History at Eastern Washington University

Eastern Washington University's History program outperforms both state and national benchmarks for first-year earnings, ranking in the 76th percentile nationally and 60th percentile among Washington history programs. At $36,126, graduates earn roughly $6,000 more than the typical Washington history graduate and $5,000 above the national median. With debt around $23,600—essentially matching state and national averages—the debt burden is manageable at 65% of first-year income, which represents a reasonable starting point for humanities graduates.

The main concern here is the earnings trajectory: graduates actually see a slight decline from year one to year four, earning $35,353 by their fourth year out. While this pattern isn't unusual for history majors who often take indirect career paths into teaching, nonprofits, or graduate school, it does mean early earnings represent a peak rather than a foundation for growth. It's worth noting these figures come from a small sample size (under 30 graduates), so individual outcomes may vary considerably.

For parents, this program offers solid entry-level outcomes compared to peer history programs, with debt that won't be crushing on a humanities salary. The real question is whether your student has a clear career plan—those who leverage the degree strategically into teaching credentials, law school, or public administration tend to see better long-term returns than those exploring options post-graduation.