History at Stockton University

Stockton's History program starts graduates at $28,897—about $5,000 below the New Jersey median and roughly $2,300 below the national average. That's a concerning gap in an already modest-earning field, placing this program in just the 40th percentile among New Jersey history programs. The debt burden of $27,000 is manageable relative to first-year earnings (0.93 ratio), but that's small comfort when the starting salary barely clears the poverty line for a family of four.

The real question is whether the 59% earnings jump to $45,820 by year four justifies the slow start. That mid-career number lands closer to stronger programs like Princeton and Rider, suggesting graduates eventually find their footing. Still, those first few years matter—especially for students from working-class backgrounds (42% of Stockton students receive Pell grants). Three years of sub-$30,000 earnings makes rent, loan payments, and building savings extremely difficult.

For families who can financially support a graduate through those lean early years, this becomes a calculated bet on the career trajectory showing up in the data. For students who need immediate earning power, the gap between Stockton's outcomes and top New Jersey programs like Monmouth ($48,482 starting) represents real opportunity cost. The debt is reasonable, but the timeline to financial stability is longer than most families can comfortably afford.