What can you do with a History degree from University of South Carolina?

First, some facts. Of the History graduates from University of South Carolina 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 11 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Bad. Overall, with an average relevance score of 39%, History graduates from University of South Carolina have a substantially lower likelihood (-28%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

Average score: 39%
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, 54% 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 University of South Carolina and our analysis:


Relevance score: 0%

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

DEGREE INFO

Graduated in 2013 from University of South Carolina with a Bachelor's degree in History. No other secondary education since.

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
Customer Service Manager
BI-LO
May 2015 - Present
The role of Customer Service Manager does not require specific knowledge or skills in history, focusing instead on customer relations and management rather than historical expertise.

ABOUT

I have more than ten years experience in customer service and client satisfaction and I have over two years of experience as a Customer Service Manager. A graduate of the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of South Carolina, I have excellent written and verbal communication skills as well as a significant background in research report composition. I am also very computer literate and have experience working with common office computer programs such a Microsoft, Word and Excel.

What jobs can you get with a History degree from University of South Carolina?

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


So, after checking out the LinkedIn profiles of folks who graduated with a History degree from the University of South Carolina, it’s clear there’s a mix of job roles across different sectors. The most common jobs seem to be in areas like sales, project management, customer service, and even teaching. While teaching roles, especially in social studies, definitely align well with a History degree, a big chunk of the other positions don’t really tap into historical knowledge or skills at all. For example, positions like sales representative, project coordinator, and claims adjuster are pretty far removed from anything that would require understanding historic events or historical research methodologies. It’s like these graduates took their degree and then moved into completely different fields, leaving a lot of those history skills at the door.

On the flip side, there are some roles that definitely connect back to history, like internships and work in libraries, archives, and education. For instance, librarian positions and roles at the South Caroliniana Library offer good opportunities to engage with historical documents and materials, which is super relevant. Also, the teaching jobs show that some grads are putting their history education to use. But overall, it seems like a lot of these degree holders are finding themselves in jobs where history isn’t really part of the equation. It makes you wonder if a History degree sets you up for more paths than just traditional roles in education or museum work, or if it sometimes sends you down roads that don’t directly apply historical knowledge. In any case, if you're thinking of pursuing a History degree, it might be worth considering how to pair it with other skills that can open more doors for you later on.

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 University of South Carolina):

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

When looking at the career paths of History graduates from the University of South Carolina, it's clear that there’s quite a mix of trajectories. Many of those who graduated in the early 2010s started off in roles that aren’t directly tied to History, such as sales, management trainees, and claims adjusters. For example, the 2011 graduate who moved through several roles in the corporate world eventually climbed the ranks to Senior Vice President at a large firm, showcasing how a history degree can lead to successful careers in business if you pursue those opportunities. Others also found their way into educational roles as teachers, which is common among recent grads studying History, as they often end up imparting that knowledge to future generations.

Fast forward a few years, and it seems some graduate paths take a more specialized turn, particularly in fields like education, libraries, and even law. By about five or ten years post-graduation, there are more instances of graduates solidifying their careers in education and libraries—like the graduates who became high school teachers or librarians. However, the paths aren't exclusively education-focused; for instance, a couple of graduates dived into project management roles or even the corporate consulting world, which may not directly leverage their History degree but still demonstrates versatility. In contrast, some ended up in fields that don’t seem to relate much to History at all, like commercial flying or program coordination. So, while there are promising careers in history-related fields, not everyone sticks closely to that path, and the degree has opened doors to a variety of unrelated but successful career options too.

How hard is a History degree from University of South Carolina?

Getting a Bachelor’s degree in History at the University of South Carolina, or really anywhere, can be a mixed bag. It’s not the easiest degree out there, but it’s not necessarily the hardest either. You’ll be diving into a lot of reading, analyzing different time periods, and writing papers, which can be time-consuming and challenging, especially if you’re not super into writing. If you enjoy stories, critical thinking, and discussing ideas, you might find it more manageable and even enjoyable. Just be prepared to put in the effort, especially when it comes to those big research assignments! Overall, it’s about what you’re interested in and how much you’re willing to engage 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 University of South Carolina tend to make good money?

Looking at the job trajectories of these University of South Carolina History graduates, it seems like some have done quite well financially, while others might be struggling a bit more. For instance, the graduate from 2011 who climbed from a Sales Rep to Senior Vice President seems to be pulling in some solid cash now, which is pretty impressive! On the other hand, the ones working in education or in library positions typically earn less, especially at the entry-level. The recent grads stepping into teaching or internships might not be making great money yet, but they’re still starting their careers. Overall, it’s a mixed bag—some are definitely making decent money, while others are just getting by or might have to wait a bit for the big bucks to come in.

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 University of South Carolina). 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