History at Georgia College & State University

That first-year figure of $23,907 should give any parent serious pause—it lands in the bottom 5% of history programs nationwide and trails the Georgia state median by $9,000. Even among Georgia's 43 history programs, this ranks only in the 25th percentile, falling well behind regional peers like University of West Georgia ($35,074) and Kennesaw State ($32,752). The debt load of $25,000 isn't outrageous by itself, but when your graduate is earning less than poverty-level wages in year one, it creates real financial stress.

The dramatic earnings jump to $43,849 by year four offers some redemption and suggests graduates eventually find their footing. That 83% growth rate is impressive and indicates that Georgia College history majors may need time to transition into careers that value their degree. However, it's worth noting this data comes from a very small sample—fewer than 30 graduates—which means a handful of individual outcomes could be skewing these numbers in either direction.

For $25,000 in debt, your child could attend several stronger Georgia history programs that offer better immediate earnings prospects. Unless there are compelling personal reasons to choose Georgia College specifically (location, campus fit, scholarship offers), the combination of weak initial outcomes and uncertain data quality makes this a risky investment compared to alternatives within the state system.