History at Salisbury University

Salisbury's history program starts graduates at just $27,873—below both the Maryland median ($34,200) and national median ($31,220), placing it in the bottom quarter of Maryland history programs. That's roughly $6,300 less than what graduates from the state's flagship university earn, and even trails outcomes at St. Mary's College. For a field where early earnings already trend modest, this program begins particularly behind.

The positive development is strong income growth: earnings jump 53% to $42,657 by year four, eventually surpassing the state median. With debt of $24,125 (close to state and national averages), the initial debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.87 improves significantly as salaries rise. However, that first year after graduation presents real financial pressure, especially for students who need to begin repaying loans immediately.

The question for Maryland families is whether accepting lower starting pay makes sense when in-state alternatives like Towson and UMD-College Park start their history graduates $12,000-$14,000 higher. The eventual earnings recovery is meaningful, but those first few years of loan payments happen regardless of what you might earn later. Unless cost of attendance is significantly lower here than at Maryland's stronger-performing public universities, this represents a tougher financial path for history majors.