History at Coastal Carolina University

Coastal Carolina's History graduates face a brutal first year, earning just $24,172—roughly $22,000 below the national median and $6,000 below South Carolina's typical history graduate. That puts this program in the bottom 5% nationally and the bottom quarter statewide, trailing every major competitor in the state by substantial margins.

The silver lining is genuine: earnings nearly double by year four, reaching $37,974. That's impressive growth, but it raises questions about whether graduates are scrambling to find alternative career paths rather than leveraging their history degree immediately. The debt load of $26,000 is close to national norms, but when your first-year salary barely covers living expenses in most markets, even moderate debt becomes a burden. Parents should recognize that their child would likely need financial support during those early years—the debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.08 means the entire first year's salary wouldn't even cover the loan balance.

The concerning reality is that even after four years of career development, earnings remain below what many South Carolina history programs deliver right out of the gate. If your child is passionate about history, this program requires either a concrete plan for graduate school or acceptance that building toward a livable wage will take several years of career pivoting.