History at California State University-Fullerton

Cal State Fullerton's History program starts graduates at well below-average wages—$27,083 is roughly $4,600 less than California's typical history graduate earns—but then something interesting happens. By year four, median earnings jump to $45,280, a 67% increase that outpaces most humanities programs. This trajectory suggests graduates are successfully pivoting into careers where a liberal arts degree provides a foundation but additional experience or skills drive earnings growth.

The debt picture offers genuine relief here. At $14,524, graduates carry less than half the national median for history majors and about $1,800 below California's state median. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54 means even in that challenging first year, debt represents roughly half a year's salary—manageable territory. The strong Pell grant enrollment (47%) indicates this accessible debt load serves a predominantly middle- and working-class student population.

For a family considering this program: you're looking at a rough financial start but relatively quick recovery. The real question is whether your student has a plan for that first year or two—living at home, working while job-searching, or pursuing internships that lead somewhere. The program ranks middle-of-the-pack among California history degrees (40th percentile), so this isn't about prestige. It's about getting a degree with minimal debt and using those first years strategically to build toward better-paying work.