History at University of Nebraska-Lincoln

UNL's history program lands squarely in the middle of the pack—beating the national median by a modest margin but trailing other Nebraska options by several thousand dollars. Starting at $33,013, graduates earn less than their peers at UNK (who start at $39,340) and Omaha, placing this program in the 40th percentile statewide despite the flagship university's brand advantage.

The debt picture looks reasonable at $20,500, creating a manageable 0.62 debt-to-earnings ratio that most graduates can handle within a few years. What's more reassuring is the 22% earnings jump by year four, suggesting graduates find their footing in the job market even if they start modestly. This isn't the explosive growth you'd see in technical fields, but it's solid momentum for a humanities degree.

For Nebraska families, the real question is whether UNL's flagship status justifies potentially weaker career outcomes than the regional campuses. If your child is passionate about history and planning graduate school, UNL's research resources matter more than that initial earnings gap. But if they're heading straight to work and cost is similar across campuses, the Kearney or Omaha programs deliver better early returns without the debt penalty. The state median debt matches UNL exactly, so at least you're not overpaying for this middling performance.