• 94% of surveyed 2022-2023 University of Illinois history graduates secured a first destination, which means they’ve gotten jobs, are heading to graduate school, or are volunteering full time (that's higher than the campus average!)

• 95.5% of history majors age 25-65 are employed in a professional field and students graduating from Illinois with a history degree report average mid-career earnings of $78,758.

• Nine out of 10 employers want applicants with deep knowledge and understanding of democratic institutions and values, per the American Association of Colleges and Universities 2015 report.
• History majors score almost 9 percent higher on the GMAT than business majors, according to the 2013 Humanities Report Card from AAAS.
• Our alumni work in almost every conceivable field, including law, business, tech, community outreach, teaching and more.
• In a fast-changing world, the skills you build will be relevant to jobs that may not even exist yet.

What can I do with a history degree?

The possibilities are endless!

• Law-Lawyer, Human Rights Officer, Criminal Justice Analyst, Paralegal
• Business-Marketing Manager, CEO, Management Consultant, Research analyst
• Politics-Campaign manager, FBI/CIA, Legislative aide, Policy analyst
• Education-Teacher, Administrator, Advisor, Counselor
• Libraries-Archivist, Research Librarian, Outreach Librarian, Library Director
• Communication and Media-Journalist, Producer, Publicist, Editor
• Museums-Curator, Exhibitions and Collection Manager, Grant Writer, Programs Manager

Our alumni have also worked in technology, non-profit management, entertainment, publishing, and more!

Read Alumni Stories