History: California State University-Northridge vs Fitchburg State University

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
18.5x
$28,380 tuition
11.5x
$44,184 tuition
Out-of-State
6.9x
$75,900 tuition
7.4x
$68,504 tuition
$524,823 10-yr earnings · Public
$509,206 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

California State University-Northridge Fitchburg State University
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 18.5x 11.5x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.9x 7.4x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $28,380 $44,184
Year 1 Earnings $37,031 $46,184
10-Year Earnings $525K $509K
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 58/100 56/100
Acceptance Rate 93.2% 89.9%

Both programs have high AI automation risk (44% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to History graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for History graduates.

California State University-Northridge Fitchburg State University
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $28,380 $44,184
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $75,900 $68,504
10-Year Projected Earnings $525K $509K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 18.5x 11.5x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.9x 7.4x

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for History (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

California State University-Northridge Fitchburg State University
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $528K $525K $488K $511K $509K $476K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 18.6x 18.5x 17.2x 11.6x 11.5x 10.8x
DegreeWorth Score 59 58 56 57 56 52

For the full AI analysis of History career paths, see the California State University-Northridge or Fitchburg State University program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for History graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$15,804
California State University-Northridge saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$9,153/yr
Fitchburg State University grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
18.5x / 11.5x
Out-of-state: 6.9x / 7.4x

Career Paths

History graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Natural sciences managers $161,180 8,500 +3.7% 50%
Managers, all other $136,550 106,700 +4.5% 47%
History teachers, postsecondary $81,500 1,700 -0.2% 51%
Historians $74,050 300 +2.2% 47%
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education $64,580 66,200 -1.6% 33%
Curators $61,770 1,800 +7.0% 50%
Archivists $61,570 1,100 +3.8% 50%
Museum technicians and conservators $47,460 1,900 +5.4% 24%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for History: California State University-Northridge or Fitchburg State University?
California State University-Northridge scores 58/100 while Fitchburg State University scores 56/100. California State University-Northridge has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for History?
California State University-Northridge has an in-state earnings multiple of 18.5x vs Fitchburg State University's 11.5x. That means California State University-Northridge grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do California State University-Northridge and Fitchburg State University compare on History earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $37,031 at California State University-Northridge vs $46,184 at Fitchburg State University. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $524,823 vs $509,206 — a difference of $15,617.
How much does History cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $28,380 at California State University-Northridge and $44,184 at Fitchburg State University. Both programs lead to the same History career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.