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History · History Rank #220 of 389

Historyat American University

Graduates earn $43,809/yr in their first year — about 36.0% above the national History average. Base-case 10-year earnings $525K; scenarios range from $488K to $529K depending on AI disruption.

Washington, DC Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
39 AT RISK
40
Optimistic
35
Pessimistic
Earnings
$43,809
1-year post-graduation
ROI
1.4x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$525K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
50% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at American University

Your strong earnings potential from an American University History degree isn't just about the subject; it's a direct reflection of its prime Washington, D.C. location. The analytical rigor, research capabilities, and compelling storytelling you hone as a History major are uniquely valuable in the capital's dense ecosystem of government agencies, think tanks, non-profits, and museums. This environment provides unparalleled access to internships and entry-level roles that highly value critical thinking and contextual understanding, leading to a strong early career trajectory. Many graduates leverage these skills into policy analysis, advocacy, consulting, or even managerial positions within these D.C.-centric industries, rather than purely academic historical roles. The university’s strong regional reputation and established pipelines into these sectors mean you're well-positioned for upward mobility. To maximize this advantage, actively seek out internships and networking opportunities within D.C. from your first year.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$488K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score35/100
Earnings Multiple2.2x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$525K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score39/100
Earnings Multiple2.3x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$529K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score40/100
Earnings Multiple2.3x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to American University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where History graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Natural sciences managers
+3.7% 10-yr growth · 8,500 openings/yr
$161,180/yr
High
2
Managers, all other
+4.5% 10-yr growth · 106,700 openings/yr
$136,550/yr
Moderate
3
History teachers, postsecondary
-0.2% 10-yr growth · 1,700 openings/yr
$81,500/yr
High
4
Historians
+2.2% 10-yr growth · 300 openings/yr
$74,050/yr
Moderate
5
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
-1.6% 10-yr growth · 66,200 openings/yr
$64,580/yr
Moderate
6
Curators
+7.0% 10-yr growth · 1,800 openings/yr
$61,770/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering History

How American University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Dartmouth College
NH · Private nonprofit
60
DW Score
$61K
1-yr earn
2.6x
ROI
Duke University
NC · Private nonprofit
57
DW Score
$61K
1-yr earn
2.3x
ROI
University of Houston-Clear Lake
TX · Public
64
DW Score
$57K
1-yr earn
15.7x
ROI
Top score
Amherst College
MA · Private nonprofit
65
DW Score
$56K
1-yr earn
4.9x
ROI
Yale University
CT · Private nonprofit
47
DW Score
$55K
1-yr earn
1.1x
ROI
Also at American University

Other top programs at American University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at American University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in History offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare History trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about History at American University

How does American University's History program score?

This program scores 39/100 — on the lower end for History. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.

How vulnerable is History to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' History careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 44% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.