History at Coe College

A History degree from a small Iowa liberal arts college raises immediate questions about return on investment, particularly when the estimated figures suggest outcomes that barely clear national benchmarks. Based on comparable History programs in Iowa, first-year earnings around $36,400 put graduates slightly ahead of the national median but trailing the state's top programs—Iowa State and Grinnell both produce earnings in the $39,000-$41,000 range. The estimated debt load of nearly $26,000 yields a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71, meaning graduates would owe roughly nine months of their first year's salary.

The practical concern here isn't catastrophic debt—it's modest earnings combined with uncertain career paths that History graduates often face. At $36,400 annually, your child would bring home around $2,700 monthly after taxes, making that $26,000 debt manageable but not comfortable, especially if they're moving to a city with higher living costs or need graduate school for their career goals. The fact that peer programs in Iowa show such wide variation (from $27,500 to $41,000) underscores how much individual outcomes depend on factors beyond the degree itself.

Before committing, push Coe's career services office for placement data: where do their History graduates actually land jobs, and how many need additional schooling? Given that these figures are estimates rather than tracked outcomes for Coe specifically, you're making decisions with limited visibility into this program's actual track record.