History at University of Scranton

The striking 121% earnings jump between years one and four tells the real story here—Scranton's history graduates start unusually low at $26,442, but by year four they're pulling $58,428, well above what most history majors earn anywhere. That first year looks rough, landing below both state and national medians, but whatever path these graduates take (graduate school? Career transitions?) leads to substantially better outcomes than peers at Penn State's main campus or Temple.

The $25,000 debt load is manageable given where earnings ultimately land, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio that improves dramatically over time. At 40th percentile for debt among Pennsylvania history programs, it's actually cheaper than the state median. The concern is that small sample size—fewer than 30 graduates—which means these numbers could swing significantly with just a few outliers. One graduate who went to law school or landed an unusually lucrative job could be skewing the four-year number upward.

For families considering this investment, the key question is whether their student will follow a similar post-graduation trajectory. If they're planning to pursue further education or are comfortable with a slower-earning start, the ultimate outcome looks solid. But if immediate earnings matter—say, to start paying down loans right away—that first-year figure is genuinely concerning. The small cohort size means you're betting on a pattern that might not hold for your specific student.