To date, we’ve asked 241 current and past history students about their happiness with their degree. Turns out, they rate it above average.

Your major should make you feel excited to put the knowledge and skills you learn to work.

To help you reach the decision that is right for you, we asked students who have pursued a history degree to respond to questions concerning five dimensions of the educational track they chose:

  • Course material: Were they interested in the material they learned?
  • Intellectual fulfillment: Did they find the coursework intellectually stimulating?
  • Job prospects: Did they leave the program with job opportunities?
  • Personality: Was the degree a good fit for their personality?
  • Overall fit: Were they happy with the program overall?

We examined their responses and combined the rankings to give us an average satisfaction score across all students. This doesn't necessarily reflect how satisfied you would be with a history degree, but it’s a starting point to help you evaluate your options.

How satisfied are history students compared to other degrees?

Overall, history students rate their satisfaction with their degree a 3.6 out of 5. This is high compared to other degrees which average a rating of 3.28 across all degrees. For context, history students rate their happiness similarly to students in History, Applied Mathematics and English Literature (British And Commonwealth).

Here are other degrees that have a similar satisfaction rating to history

DegreeAvg Grad SalarySatisfaction
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, and Gender Studies$63,375
Theater Arts$48,729
Applied Mathematics$86,158
History$68,548
English Literature (British And Commonwealth)$67,241
Fashion Design$46,355
Design and Applied Arts$54,021
Public Policy$92,203

Let's break that down further.

Are history students satisfied with what they’re learning?

We asked students about their satisfaction with their course material and overall intellectual fulfillment. Here’s what they said:

We asked graduates how interesting they found the course material to be. Their response was:
4.3 out of 5 stars
224 ratings
5 stars
55%
4 stars
28%
3 stars
10%
2 stars
3%
1 stars
2%
We asked graduates how intellectually fulfilling they found the degree. Their response was:
4.3 out of 5 stars
244 ratings
5 stars
50%
4 stars
32%
3 stars
11%
2 stars
4%
1 stars
2%

These ratings are meant to give you an indication about what other people enrolled in history experienced. While their input is useful, keep in mind that different people have had vastly different experiences, all of which were impacted by their personal motivations, professors, and specific curriculum. Always keep your own goals at the center of your decision-making process when it comes to something as significant as your education.

Did history graduates leave school with good job prospects?

Of course, working towards a degree is also about pursuing your desired career. Here’s what history grads had to say about their job prospects:

We asked graduates how satisfied they were with their job prospects. Their response was:
2.7 out of 5 stars
239 ratings
5 stars
5%
4 stars
15%
3 stars
38%
2 stars
26%
1 stars
14%

These responses represent a wide range of opinions. Things like extracurricular activities, internships and work placements can set you up for success after graduation.

Were history students happy with their degree overall?

This rating takes into account all factors: how demanding the program is, whether graduates felt it was worthwhile, and how fulfilling they found their educational experience.

We asked graduates how satisfied they were with their degree as a whole. Their response was:
3.6 out of 5 stars
241 ratings
5 stars
28%
4 stars
27%
3 stars
26%
2 stars
13%
1 stars
5%

As you consider this information and input from others, remember above all that your choice should be based on your interests, goals, passions, and abilities. Consider the future and give yourself time. If you’re feeling unsure, click here to take our career assessment and see what path could be right for you.

Overview

Discover what you’ll learn—and what you can do after you graduate.

Read about Overview