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History at Indiana University-Bloomington

Bloomington, IN · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $31,880/yr (-1% vs median)

AI Risk High (44% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (188,200 openings/yr)

ROI 12.5x earnings multiple (3.6x out-of-state)

Ranked #73 of 389 History programs Top 25%

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	$598K	$588K	$536K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	12.7x	12.5x	11.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	3.7x	3.6x	3.3x
Probability of Field Employment	50%	45%	34%
DegreeOutlook Score	48	48	47

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$47,160

Out-of-state: $161,928 (3.6x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$61,368

-30% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$19,975

7.5 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$59,187

86% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $31,880/yr, roughly in line with the $32,281 national median for History. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The 12.5x 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 10% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $19,975 debt-to-$31,880 income ratio translates to about 8 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #73 out of 389 programs, Indiana University-Bloomington's History program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $31,880 to $59,187 over five years (86% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About Indiana University-Bloomington

Indiana University-Bloomington accepts 80% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, with 36,571 students enrolled in Bloomington, IN.

See all programs and financial aid at Indiana University-Bloomington →

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

History at Other Schools

Other Majors at Indiana University-Bloomington

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Indiana University-Bloomington's History program score?

This program scores 48/100 — 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.

Why does Indiana University-Bloomington rank so high for History?

The #73 ranking out of 389 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →