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 40% 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 $86,030. College Scorecard.
Smith College 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 Smith College'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 | $1,363 | $5,684 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $3,737 | $15,583 | 2.2 years |
| $48–75k | $6,559 | $27,351 | 3.9 years |
| $75–110k | $11,750 | $48,998 | 6.9 years |
| $110k+ | $40,477 | $168,789 | more than 20 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (75% 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 ($46,960) minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $7,080 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 Massachusetts colleges
Every Massachusetts 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 | Amherst College | $103,601 | — | $23,367 | 94% |
| 2 | Boston College | $80,073 | $19,000 | $41,704 | 91% |
| 3 | College of the Holy Cross | $72,423 | $27,000 | $38,782 | 87% |
| 4 | Harvard University | $70,679 | $12,721 | $19,066 | 98% |
| 5 | Tufts University | $65,540 | $15,750 | $39,998 | 94% |
| 6 | Boston University | $59,986 | $26,500 | $24,402 | 89% |
| 7 | Williams College | $59,535 | — | $17,716 | 94% |
| 8 | Brandeis University | $59,426 | $23,250 | $35,736 | 86% |
| 9 | University of Massachusetts-Boston | $57,992 | $24,862 | $17,707 | 49% |
| 10 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | $56,597 | $22,750 | $22,383 | 83% |
| 11 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | $55,973 | $24,250 | $17,163 | 65% |
| 12 | Clark University | $53,926 | $27,000 | $28,714 | 77% |
| 13 | Worcester State University | $53,455 | $24,610 | $13,381 | 61% |
| 14 | Bridgewater State University | $52,936 | $27,000 | $16,383 | 53% |
| 15 | Westfield State University | $51,439 | $25,000 | $16,721 | 54% |
| 16 | Framingham State University | $49,656 | $27,000 | $16,114 | 48% |
| 17 | Salem State University | $49,572 | $27,000 | $15,996 | 50% |
| 18 | Assumption University | $49,526 | $27,000 | $29,498 | 75% |
| 19 | Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | $48,095 | $25,990 | $29,822 | 73% |
| 20 | University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth | $47,771 | $25,000 | $20,927 | 52% |
| 21 | Smith College | $46,960 | $19,000 | $27,579 | 89% |
27 more Massachusetts 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 Smith College, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Smith College
- Acceptance rate: 21% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 89% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $64,027
- Full cost breakdown · all 41 majors · overview
Related majors at Smith College
- English$52,938
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$58,304
- Philosophy—
- Linguistics—
- Area Studies$51,131
- Studio Art$43,354
Smith College History questions
How much do Smith College History graduates earn?
History graduates of Smith College earn a median $46,960 four years after graduating and $26,131 one year after. The U.S. median for History graduates across 454 colleges is $50,540.
How much debt do Smith College History graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for History graduates of Smith College is $19,000, about 40% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,000.
Is Smith College a good school for History in Massachusetts?
On pay, History graduates of Smith College earn $46,960 four years out, $9,013 below the median for the same major across 21 Massachusetts colleges ($55,973) and $3,580 below the U.S. median ($50,540). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Smith College rank for History in Massachusetts?
Of 21 Massachusetts colleges reporting History graduate earnings, Smith College ranks 21st. The highest is Amherst College at $103,601.
What jobs do History graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $81,660 in the Amherst Town-Northampton, MA 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: “Smith College History: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/smith-college/majors/history (College Scorecard and BLS data).