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History · History Rank #77 of 389

Historyat Brown University

Graduates earn $42,296/yr in their first year — about 31.0% above the national History average. Base-case 10-year earnings $715K; scenarios range from $634K to $739K depending on AI disruption.

Providence, RI Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
48 AVERAGE
48
Optimistic
44
Pessimistic
Earnings
$42,296
1-year post-graduation
ROI
2.0x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$715K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
50% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Brown University

A Brown History degree, from an institution renowned for its intellectual rigor and open curriculum, equips you with highly transferable skills that are prized across diverse, high-earning sectors. The program's strength lies in cultivating exceptional critical thinking, research, and communication abilities, making graduates highly competitive for roles far beyond traditional history paths. You'll find alumni excelling in fields like strategic consulting, finance, law, public policy, and even tech, where the capacity for complex analysis and persuasive narrative is invaluable. This explains why outcomes are strong: top employers nationwide recognize the intellectual horsepower a Brown humanities degree signifies. To truly maximize your return, actively pursue internships that apply your analytical skills in different industries and leverage the extensive, supportive Brown alumni network to explore varied career trajectories.

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
$634K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score44/100
Earnings Multiple2.3x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$715K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score48/100
Earnings Multiple2.6x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$739K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score48/100
Earnings Multiple2.7x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Brown 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 Brown 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 Brown University

Other top programs at Brown University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Brown 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 Brown University

What does a 48/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for History at Brown University?

At 48/100, 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 Brown University?

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.

Is Brown University one of the best schools for History?

Among 389 History programs, Brown University's #77 position reflects consistently above-average results across earnings, ROI, and employment probability.

What do students actually pay for History at Brown University?

The 61% gap between sticker price and net cost means most students pay far less than $272,920. At a net cost of $106,288, the earnings multiple improves substantially.