Best History Degrees in California by ROI
Colleges in California ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment — calculated from median graduate earnings, total attendance cost, and average student debt. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs in California
37
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$238,833
Across California programs
Average Annual Cost
$33,551
Cost of attendance
| # | College | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
University of Southern California
Grad rate: 92.2% |
-$3,293 | $59,624 | $84,678 | $12,638 | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
California State University-East Bay
Grad rate: 45.5% |
-$19,952 | $46,913 | $22,803 | $20,000 | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
Grad rate: 85.3% |
-$41,748 | $47,086 | $29,918 | $17,627 | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
University of California-Irvine
Grad rate: 86.3% |
-$55,748 | $47,512 | $36,121 | $15,929 | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
California State University-Dominguez Hills
Grad rate: 46.7% |
-$92,713 | $41,442 | $15,449 | $14,635 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
California State University-Fullerton
Grad rate: 69.3% |
-$94,615 | $41,603 | $16,767 | $14,524 | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
California State University-Fresno
Grad rate: 55.5% |
-$100,431 | $42,067 | $18,650 | $20,127 | Full ROI → |
| 8 | Northeastern University Oakland | -$114,277 | $37,923 | N/A | $24,250 | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
San Francisco State University
Grad rate: 52.2% |
-$128,062 | $41,661 | $25,258 | $15,000 | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
California State University-Bakersfield
Grad rate: 49.5% |
-$132,840 | $39,121 | $18,815 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
California State University-Sacramento
Grad rate: 55.1% |
-$163,876 | $39,564 | $22,714 | $18,000 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
Grad rate: 46.1% |
-$167,978 | $39,496 | $24,412 | $15,000 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
California State University-San Marcos
Grad rate: 55.3% |
-$176,062 | $38,568 | $21,144 | $16,923 | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
University of California-Santa Barbara
Grad rate: 85.5% |
-$179,359 | $41,366 | $36,776 | $14,500 | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
University of San Francisco
Grad rate: 72.8% |
-$181,751 | $49,631 | $76,421 | $21,250 | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost (annual cost × programme years) − Debt Payoff (avg debt × 1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20 = $840,000)
A positive ROI means a degree in this field pays off relative to entering the workforce without one. Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.
Find Best History Degrees by State
Browse History programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.