History: California State University-Northridge vs Western Carolina University
Head-to-Head
| California State University-Northridge | Western Carolina University | |
|---|---|---|
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 14.3x | 21.3x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 5.3x | 11.3x |
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $28,380 | $18,128 |
| Year 1 Earnings | $37,031 | $34,909 |
| 10-Year Earnings | $405K | $386K |
| Median Debt | $15,000 | $23,814 |
| Debt-to-Earnings Ratio | 4.9 months | 8.2 months |
| DegreeWorth Score (In-State) | 69/100 | 70/100 |
| Acceptance Rate | 93.2% | 86.7% |
Both programs have high AI automation risk (44% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to History graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →
ROI Breakdown
How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for History graduates.
| California State University-Northridge | Western Carolina University | |
|---|---|---|
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $28,380 | $18,128 |
| 4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) | $75,900 | $34,128 |
| 10-Year Projected Earnings | $405K | $386K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 14.3x | 21.3x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 5.3x | 11.3x |
| 5-Year Salary Growth | +41% | +44% |
"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.
AI Disruption Scenarios
Both schools share identical AI exposure for History (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.
| California State University-Northridge | Western Carolina University | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optim. | Base | Pessim. | Optim. | Base | Pessim. | |
| 10-Year Earnings | $564K | $405K | $283K | $545K | $386K | $267K |
| Earnings Multiple (IS) | 19.9x | 14.3x | 10.0x | 30.1x | 21.3x | 14.7x |
| DegreeWorth Score | 71 | 69 | 64 | 72 | 70 | 65 |
For the full AI analysis of History career paths, see the California State University-Northridge or Western Carolina University program pages.
Earnings Trajectory Comparison
Projected annual earnings for History graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.
Career Paths
History graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural sciences managers | $161,180 | 8,500 | +3.7% | 50% |
| Managers, all other | $136,550 | 106,700 | +4.5% | 47% |
| History teachers, postsecondary | $81,500 | 1,700 | -0.2% | 51% |
| Historians | $74,050 | 300 | +2.2% | 47% |
| Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education | $64,580 | 66,200 | -1.6% | 33% |
| Curators | $61,770 | 1,800 | +7.0% | 50% |
| Archivists | $61,570 | 1,100 | +3.8% | 50% |
| Museum technicians and conservators | $47,460 | 1,900 | +5.4% | 24% |