History at New Jersey City University

New Jersey City University's history program punches well above its weight nationally, with graduates earning $40,919 in their first year—31% more than the national median for history majors. That 93rd percentile ranking nationwide is impressive for a school with an 89% admission rate and a predominantly working-class student body (52% receive Pell grants).

Within New Jersey, the picture is more nuanced. While NJCU graduates out-earn the state median by about $7,000, the program ranks in the 60th percentile among New Jersey's 26 history programs. You're paying similar debt ($25,629 versus the state median of $25,125) for middle-of-the-pack earnings in a state with some strong competition. Still, earnings grow 13% to $46,235 by year four, and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63 means graduates should be able to manage their loans—they're borrowing less than two-thirds of their first-year salary.

For families choosing between open-access institutions in New Jersey, this program delivers solid results. You won't match Monmouth or Rider's earning power, but you're getting substantially better outcomes than most history programs nationally. The real question is whether your child is committed to a humanities degree that typically requires graduate school for the strongest career prospects—if so, this is a reasonable starting point that won't bury them in debt.