Home›Majors›History

DOCTORAL DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 5401

History: is this doctoral degree worth it?

National picture across 6 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$76,907 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$76,907Median year-4 earnings

$15,421Average institution net-price context

Not availableMedian federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$76,907Median reported earnings · year 4

$65,278Average reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

18thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

6Reporting programs

6With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

OPEN PROFILE

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: Not available
Federal debt: $24,637
Reporting programs: 1

0 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $45,336
Federal debt: $15,230
Reporting programs: 6

4 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $50,592
Federal debt: $24,000
Reporting programs: 506

460 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Post-baccalaureate Certificate

Year-4 earnings: Not available
Federal debt: $22,125
Reporting programs: 1

0 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $56,361
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 36

36 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $76,907
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 6

6 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $61,512
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median

25th percentile$71,260National median$76,90775th percentile$79,871

6 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1University of California, Los Angeles$94,132 2Princeton University$90,535 3University of California, San Diego$79,871 4University of Wisconsin-Madison$73,942 5University of Chicago$71,260 6Northwestern University$70,118

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

HistoriansSOC 19-3093 · 9 crosswalk linksHistory Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1125 · 9 crosswalk linksManagers, All OtherSOC 11-9199 · 9 crosswalk linksSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationSOC 25-2031 · 2 crosswalk linksArchivistsSOC 25-4011 · 1 crosswalk linksCuratorsSOC 25-4012 · 1 crosswalk linksMuseum Technicians and ConservatorsSOC 25-4013 · 1 crosswalk linksNatural Sciences ManagersSOC 11-9121 · 1 crosswalk linksTour Guides and EscortsSOC 39-7011 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR HISTORY

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	ROI status	Cost context
1	University of California, Los AngelesDoctoral Degree	Los Angeles, CA	$94,132	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,548
2	Princeton UniversityDoctoral Degree	Princeton, NJ	$90,535	Not available	Baseline needed	$6,128
3	University of California, San DiegoDoctoral Degree	La Jolla, CA	$79,871	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,470
4	University of Wisconsin-MadisonDoctoral Degree	Madison, WI	$73,942	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,354
5	University of ChicagoDoctoral Degree	Chicago, IL	$71,260	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,860
6	Northwestern UniversityDoctoral Degree	Evanston, IL	$70,118	Not available	Baseline needed	$29,167

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.