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History at Central Washington University

Ellensburg, WA · Public · Bachelor's Degree
44 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
44
Optimistic
44
Base Case
42
Pessimistic
Earnings $35,747/yr (11% vs median)
AI Risk High (44% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (188,200 openings/yr)
ROI 12.4x earnings multiple (4.3x out-of-state)
Ranked #140 of 389 History programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to History graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $452K $456K $435K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 12.3x 12.4x 11.8x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 4.2x 4.3x 4.1x
Probability of Field Employment 50% 45% 34%
DegreeOutlook Score 44 44 42

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$36,768
Out-of-state: $107,084 (4.3x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$58,860
-60% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$22,250
7.5 months of Year 1 earnings

Program Analysis

Central Washington University's History graduates start at $35,747/yr — above the $32,281 national average, though not by a wide margin.

The 12.4x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 44% task exposure — and the 4% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $22,250 debt-to-$35,747 income ratio translates to about 7 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #140 out of 389 programs, Central Washington University's History offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

About Central Washington University

A 90% acceptance rate means Central Washington University is accessible to most applicants, with a mid-sized student body of 8,081 in Ellensburg, WA.

See all programs and financial aid at Central Washington University →

Top Career Paths

Natural sciences managers $161,180/yr
Managers, all other $136,550/yr
History teachers, postsecondary $81,500/yr
View all 8 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 389 schools offering History →

History at Other Schools

Dartmouth College ($61,127) Duke University ($60,750) University of Houston-Clear Lake ($57,239) Amherst College ($56,444) Yale University ($54,700) Columbia University in the City of New York ($53,828) Harvard University ($53,468) Northwestern University ($50,161)

Other Majors at Central Washington University

Construction Management ($81,666) Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods ($81,377) Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians ($77,500) Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians ($65,871) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($56,049) Accounting and Related Services ($55,215) Computer Science ($52,362) Economics ($52,129)

Explore the Trade Alternative

Compare History trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

Not every career requires a four-year degree. Trade programs in related fields can offer competitive salaries with a fraction of the student loan burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Central Washington University's History program score?
This program scores 44/100 — 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.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →