History at Loyola University Chicago

Loyola's history program shows modest first-year outcomes but dramatically improves by year four—graduates nearly double their earnings, jumping from $31,000 to $58,572. That trajectory matters more than the sluggish start, though it's worth noting this performance places below the state median and well behind Illinois heavyweights like Northwestern ($50,161) and UChicago ($46,616). The $24,000 debt load is manageable and matches the national median, producing a reasonable 0.77 debt-to-earnings ratio if you can weather that initial year.

The real question is whether that 89% earnings growth reflects genuine career advancement or simply the reality that many liberal arts graduates take time to find their footing. History majors often need graduate school or pivot into adjacent fields—teaching, nonprofits, business—which could explain both the weak start and strong finish. With fewer than 30 graduates in this dataset, these numbers might swing considerably with different cohorts.

For families who can afford the early earning gap—perhaps through living at home or parental support during those first years—this program could work out fine by year four. But if your student needs to be financially independent immediately after graduation, the starting salary will feel tight in an expensive city like Chicago, even with modest debt.