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History · History Rank #298 of 389

Historyat California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

Graduates earn $20,972/yr in their first year — about 35.0% below the national History average. Base-case 10-year earnings $509K; scenarios range from $476K to $511K depending on AI disruption.

Arcata, CA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
35 AT RISK
36
Optimistic
35
Pessimistic
Earnings
$20,972
1-year post-graduation
ROI
12.5x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$509K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
50% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

Your earnings trajectory with a History degree from Cal Poly Humboldt often reflects the realities of a smaller, regional labor market. Arcata, while a vibrant community, doesn't boast a vast array of high-paying corporate or government roles typically sought by humanities graduates. Instead, many alumni find fulfilling work in local public service, non-profits, education, or cultural institutions within the region, often prioritizing passion over hefty paychecks. The program likely fosters strong analytical and research skills, valuable for graduate studies or roles where critical thinking is paramount, but direct entry into high-paying positions can be challenging. To maximize your financial outlook, proactively combine your history studies with practical minors or internships in fields like data analysis, museum studies, or public administration, and actively seek opportunities beyond the immediate area.

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
$476K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score35/100
Earnings Multiple15.0x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$509K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score35/100
Earnings Multiple16.1x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$511K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score36/100
Earnings Multiple16.1x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt'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 California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt 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 California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

Other top programs at California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

Other highest-scoring programs offered at California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt, 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 California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for History at California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt?

A score of 35/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for History. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Will AI replace History careers?

With 44% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $475,732 in decade earnings vs $510,655 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Can you still earn well with History from California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt?

First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.