Western Washington University History: earnings, debt & careers

History graduates of Western Washington University earn a median $46,000 four years after graduating ($25,355 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $17,860. That is $4,540 below the U.S. median for History graduates ($50,540 across 454 colleges), and ranks 6th of 8 Washington colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$46,000

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

College Scorecard field of study; 70 graduates with earnings reported

Earnings, 1 year after
$25,355

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$17,860

About 39% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,000.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$21,193 /yr

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

Sticker price $30,359. College Scorecard.

Western Washington University History: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

Western Washington University graduates$46,000
Washington median (8 colleges)$54,350 (−$8,350)
U.S. median (454 colleges)$50,540 (−$4,540)

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 Western Washington University'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$12,915$57,2139.9 years
$30–48k$14,147$62,67110.8 years
$48–75k$17,539$77,69813.4 years
$75–110k$24,301$107,65318.6 years
$110k+$27,984$123,969more than 20 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (42% 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 ($46,000) minus $40,219 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $5,781 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 Washington colleges

Every Washington 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
1University of Washington-Seattle Campus$61,059$15,000$14,09185%
2University of Washington-Tacoma Campus$61,059$15,000$10,16363%
3University of Puget Sound$60,458$20,500$38,39468%
4Washington State University$58,415$24,000$14,97161%
5Eastern Washington University$50,286$23,608$13,88643%
6Western Washington University$46,000$17,860$21,19365%
7Central Washington University$45,990$25,250$18,47654%
8Pacific Lutheran University$43,685—$19,58969%

9 more Washington colleges offer History but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for History graduates

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

Bellingham area$102,160
Washington$102,670
U.S.$72,040

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

Natural Sciences Managers

Bellingham area$134,220
Washington$182,480
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

Washington$59,610
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 Western Washington University, by income

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

College Scorecard

About Western Washington University

Related majors at Western Washington University

Western Washington University History questions

How much do Western Washington University History graduates earn?

History graduates of Western Washington University earn a median $46,000 four years after graduating and $25,355 one year after. The U.S. median for History graduates across 454 colleges is $50,540.

How much debt do Western Washington University History graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for History graduates of Western Washington University is $17,860, about 39% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,000.

Is Western Washington University a good school for History in Washington?

On pay, History graduates of Western Washington University earn $46,000 four years out, $8,350 below the median for the same major across 8 Washington colleges ($54,350) and $4,540 below the U.S. median ($50,540). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does Western Washington University rank for History in Washington?

Of 8 Washington colleges reporting History graduate earnings, Western Washington University ranks 6th. The highest is University of Washington-Seattle Campus at $61,059.

What jobs do History graduates get?

A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $102,160 in the Bellingham, WA 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: “Western Washington University History: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-washington-university/majors/history (College Scorecard and BLS data).