History: Harvard University vs University of Pennsylvania

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
3.2x
$236,304 tuition
2.8x
$264,416 tuition
$762,353 10-yr earnings · Private nonprofit
$732,659 10-yr earnings · Private nonprofit

Head-to-Head

Harvard University University of Pennsylvania
Earnings Multiple 3.2x 2.8x
4-Year Tuition $236,304 $264,416
Year 1 Earnings $53,468 $48,555
10-Year Earnings $762K $733K
Median Debt $12,721 $10,000
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 2.9 months 2.5 months
DegreeWorth Score 48/100 45/100
Acceptance Rate 3.5% 5.9%

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.

Harvard University University of Pennsylvania
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $236,304 $264,416
10-Year Projected Earnings $762K $733K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 3.2x 2.8x
5-Year Salary Growth +76% +80%

"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.

Harvard University University of Pennsylvania
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $791K $762K $671K $758K $733K $648K
Earnings Multiple 3.3x 3.2x 2.8x 2.9x 2.8x 2.5x
DegreeWorth Score 49 48 42 47 45 40

For the full AI analysis of History career paths, see the Harvard University or University of Pennsylvania program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for History graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap
$28,112
Harvard University saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$4,913/yr
Harvard University grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
3.2x / 2.8x
Earnings multiple (10yr earnings ÷ tuition)

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%
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for History: Harvard University or University of Pennsylvania?
Harvard University scores 48/100 while University of Pennsylvania scores 45/100. Harvard University has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for History?
Harvard University has an in-state earnings multiple of 3.2x vs University of Pennsylvania's 2.8x. That means Harvard University grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition. The $28,112 tuition gap is the biggest driver of this difference.
How do Harvard University and University of Pennsylvania compare on History earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $53,468 at Harvard University vs $48,555 at University of Pennsylvania. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $762,353 vs $732,659 — a difference of $29,694.
How much does History cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $236,304 at Harvard University and $264,416 at University of Pennsylvania. Median debt at graduation is $12,721 vs $10,000. Both programs lead to the same History career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.