Arts and humanities: every university, ranked by pay
History at Michigan State University
Bachelor's degree · East Lansing, Michigan · 113 graduates in two years
What do Michigan State history graduates earn?
Median yearly pay of graduates who had federal aid, from the College Scorecard. Hidden where too few graduates to publish.
What does it take to get into Michigan State?
Admission is to the university, not the program, at most US schools.
How much does Michigan State cost?
Sticker price for a year, and what students actually paid after grants.
The cost by family income, debt and who finishes are on Michigan State's page.
What careers does History lead to?
Careers people reach through this field, each with its pay, training and what the work is like.
- LawyerArgue, advise, negotiate and write. Seven years of school and one hard exam stand between you and the license.$160kTypical pay7 to 8 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemand
- JournalistFind out what happened, check it, and tell everyone. A shrinking industry that still decides what the country argues about.$62kTypical pay3 to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemand
- AuthorWrite books people buy. No license, no required degree, and almost no guaranteed money.$77kTypical payup to 4 yearsTo qualifyLimitedDemand
History at other universities
The same program elsewhere, Michigan first, then the best paid.
| University | Pay, five years out | Debt | Acceptance rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of MichiganMichigan | $69,445 | $16,750 | 16% |
| Columbia UniversityNew York | $95,624 | $22,250 | 4% |
| Brown UniversityRhode Island | $91,370 | Hidden | 5% |
| Princeton UniversityNew Jersey | $87,660 | Hidden | 5% |
| Northwestern UniversityIllinois | $81,517 | $14,000 | 8% |
| Harvard UniversityMassachusetts | $80,018 | Hidden | 4% |
| Vanderbilt UniversityTennessee | $78,379 | Hidden | 6% |
| University of Southern CaliforniaCalifornia | $77,938 | $15,750 | 10% |
| Fordham UniversityNew York | $76,023 | $23,250 | 59% |
| University of VirginiaVirginia | $74,553 | $15,000 | 17% |
| Binghamton UniversityNew York | $74,436 | $15,893 | 39% |
| Boston CollegeMassachusetts | $74,052 | $19,000 | 16% |
Where these numbers come from
College Scorecard release 10152026, Most Recent Cohorts files, fetched 2026-10-20. Pay is the median for graduates who received federal aid, measured one and five years after finishing; debt is the median federal loan balance at graduation.
How every figure in this part of the site is sourced, and the check of every link.
Careerhelp is not affiliated with Michigan State University. Figures describe past students.