What can you do with a History degree from The George Washington University?

First, some facts. Of the History graduates from The George Washington University we've analyzed , here's how many have used (or NOT used) their degree in their career:


These are estimates based on AI analysis of 13 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Bad. Overall, with an average relevance score of 44%, History graduates from The George Washington University have a substantially lower likelihood (-23%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

Average score: 44%
Average relevance score across all fields: 67%

And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.

× Chart

Also, after graduating, 53% of these graduates have pursued further education other than another Bachelor's degree (such as a Masters degree or other), compared to the average across all profiles of 35%. This suggests you may need more than just a Bachelors degree to be competitive as a History graduate.

See the details:

View a random History graduate from The George Washington University and our analysis:


Relevance score: 0%

We think this person has NOT gone into a career related to their degree.

DEGREE INFO

Graduated in 2016 from The George Washington University with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in History. No other secondary education since.

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
Digital Marketing Intern
Americans for Prosperity
Jun 2016 - Aug 2016
As a Digital Marketing Intern, the individual may use some historical knowledge for context and strategy, but the job primarily focuses on marketing skills, which are not directly tied to a history degree.

Junior Partner
27 Chapel Street, LLC
Jun 2017 - Present
The position of Junior Partner involves business and management, which do not require historical knowledge or skills, making it unrelated to the Bachelor's degree in History.

Junior Partner
102 Ashley Avenue, LLC
Dec 2017 - Present
Similar to JOB #1, this Junior Partner role is mainly concerned with business operations rather than the application of historical knowledge, resulting in no relevance to the History degree.

Junior Partner
12 Elizabeth Street, LLC
Aug 2021 - Present
This Junior Partner position, like the previous ones, centers around business functions that do not involve the use of skills or knowledge from a History degree, thus deemed completely unrelated.

ABOUT

No information provided.

What jobs can you get with a History degree from The George Washington University?

The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:


When looking at the various jobs held by graduates with a History degree from The George Washington University, it becomes clear that many of these roles stray quite a bit from the typical historical domain. While there are some positions that directly tap into historical knowledge and skills, such as those in research, legal intern roles, and working in museums or archives, many others, like managerial or administrative positions, lack any strong tie to the field of history. For instance, roles such as Manager at PhilaPets.com or Junior Partner at various LLCs primarily focus on business operations and do not require significant historical expertise. Overall, it seems like many graduates have pursued careers that do not necessarily align with their degree in History. They often work in diverse fields like law, education, and project management, where their historical training might offer some helpful analytical skills but doesn't play a central role in their day-to-day responsibilities. Sure, some jobs like judicial clerks and policy researchers make great use of historical understanding, but the trend shows that a History degree can lead to a pretty wide range of career paths, many of which aren't directly related to the study of history itself. So, while a History degree can be valuable, graduates often find themselves in roles where their historical knowledge isn't the main focus.

Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for History graduates (this is across all History graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to The George Washington University):

What kind of career trajectories do History graduates from The George Washington University have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

When you look at the career paths of graduates with a degree in History from The George Washington University, it’s clear that there’s a real mix of trajectories. Right after graduation, many students seem to land roles that leverage some of the skills they honed during their studies, like research, analysis, and communication. For instance, some start as interns in legal settings or take roles in education, like teaching or policy research. However, not everyone sticks closely to history-related jobs; some go off in different directions, like managing a bar or running a pet services business. This variety suggests that a History degree opens up several avenues but doesn't lead everyone directly to a history-focused career.

Fast forward five to ten years later, and you start to see more distinct patterns. Some grads find themselves in solid roles tied to law and policy, which aligns nicely with their critical thinking skills developed in their History programs. Others seem to drift away from history, indulging in entrepreneurship or working in more general business roles. It's a bit of a mixed bag when you think about long-term career success; while some grads secure positions that definitely utilize their history backgrounds, others appear to have taken jobs that are less relevant to their degrees. So, it definitely seems like a History major can lead to diverse opportunities, but it may not guarantee that they’ll stick to that specific field for life.

How hard is a History degree from The George Washington University?

Honestly, getting a Bachelor’s degree in History at The George Washington University can be pretty challenging, but it really depends on your interests and study habits. GW is known for its rigorous academics, so you’ll definitely be diving into a lot of readings, research papers, and discussions about historical events and their significance. If you love digging into the past and don’t mind writing essays, you might find it rewarding; if not, it could feel a bit overwhelming. Generally speaking, a History degree isn’t considered the easiest, but it also isn’t as hardcore as some STEM programs. Just be prepared to commit some serious time to studying and staying engaged with the material!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 4 years to finish a Bachelor degree in History.

Do History graduates from The George Washington University tend to make good money?

Looking at this lineup of GWU History grads, it seems like they’ve got a mixed bag when it comes to cash flow. Some have jumped into pretty respectable careers—especially those who went into law or government positions—where salaries tend to be on the higher end, like the graduates working at Harvard or various legal firms, which usually means they've found decent-paying gigs. Others, like the pet service owners or those in teaching positions, might not be raking in the big bucks, especially in the beginning. Overall, it looks like if you’ve landed a solid role in law or high-level admin, you’re probably doing alright, but some of them still might be hustling a bit more to make ends meet. So, it’s kind of a hit or miss depending on the path they chose!

What buzzwords do History graduates use to describe themselves?

Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in History (this is across all History graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to The George Washington University). This may or may not be useful:

What are the best colleges for History?

Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in History (ordered by the average relevance score of their History graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates:

College Score Count
University of Connecticut 60 10
The University of Georgia 56 11
College of Charleston 54 10
Yale University 53 21
University of North Texas 52 21
University of Virginia 50 18
University of Pittsburgh 49 12
University of California, Santa Cruz 48 13
Rutgers University 48 10
Towson University 47 10
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 46 15
Binghamton University 46 10
University of Florida 45 23
Brigham Young University 45 15
Christopher Newport University 45 12
The University of Texas at Austin 44 16
University of Houston 44 19
San Francisco State University 44 17
Texas State University 44 11
The George Washington University 44 13
University of Washington 43 17
San Jose State University 43 12
Southern New Hampshire University 42 15
James Madison University 42 18
Louisiana State University 42 12
Texas Tech University 41 15
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo 41 12
Hillsdale College 40 10
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona 39 10
University of South Carolina 39 11
Texas A&M University 38 23
Florida State University 37 21
University of California, Los Angeles 37 37
North Carolina State University 37 14
University of Oregon 37 11
Northern Arizona University 36 10
University of Central Florida 35 24
Old Dominion University 34 10
Davidson College 34 11
West Chester University of Pennsylvania 33 10
Columbia College 33 13
University of Michigan 31 15
University of Nebraska at Omaha 31 11
Arizona State University 30 13
George Mason University 29 14
University of Mississippi 29 10
Virginia Commonwealth University 28 10
University of North Carolina at Charlotte 26 16
University of California, Berkeley 25 16
The Citadel 24 11
The Ohio State University 23 18
University of Arizona 23 13
Georgia State University 23 11
Michigan State University 20 11
University of South Florida 18 20
Ashford University 18 11
University of Kentucky 17 12
Virginia Military Institute 14 11