History at Ottawa University-Surprise

Based on comparable history programs in Arizona, graduates of this bachelor's degree face a first-year salary around $39,300—considerably better than the national median of $31,200 for history majors. That puts Ottawa University-Surprise's estimated outcomes squarely in the middle of Arizona's range, where history earnings span from under $29,000 at Northern Arizona University to nearly $44,000 at Grand Canyon. The estimated $25,946 in debt aligns closely with both national and state norms for the field, producing a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66.

The practical reality: history degrees rarely command high starting salaries anywhere, but Arizona's job market appears kinder to humanities graduates than most states. Similar programs suggest you'd be borrowing less than a year's salary, which is workable territory if your child plans to enter fields where history degrees traditionally lead—education, nonprofits, government work, or graduate school. The 40% admission rate and modest test scores suggest Ottawa isn't selective, but that doesn't necessarily predict weaker outcomes; their estimated earnings match those of Arizona State's large programs.

The key caveat here is that we're working entirely with estimates from peer institutions, not actual graduate outcomes from Ottawa's specific program. If your child is seriously considering this path, contact Ottawa directly to ask about their history graduates' actual employment patterns and earnings—schools often track this information even when sample sizes are too small for federal reporting. For now, the projections suggest reasonable alignment with state norms, but you're betting on an unknown program performing like its peers.