History at California State University-Dominguez Hills

CSU Dominguez Hills serves a predominantly Pell-eligible student body (61%) and keeps debt remarkably low—the $14,635 median is nearly $10,000 below the national average for history majors and well under California's typical burden. For families prioritizing affordability, that matters. The tradeoff shows up in first-year earnings of $28,000, which lands in the 40th percentile statewide, trailing schools like San Diego State by nearly $11,000. However, with fewer than 30 graduates in this cohort, these numbers may not represent the typical experience.

The 40% earnings jump from year one to year four suggests graduates gain traction as they move beyond entry-level positions, reaching $39,000 by the four-year mark. That's not elite territory for California—top history programs in the state see graduates earning in the mid-$40,000s—but the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52 means students should be able to manage loan payments without financial strain. For context, that's substantially better than the national median ratio for this degree.

If your child is considering this program, understand they're likely betting on long-term career development rather than immediate post-graduation earnings. The low debt provides breathing room for graduate school or unpaid internships that could lead to better opportunities. Just recognize the small sample size makes it hard to predict whether these patterns will hold for future cohorts.