History at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith

A University of Arkansas-Fort Smith history degree comes with below-average starting pay but keeps debt relatively manageable—and that matters more than the modest initial earnings suggest. While graduates start at $26,445 (19th percentile nationally), they owe just $19,700, creating a debt burden that's lower than what most history majors face. By year four, earnings jump 40% to nearly $37,000, though this program ranks middle-of-the-pack against Arkansas competitors like UCA and the flagship in Fayetteville.

The real question is whether this tracks students into better-paying careers over time or simply reflects a slow build from entry-level positions. Arkansas history graduates generally earn less than the national median, so the state context doesn't dramatically change the picture. The low debt is this program's strongest advantage—you're looking at borrowing about $7,000 less than the state average, which means your child could reach positive cash flow faster even with below-average starting pay.

Fair warning: the sample size here is tiny (under 30 graduates), so these figures might not hold steady year to year. If your child is serious about history, this could work as an affordable foundation for graduate school or teaching certification, where the low debt becomes a strategic asset. But as a standalone bachelor's degree, it requires realistic expectations about those first few years in the job market.