History at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

UW-Green Bay's history program delivers a quietly favorable outcome: graduates carry significantly less debt than peers while earning right around the state median. With $27,000 in student loans (ranking in the 5th percentile nationally—meaning 95% of programs burden students with more debt) and first-year earnings of nearly $33,000, the debt load equals just 82% of that initial salary. Among Wisconsin's 28 history programs, this lands at the 60th percentile for earnings, meaning graduates out-earn more than half their in-state peers while taking on less financial risk.

The earnings trajectory shows modest but steady growth, reaching $36,394 by year four—an 11% increase that suggests graduates are gaining professional traction. While top-tier Wisconsin programs like UW-Whitewater push past $40,000, those often come with different debt profiles and admissions selectivity. For a family prioritizing manageable debt at a highly accessible institution (88% admission rate), this program threads that needle effectively.

The practical takeaway: if your student is drawn to history and wants to stay in Wisconsin, UW-Green Bay offers a lower-stakes entry point. The debt burden won't handcuff their post-graduation choices, and earnings land squarely in the middle of what Wisconsin history graduates typically make. It's not a path to quick financial returns, but it's a financially defensible choice for a humanities degree.