History at University of California-Los Angeles

UCLA's History program starts graduates at just $28,116—below both national and California medians—but the trajectory matters more than the starting point. Earnings jump 70% by year four to nearly $48,000, suggesting graduates successfully pivot into careers that value UCLA's prestigious brand and analytical training. While that puts you ahead of 60% of California history programs by mid-career, you're still trailing several Cal State campuses and significantly behind top performers like Ashford and SDSU, which break $38,000+.

The compelling part of this program is the debt picture: $14,277 is exceptionally low for a UC education, ranking in the 95th percentile nationally (meaning only 5% of history programs burden students with less debt). That's about half the national median and nearly $2,000 below the California average. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.51 means you're borrowing roughly six months' worth of first-year salary—manageable even during that lean initial period.

Here's the bottom line: UCLA History is a bet on long-term trajectory and credential value rather than immediate payoff. If your child is self-directed enough to leverage UCLA's network and pivot skillfully after graduation, the modest debt makes this a relatively low-risk path from an elite institution. But if they need the history degree itself to directly launch a career, the starting salary will feel tight in expensive Los Angeles.