U.S. median for this major: $50,540.
College Scorecard field of study; 30 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 43% 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 $24,591. College Scorecard.
PU 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 PU'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 | $5,098 | $21,717 | 1.2 years |
| $30–48k | $6,241 | $26,587 | 1.5 years |
| $48–75k | $9,438 | $40,206 | 2.2 years |
| $75–110k | $18,177 | $77,434 | 4.3 years |
| $110k+ | $22,742 | $96,881 | 5.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (64% 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 ($53,708) minus $35,534 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $18,174 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 Indiana colleges
Every Indiana college we cover that reports History graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants. Colleges marked "mostly 2-year" or "bachelor's & associate" award more associate degrees than bachelor's; their bachelor's programs often serve working adults finishing a degree (for example, nurses completing a BSN), so their graduates' earnings can run higher than those of students starting college at 18.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Notre Dame | $70,423 | $19,000 | $26,780 | 95% |
| 2 | Wabash College | $59,221 | $27,000 | $24,336 | 77% |
| 3 | Indiana University-Bloomington | $58,258 | $23,754 | $16,264 | 80% |
| 4 | University of Indianapolis | $55,878 | $27,000 | $21,602 | 56% |
| 5 | Purdue University | $53,708 | $22,980 | $14,600 | 83% |
| 6 | University of Southern Indianabachelor's & associate | $52,002 | $21,629 | $12,923 | 48% |
| 7 | Ball State University | $50,838 | $21,750 | $14,940 | 62% |
| 8 | Indiana University-Kokomo | $46,444 | $26,000 | $3,968 | 46% |
| 9 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | $44,850 | $27,000 | $11,668 | 54% |
27 more Indiana 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 PU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About PU
- Acceptance rate: 50% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 83% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $72,424
- Full cost breakdown · all 112 majors · overview
Related majors at PU
- English$52,053
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Philosophy—
- Linguistics—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Area Studies—
PU History questions
How much do PU History graduates earn?
History graduates of Purdue University earn a median $53,708 four years after graduating. The U.S. median for History graduates across 454 colleges is $50,540.
How much debt do PU History graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for History graduates of Purdue University is $22,980, about 43% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,000.
Is PU a good school for History in Indiana?
On pay, History graduates of Purdue University earn $53,708 four years out, $0 above the median for the same major across 9 Indiana colleges ($53,708) and $3,168 above the U.S. median ($50,540). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does PU rank for History in Indiana?
Of 9 Indiana colleges reporting History graduate earnings, Purdue University ranks 5th. The highest is University of Notre Dame at $70,423.
What jobs do History graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $62,590 in the Lafayette-West Lafayette, 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: “Purdue University History: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/purdue-university-main-campus/majors/history (College Scorecard and BLS data).