History at Grand Valley State University

Grand Valley State University's undergraduate History certificate shows unusually strong first-year earnings at $24,206—hitting the 95th percentile nationally for this credential. However, the "60th percentile" state ranking and identical national/state medians reveal something important: this entire credential category has extremely limited data. With only 59 schools nationwide offering undergraduate History certificates, and just 4 in Michigan, these numbers likely reflect reporting quirks more than genuine program performance. The small sample size (under 30 graduates) compounds this uncertainty.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.02 means graduates carry nearly a full year's salary in loans, which is manageable compared to many programs but still represents about $24,600 to repay on earnings that barely exceed $2,000 monthly. These earnings are quite low in absolute terms—roughly what full-time work at $12/hour would generate. For context, this is a certificate or diploma, not a four-year degree, so comparing it to bachelor's programs would be misleading.

The real question is whether this credential serves as a stepping stone to further education or specific career pathways, because the standalone earnings don't suggest strong immediate employment outcomes. Given the data limitations and modest absolute earnings, families should verify exactly what this certificate qualifies graduates to do and whether it's required for their child's specific goals—it's likely more of an academic supplement than a career launcher.