U.S. median for this major: $50,540.
College Scorecard field of study; 34 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 49% 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 $28,329. College Scorecard.
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale 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 Southern Illinois University-Carbondale'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 | $9,415 | $40,673 | 2.4 years |
| $30–48k | $8,497 | $36,707 | 2.1 years |
| $48–75k | $10,308 | $44,531 | 2.6 years |
| $75–110k | $17,724 | $76,568 | 4.5 years |
| $110k+ | $23,254 | $100,457 | 5.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (40% 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 ($52,900) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $17,103 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 Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
- Acceptance rate: 87% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 62% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $53,390
- Full cost breakdown · all 93 majors · overview
Related majors at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
- English$37,786
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Philosophy—
- Linguistics$42,905
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$43,236
- Studio Art$44,902
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale History questions
How much do Southern Illinois University-Carbondale History graduates earn?
History graduates of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale earn a median $52,900 four years after graduating and $30,101 one year after. The U.S. median for History graduates across 454 colleges is $50,540.
How much debt do Southern Illinois University-Carbondale History graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for History graduates of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale is $25,937, about 49% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,000.
Is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale a good school for History in Illinois?
On pay, History graduates of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale earn $52,900 four years out, $4,043 above the median for the same major across 15 Illinois colleges ($48,857) and $2,360 above the U.S. median ($50,540). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Southern Illinois University-Carbondale rank for History in Illinois?
Of 15 Illinois colleges reporting History graduate earnings, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale ranks 6th. The highest is Northwestern University at $78,966.
What jobs do History graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $79,990 in Illinois 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: “Southern Illinois University-Carbondale History: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/southern-illinois-university-carbondale/majors/history (College Scorecard and BLS data).