History at Iowa State University

Iowa State's history program stands out nationally but tells a more nuanced story within Iowa. While graduates earn $41,294 in their first year—placing them in the 95th percentile among history programs nationwide—that same figure ranks only 60th percentile in Iowa, where the state median for history majors is $36,402. They're beating most of the country but trailing elite in-state competitor Grinnell College by a meaningful margin.

The program's bigger concern isn't the starting point but the trajectory: earnings actually decline slightly to $40,853 by year four. This stagnation is unusual for any bachelor's degree and suggests these graduates may be hitting occupational ceiling effects early or clustering in fields with limited advancement potential. The moderate debt load of $26,007 remains manageable with a first-year ratio of 0.63, but without earnings growth, that advantage doesn't compound over time.

For families weighing this option, Iowa State delivers solid history graduate outcomes by most measures—you're certainly not looking at a risky investment compared to typical liberal arts programs nationwide. However, if your student is academically competitive and considering history as a major, it's worth comparing financial aid packages against Grinnell or even University of Iowa, where slightly lower starting salaries might still offer better growth curves. The value here is real but not exceptional within Iowa's landscape.