History (Bachelor's Degree) at Simpson College

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$36,402

Est. from IA median (4 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$25,946

Est. from national median (119 programs)

Analysis

Similar history programs in Iowa suggest first-year earnings around $36,400—notably above the national median of $31,200 for history bachelor's degrees. Combined with estimated debt of roughly $26,000, this creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71, which translates to manageable monthly payments that shouldn't overwhelm a typical humanities graduate's budget. That said, this program falls in the middle of Iowa's range: top programs like Iowa State produce graduates earning $41,000, while others trail closer to $28,000.

The caveat here is significant: these figures come from comparable programs because Simpson's own graduate cohort was too small for the Department of Education to report. The actual outcomes could be better or worse depending on factors the data can't capture—like whether Simpson's career services effectively connect history majors with employers, or how well the curriculum prepares students for graduate school versus immediate employment. At a school with an 89% admission rate and moderate SAT scores, outcomes can vary considerably based on individual student initiative.

For a family considering this investment, the estimated numbers suggest reasonable financial risk compared to other humanities degrees, but you're essentially betting on a program without verified track record data. If your student is genuinely passionate about history and has explored how they'll convert that degree into employment, the projected debt load shouldn't be crushing. If they're undecided or treating this as a default choice, programs with actual reported outcomes would offer more certainty.

Where Simpson College Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all history bachelors's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Iowa

History bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Iowa (25 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Simpson CollegeIndianola	$46,212	$36,402*	—	$25,946*	—
Iowa State UniversityAmes	$10,497	$41,294*	$40,853	$26,007*	0.63
Grinnell CollegeGrinnell	$64,862	$39,687*	$50,567	$17,500*	0.44
University of IowaIowa City	$10,964	$33,117*	$51,028	$25,978*	0.78
University of Northern IowaCedar Falls	$9,728	$27,569*	$45,192	$21,776*	0.79
National Median	—	$31,220*	—	$24,000*	0.77

* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with history graduates

Natural Sciences Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, statistics, and research and development in these fields.

$161,180/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Clinical Research Coordinators

Plan, direct, or coordinate clinical research projects. Direct the activities of workers engaged in clinical research projects to ensure compliance with protocols and overall clinical objectives. May evaluate and analyze clinical data.

$161,180/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

History Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in human history and historiography. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Historians

Research, analyze, record, and interpret the past as recorded in sources, such as government and institutional records, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs, interviews, films, electronic media, and unpublished manuscripts, such as personal diaries and letters.

$74,050/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.

$64,580/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Archivists

Appraise, edit, and direct safekeeping of permanent records and historically valuable documents. Participate in research activities based on archival materials.

$57,100/yrJobs growth:

Curators

Administer collections, such as artwork, collectibles, historic items, or scientific specimens of museums or other institutions. May conduct instructional, research, or public service activities of institution.

$57,100/yrJobs growth:

Museum Technicians and Conservators

Restore, maintain, or prepare objects in museum collections for storage, research, or exhibit. May work with specimens such as fossils, skeletal parts, or botanicals; or artifacts, textiles, or art. May identify and record objects or install and arrange them in exhibits. Includes book or document conservators.

$57,100/yrJobs growth:

Managers, All Other

All managers not listed separately.

Regulatory Affairs Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate production activities of an organization to ensure compliance with regulations and standard operating procedures.

Compliance Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization to ensure compliance with ethical or regulatory standards.

Loss Prevention Managers

Plan and direct policies, procedures, or systems to prevent the loss of assets. Determine risk exposure or potential liability, and develop risk control measures.

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Simpson College, approximately 33% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 4 similar programs in IA. Actual outcomes may vary.