History at University of South Dakota

University of South Dakota's history program sits in the bottom third nationally for graduate earnings, but there's an important silver lining: its graduates carry exceptionally light debt loads. At $27,000, debt here ranks in the 5th percentile nationally—meaning 95% of history programs leave students with more debt. While first-year earnings of $28,431 trail both the national and South Dakota medians, the near-1:1 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates aren't facing the burden typical of humanities degrees. By year four, earnings climb to $37,211, a respectable 31% increase that suggests career progression.

The main concern is that this program lags behind South Dakota State's history graduates by nearly $5,000 in starting salary, despite similar debt levels. Among the state's eight history programs, USD ranks around the 40th percentile—middle of the pack in a small field. Given USD's 99% admission rate, students here aren't being filtered by selectivity, which may partly explain the earnings gap.

For families weighing this option: the low debt is genuinely valuable and distinguishes this program from pricier alternatives. However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these figures could shift significantly year to year. If your student is set on history and wants to stay in South Dakota, the minimal debt burden makes this workable—just don't expect robust starting salaries.