U.S. median for this major: $50,540.
College Scorecard field of study; 73 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 50% 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 $39,694. College Scorecard.
Pennsylvania State 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 Pennsylvania State 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 | $19,845 | $83,349 | 4.9 years |
| $30–48k | $20,049 | $84,206 | 4.9 years |
| $48–75k | $25,667 | $107,801 | 6.3 years |
| $75–110k | $31,834 | $133,703 | 7.8 years |
| $110k+ | $37,831 | $158,890 | 9.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (70% 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 ($52,871) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $17,074 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 Pennsylvania colleges
Every Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania | $88,517 | $11,000 | $28,699 | 97% |
| 2 | University of Scranton | $68,443 | $25,000 | $32,568 | 80% |
| 3 | Dickinson College | $57,699 | $19,000 | $37,607 | 80% |
| 4 | Arcadia University | $56,331 | $27,000 | $29,466 | 67% |
| 5 | Villanova University | $56,080 | $27,000 | $43,756 | 92% |
| 6 | University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg | $53,682 | $24,400 | $17,945 | 40% |
| 7 | University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown | $53,682 | $24,400 | $18,202 | 56% |
| 8 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | $53,682 | $24,400 | $30,434 | 86% |
| 9 | Allegheny College | $53,454 | $27,000 | $22,940 | 73% |
| 10 | Gettysburg College | $52,904 | $27,000 | $31,490 | 83% |
| 11 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | $52,871 | $26,322 | $24,558 | 44% |
| 12 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | $52,871 | $26,322 | $22,213 | 17% |
| 13 | Pennsylvania State University | $52,871 | $26,322 | $32,875 | 86% |
| 14 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington | $52,871 | $26,322 | $18,071 | 20% |
| 15 | Temple University | $52,584 | $26,000 | $28,198 | 75% |
| 16 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | $52,310 | $27,000 | $23,726 | 56% |
| 17 | Millersville University of Pennsylvania | $50,943 | $26,000 | $20,787 | 58% |
| 18 | Duquesne University | $50,090 | $27,000 | $37,730 | 77% |
| 19 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | $48,779 | $27,000 | $18,134 | 43% |
| 20 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | $48,589 | $27,000 | $19,608 | 66% |
| 21 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania | $46,133 | $27,000 | $15,699 | 54% |
| 22 | York College of Pennsylvania | $45,569 | — | $18,556 | 64% |
| 23 | La Salle University | $44,285 | — | $19,409 | 57% |
| 24 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania | $43,164 | $29,250 | $16,804 | 56% |
| 25 | Saint Vincent College | $42,494 | $27,000 | $23,510 | 69% |
| 26 | Albright College | $39,097 | $27,000 | $20,024 | 51% |
| 27 | Pennsylvania Western University | $37,579 | — | $18,256 | 52% |
53 more Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania State University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Pennsylvania State University
- Acceptance rate: 61% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 86% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,435
- Full cost breakdown · all 141 majors · overview
Related majors at Pennsylvania State University
- English$50,299
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$62,831
- Philosophy$65,675
- Linguistics—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$58,195
- Area Studies—
Pennsylvania State University History questions
How much do Pennsylvania State University History graduates earn?
History graduates of Pennsylvania State University earn a median $52,871 four years after graduating and $28,803 one year after. The U.S. median for History graduates across 454 colleges is $50,540.
How much debt do Pennsylvania State University History graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for History graduates of Pennsylvania State University is $26,322, about 50% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,000.
Is Pennsylvania State University a good school for History in Pennsylvania?
On pay, History graduates of Pennsylvania State University earn $52,871 four years out, $0 above the median for the same major across 28 Pennsylvania colleges ($52,871) and $2,331 above the U.S. median ($50,540). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Pennsylvania State University rank for History in Pennsylvania?
Of 27 Pennsylvania colleges reporting History graduate earnings, Pennsylvania State University ranks 13th. The highest is University of Pennsylvania at $88,517.
What jobs do History graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $73,250 in the State College, PA 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: “Pennsylvania State University History: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/pennsylvania-state-university-main-campus/majors/history (College Scorecard and BLS data).