University of Memphis History: earnings, debt & careers

History graduates of University of Memphis earn a median $47,449 four years after graduating ($30,652 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $25,000. That is $3,091 below the U.S. median for History graduates ($50,540 across 454 colleges), and ranks 6th of 10 Tennessee colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$47,449

U.S. median for this major: $50,540.

College Scorecard field of study; 66 graduates with earnings reported

Earnings, 1 year after
$30,652

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$25,000

About 53% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,000.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$12,397 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $25,169. College Scorecard.

University of Memphis History: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

University of Memphis graduates$47,449
Tennessee median (10 colleges)$48,502 (−$1,053)
U.S. median (454 colleges)$50,540 (−$3,091)

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.

History nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →

Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income

Uses University of Memphis's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$10,607$47,3073.7 years
$30–48k$10,968$48,9173.8 years
$48–75k$13,923$62,0974.8 years
$75–110k$17,384$77,5336.0 years
$110k+$18,691$83,3626.4 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (31% 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 ($47,449) minus $34,518 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $12,931 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 Tennessee colleges

Every Tennessee college we cover that reports History graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1Vanderbilt University$69,820$15,000$15,84694%
2The University of Tennessee-Knoxville$52,505$19,000$18,97674%
3Middle Tennessee State University$51,206$18,500$13,35954%
4The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga$50,756—$14,26550%
5The University of Tennessee-Martin$49,555—$10,70153%
6University of Memphis$47,449$25,000$12,39751%
7Tennessee Technological University$47,111$17,194$14,24658%
8East Tennessee State University$44,142$20,500$15,98353%
9Lee University$44,096—$18,87863%
10Austin Peay State University$40,317$19,750$9,73540%

26 more Tennessee colleges offer History but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for History graduates

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

Memphis area$62,230
Tennessee$61,860
U.S.$72,040

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Natural Sciences Managers

Memphis area$155,420
Tennessee$124,530
U.S.$167,220

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +8.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Museum Technicians and Conservators

Memphis area$36,040
Tennessee$44,710
U.S.$51,440

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 University of Memphis, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About University of Memphis

Related majors at University of Memphis

University of Memphis History questions

How much do University of Memphis History graduates earn?

History graduates of University of Memphis earn a median $47,449 four years after graduating and $30,652 one year after. The U.S. median for History graduates across 454 colleges is $50,540.

How much debt do University of Memphis History graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for History graduates of University of Memphis is $25,000, about 53% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,000.

Is University of Memphis a good school for History in Tennessee?

On pay, History graduates of University of Memphis earn $47,449 four years out, $1,053 below the median for the same major across 10 Tennessee colleges ($48,502) and $3,091 below the U.S. median ($50,540). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does University of Memphis rank for History in Tennessee?

Of 10 Tennessee colleges reporting History graduate earnings, University of Memphis ranks 6th. The highest is Vanderbilt University at $69,820.

What jobs do History graduates get?

A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $62,230 in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR 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
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Cite this: “University of Memphis History: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-memphis/majors/history (College Scorecard and BLS data).