History graduates from Western Kentucky University earn $38,836 median salary — below the national average for this program. Median debt: $21,125.
History at Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, Kentucky • Bachelor's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for History at Western Kentucky University
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Western Kentucky University and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for History at the bachelor's credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 27 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Western Kentucky University, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $38,836 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $46,387 across all institutions offering History, graduates here earn below the national average for this program. Across all programs at Western Kentucky University, the mean median-earnings figure is $54,848, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for History graduates at Western Kentucky University is $21,125, which translates to roughly $176 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54 is under the 1.0 threshold the College Scorecard uses to flag favorable gainful-employment outcomes — earnings in year one already exceed cumulative borrowing. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
History at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Dartmouth College | $136,403 | $19,000 |
| Duke University | $112,377 | $13,000 |
| Yale University | $109,947 | $8,250 |
| Amherst College | $103,601 | — |
| Washington and Lee University | $100,087 | — |
| Columbia University in the City of New York | $98,079 | $21,500 |
| University of Pennsylvania | $88,517 | $10,000 |
| Brown University | $85,520 | $13,491 |
| Cornell University | $82,031 | $17,110 |
| Princeton University | $80,347 | — |
Other Programs at Western Kentucky University
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $112,455 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $112,179 | $55,511 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $86,624 | $26,688 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | $86,033 | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $85,772 | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $85,634 | — |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | $84,680 | $97,736 |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | $84,057 | $26,502 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $78,094 | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | $76,463 | — |
Other Schools with History
Quick picks offering the same program — compare side by side
About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.