History at Oklahoma State University-Main Campus

Oklahoma State's history program lands below the middle of the pack both nationally and within Oklahoma, with first-year earnings of $30,522 trailing the state median by over $1,000. Among Oklahoma's 20 history programs, this ranks at the 40th percentile—meaning graduates here typically earn less than most peers who studied history at other state schools. The University of Oklahoma's history graduates, for comparison, earn nearly $9,000 more in their first year.

The debt load of $21,465 is slightly better than typical, creating a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.70. That's one bright spot: many history graduates elsewhere carry more debt relative to their earnings. Still, starting at roughly $30,500 means loan payments will take a meaningful bite from monthly budgets, especially given that history degrees often lead to jobs in education, nonprofits, or public service where salary growth can be gradual.

The major caveat here is sample size—fewer than 30 graduates means a few outliers could skew these numbers significantly. Still, the pattern is clear: if your child is committed to history at a public Oklahoma institution, other options appear to offer better returns. Unless OSU provides specific advantages like scholarship offers or particular faculty expertise, the combination of below-average earnings and middle-of-the-road debt suggests looking at OU or other programs where history graduates start on stronger financial footing.