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History · History Rank #119 of 389

Historyat Barnard College

Graduates earn $48,092/yr in their first year — about 49.0% above the national History average. Base-case 10-year earnings $519K; scenarios range from $484K to $522K depending on AI disruption.

New York, NY Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
45 AVERAGE
46
Optimistic
40
Pessimistic
Earnings
$48,092
1-year post-graduation
ROI
0.8x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$519K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
50% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Barnard College

A Barnard history degree, rooted in a rigorous liberal arts tradition and set within the dynamic New York City landscape, cultivates highly adaptable skills. Your coursework here emphasizes deep research, critical analysis, and persuasive communication – competencies employers across diverse sectors actively seek. This explains why graduates often transition into fields far removed from traditional history, such as consulting, finance, law, or project management, where these analytical abilities are paramount.

The strong institutional reputation and extensive alumni network further amplify your career prospects, opening doors to opportunities in competitive markets. While some career paths may face future automation challenges, your training here equips you to adapt and leverage your unique human-centric insights. To maximize your advantage, actively pursue internships that bridge your historical understanding with practical business or organizational challenges, demonstrating your versatility early on.

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
$484K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score40/100
Earnings Multiple1.8x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$519K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score45/100
Earnings Multiple2.0x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$522K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score46/100
Earnings Multiple2.0x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Barnard College'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 Barnard College 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 Barnard College

Other top programs at Barnard College

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Barnard College, 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 Barnard College

What does a 45/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for History at Barnard College?

At 45/100, the financial outlook is modest. Higher-scoring History programs exist, though non-financial factors may justify this choice.

Should I worry about AI if I study History at Barnard College?

The 44% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.