History at St Lawrence University

St. Lawrence's history program manages to outpace most liberal arts history degrees in earnings, though you're making a bet on limited data—fewer than 30 graduates were tracked. The $35,230 starting salary beats 72% of history programs nationally and 60% in New York, which matters since many families compare against SUNY options. At $27,000 in debt, this program also keeps borrowing well below typical levels for history majors.

The 48% earnings jump from year one to year four suggests graduates find their footing after that rocky liberal arts start. By year four, the $52,170 median puts graduates in a significantly better position than the starting numbers suggest. However, you're still paying private school costs for earnings that trail Columbia or Cornell history grads by $20,000-30,000 annually. The 58% admission rate and moderate Pell grant enrollment (21%) indicate this is a viable option for strong students who don't get into the most selective schools.

The small sample size is a real limitation here—one or two outlier graduates could be skewing these numbers up or down. That said, the debt burden is manageable enough that even if earnings disappoint, your child won't be crushed by payments. This looks like a safer liberal arts bet than most, but verify the trajectory by asking the school about alumni outcomes in specific fields your child might pursue.