How much do History bachelor's degree graduates from Western Carolina University earn?

The reported median is $42,698 four years after completion.

How much federal debt do graduates of this program have?

The reported median federal debt among borrowers is $24,004.

Is this program above or below similar programs?

Reported year-four earnings are 16% below the national median for the same field and degree level.

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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

History bachelor's degree at Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC · Public

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are below similar programs.

$7,982 below the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings: 56.2% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff: Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff: −110% · Negative payoff
Available price data: College-wide context only

PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →

$0Annual price−$203,020

$8,000Annual price−$235,020

$13,000Current college-wide context−$255,020

$16,000Annual price−$267,020

$24,000Annual price−$299,020

$32,000Annual price−$331,020

$40,000Annual price−$363,020

OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+44%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$34,909 → $50,346

Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

24Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

29Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median

54Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median

$9,235Awarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential

Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 first-major completions in this field and credential

NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

157Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment

24Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers

75Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count

112Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count

9.7%Federal-aid non-completion rate2022–23 program cohort · 15 non-completers

25Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion

Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$32,203Informational preview, not a final accountability result

Observed year-4 earnings$42,698$10,495 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 21 Parent PLUS borrowers.

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$13,315

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$24,004

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$42,698

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$254/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

Enter my price →

AVERAGE NET PRICE$13,315Institution-wide annual figure

COST OF ATTENDANCE$19,992Institution-wide annual budget

ADMISSION RATE81.8%Institution context

COMPLETION RATE60.3%Institution-wide completion rate

WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$34,909Year 1

$42,698Year 4

$50,346Year 5

CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

7.1% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$3,558

Estimated loan payment$254

54borrowers represented where reported

HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$42,698 vs. $50,680

$7,982 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median

WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.

Managers, All Other$141,160 median wageNC estimate · 21,830 jobs · 11-9199$104,050–$182,390 middle 50% of NC wages+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeHistory Teachers, Postsecondary$75,070 median wageNC estimate · 720 jobs · 25-1125$58,130–$89,640 middle 50% of NC wages+0.0% projected U.S. growth · 1,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeHistorians$73,440 median wageNC estimate · 120 jobs · 19-3093$45,530–$100,420 middle 50% of NC wages+3.0% projected U.S. growth · 300 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$57,650 median wageNC estimate · 28,620 jobs · 25-2031$47,760–$60,740 middle 50% of NC wages-0.2% projected U.S. growth · 63,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeNatural Sciences Managers$173,870 median wageNC estimate · 6,010 jobs · 11-9121$134,460–$216,510 middle 50% of NC wages+8.2% projected U.S. growth · 9,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeArchivists$55,370 median wageNC estimate · 130 jobs · 25-4011$47,460–$65,920 middle 50% of NC wages+3.4% projected U.S. growth · 1,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeCurators$49,470 median wageNC estimate · 600 jobs · 25-4012$47,560–$69,360 middle 50% of NC wages+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 1,600 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeMuseum Technicians and Conservators$39,290 median wageNC estimate · 450 jobs · 25-4013$35,920–$46,470 middle 50% of NC wages+3.6% projected U.S. growth · 1,600 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeTour Guides and EscortsNot available median wageU.S. estimate · Unreported jobs · 39-7011

CENSUS EMPLOYMENT DESTINATIONS

Where graduates work five years later

The leading industries employing graduates in this college, broad field and credential group.

Educational Services

about 34.6%

Retail Trade

about 9.5%

Public Administration

about 9.2%

Health Care and Social Assistance

about 8.3%

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

about 6.4%

Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

Chapel Hill, NC

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

$15,254 higher earnings · $9,166 less debt · $1,660 lower annual net price

Earnings: $57,952
Debt: $14,838
Annual net price: $11,655

View outcomes →

Durham, NC

Duke University

$69,679 higher earnings · $11,004 less debt

Earnings: $112,377
Debt: $13,000
Annual net price: $29,612

View outcomes →

Pembroke, NC

University of North Carolina at Pembroke

$6,837 higher earnings · $3,055 lower annual net price

Earnings: $49,535
Debt: $27,000
Annual net price: $10,260

View outcomes →

Raleigh, NC

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

$6,802 higher earnings · $4,204 less debt

Earnings: $49,500
Debt: $19,800
Annual net price: $17,303

View outcomes →

Compare these programs →

DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

29 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

Calculate my payoff →