History at Franciscan University of Steubenville

Franciscan's history program sits in an interesting position: it trails national benchmarks by about $2,000 annually but outperforms most Ohio programs, ranking in the 60th percentile statewide. That's actually meaningful context—the state median for history grads is just $26,910, so these graduates are earning roughly 9% more than typical Ohio history majors despite attending a moderately selective private Catholic university.

The $24,000 debt load is manageable relative to first-year earnings, though those earnings are admittedly modest. A 0.82 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates would need to allocate about 20% of their gross income for four years under standard repayment plans—tight but not crushing for a humanities degree. The program notably performs better against state competition than national benchmarks, suggesting regional employment networks or the university's Catholic institutional connections may provide some advantage within Ohio.

The major caveat here is the small sample size—fewer than 30 graduates means one person's job outcome can swing the median significantly. Still, if your student is committed to history and considering Ohio schools, Franciscan appears positioned in the middle tier, behind major state universities like Cincinnati and Akron but ahead of most smaller programs. The debt burden won't handicap them, but career planning beyond entry-level roles will matter considerably given the starting salary.