U.S. median for this major: $50,540.
College Scorecard field of study; 22 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 20% 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 $91,250. College Scorecard.
Northwestern University 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 Northwestern University'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 | $1,764 | $7,232 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $6,099 | $25,006 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $7,898 | $32,382 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $18,282 | $74,956 | 1.7 years |
| $110k+ | $48,777 | $199,986 | 4.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (88% 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 ($78,966) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $43,169 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 Illinois colleges
Every Illinois 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 | Northwestern University | $78,966 | $15,917 | $29,167 | 95% |
| 2 | University of Chicago | $64,330 | — | $14,860 | 96% |
| 3 | Loyola University Chicago | $57,639 | $24,000 | $36,079 | 73% |
| 4 | University of Illinois Chicago | $55,326 | $19,500 | $10,974 | 62% |
| 5 | Northeastern Illinois University | $54,071 | $19,176 | $14,109 | 22% |
| 6 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | $52,900 | $25,937 | $13,297 | 62% |
| 7 | Illinois State University | $52,757 | $23,125 | $19,398 | 65% |
| 8 | DePaul University | $48,857 | $27,000 | $30,902 | 68% |
| 9 | Western Illinois University | $47,084 | $31,250 | $12,937 | 45% |
| 10 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $46,814 | $21,500 | $14,889 | 57% |
| 11 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $46,718 | $19,000 | $14,355 | 85% |
| 12 | Northern Illinois University | $46,086 | $22,500 | $13,391 | 49% |
| 13 | University of Illinois Springfield | $45,641 | $23,892 | $9,833 | 53% |
| 14 | Augustana College | $45,048 | $26,243 | $22,736 | 73% |
| 15 | Eastern Illinois University | $40,597 | $21,500 | $12,786 | 47% |
30 more Illinois 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 Northwestern University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Northwestern University
- Acceptance rate: 8% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 95% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $89,363
- Full cost breakdown · all 85 majors · overview
Related majors at Northwestern University
- English$62,147
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Philosophy—
- Linguistics—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$93,180
- Area Studies—
Northwestern University History questions
How much do Northwestern University History graduates earn?
History graduates of Northwestern University earn a median $78,966 four years after graduating and $50,161 one year after. The U.S. median for History graduates across 454 colleges is $50,540.
How much debt do Northwestern University History graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for History graduates of Northwestern University is $15,917, about 20% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,000.
Is Northwestern University a good school for History in Illinois?
On pay, History graduates of Northwestern University earn $78,966 four years out, $30,109 above the median for the same major across 15 Illinois colleges ($48,857) and $28,426 above the U.S. median ($50,540). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Northwestern University rank for History in Illinois?
Of 15 Illinois colleges reporting History graduate earnings, Northwestern University ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do History graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $98,970 in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 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: “Northwestern University History: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/northwestern-university/majors/history (College Scorecard and BLS data).