History at State University of New York at Plattsburgh

A $28,400 starting salary puts SUNY Plattsburgh's history program about $3,000 below New York's median for the major—not a dramatic gap, but meaningful when every dollar counts in that first year out. The debt load of $23,439 is actually slightly below the state median, which keeps the debt-to-earnings ratio at a manageable 0.83. You're looking at roughly 10 months of gross salary to cover what graduates owe, which beats plenty of programs where that stretches past a year.

The earnings placement tells the real story here: 30th percentile nationally and 40th within New York means this sits comfortably in the lower half. History majors face tough early-career economics everywhere, but SUNY Plattsburgh's graduates appear to land slightly below their peers at similar state schools. The small sample size—under 30 graduates—means one unusually successful (or struggling) cohort could swing these numbers considerably, so treat them as directional rather than definitive.

For families prioritizing affordability and reasonable debt, this program delivers on the SUNY system's core promise: accessible education without crushing loans. But if your student is genuinely competitive for places like CUNY Lehman (where history grads earn $43,874) or even mid-tier SUNY campuses with stronger placement records, those options deserve serious consideration. The degree itself won't close doors, but it likely won't open them wider than the alternatives either.