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History at San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree
50 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
50
Optimistic
50
Base Case
50
Pessimistic
Earnings $28,718/yr (-11% vs median)
AI Risk High (44% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (188,200 openings/yr)
ROI 20.4x earnings multiple (7.9x out-of-state)
Ranked #48 of 389 History programs Top 25%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to History graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $619K $607K $551K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 20.8x 20.4x 18.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.0x 7.9x 7.1x
Probability of Field Employment 50% 45% 34%
DegreeOutlook Score 50 50 50

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$29,696
Out-of-state: $77,216 (7.9x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$51,528
-74% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$15,000
6.3 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$59,616
108% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $28,718/yr, roughly in line with the $32,281 national median for History. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The 20.4x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 44% task exposure — and the 11% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $15,000 debt-to-$28,718 income ratio translates to about 6 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #48 out of 389 programs, San Francisco State University's History program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $28,718 to $59,616 over five years (108% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About San Francisco State University

San Francisco State University accepts 96% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, with 20,033 students enrolled in San Francisco, CA. 41% of students receive Pell Grants, indicating strong socioeconomic diversity.

See all programs and financial aid at San Francisco State University →

Top Career Paths

Natural sciences managers $161,180/yr
Managers, all other $136,550/yr
History teachers, postsecondary $81,500/yr
View all 8 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 389 schools offering History →

History at Other Schools

Dartmouth College ($61,127) Duke University ($60,750) University of Houston-Clear Lake ($57,239) Amherst College ($56,444) Yale University ($54,700) Columbia University in the City of New York ($53,828) Harvard University ($53,468) Northwestern University ($50,161)

Other Majors at San Francisco State University

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($117,532) Mechanical Engineering ($72,647) Civil Engineering ($68,256) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($67,345) Finance and Financial Management Services ($62,778) Accounting and Related Services ($60,607) International Business ($58,560) Microbiological Sciences and Immunology ($56,071)

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

Compare History trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does San Francisco State University's History program score?
This program scores 50/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for History graduates.
How vulnerable is History to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' History careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 44% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does San Francisco State University rank so high for History?
The #48 ranking out of 389 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →