-arizona-university/majors/history (College Scorecard and BLS data).