What can you do with a History degree from Virginia Commonwealth University?

First, some facts. Of the History graduates from Virginia Commonwealth 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 10 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Horrible! Overall, with an average relevance score of 28%, History graduates from Virginia Commonwealth University have an exceptionally lower likelihood (-39%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

Average score: 28%
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, 50% 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 Virginia Commonwealth 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 2014 from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in History. No other secondary education since.

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
Sales Origination Associate
ZocDoc
Aug 2014 - Present
The position of Sales Origination Associate at ZocDoc does not require any history-specific skills or knowledge, making it unrelated to the Bachelor's degree in History.

ABOUT

No information provided.

What jobs can you get with a History degree from Virginia Commonwealth 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 people with a History degree from Virginia Commonwealth University have gone into, a common theme emerges: many of them take roles that don't directly relate to history. From positions like CEO, Realtors, and Bankcard Service Associates to roles such as Administrative Assistants and Project Assistants, there's a strong emphasis on business, administration, and customer service sectors. While these jobs may benefit from some storytelling or context-setting skills acquired through a history education, they rarely require specific historical knowledge. This suggests that many graduates adapt their skills to fit into the broader job market, often stepping away from traditional history-related careers.

However, there are exceptions where individuals directly apply their history knowledge, particularly in teaching roles. Positions like English and Civics teachers, Adjunct Instructors, and Park Ranger Interns highlight the relevance of a history background in education and cultural preservation. These roles utilize the analytical and research skills developed through a history curriculum. So, while a lot of VCU History graduates find themselves in fields that don't explicitly require their degree, those who do connect their education to their careers often thrive in educational and historical contexts. Overall, it's clear that while history majors can pursue diverse career paths, not all of them leverage their degree as part of their job descriptions directly.

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 Virginia Commonwealth University):

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

It looks like graduates from Virginia Commonwealth University who studied History have taken a pretty diverse path after they graduated. For many of them, their first jobs were not always directly related to history. Some landed roles in education or administrative positions, like teaching English abroad or working as an assistant in different sectors. However, there are also those who quickly found themselves in more specialized roles, like a CEO in marketing or a president of an auction company. Those who took teaching jobs, especially in subjects like civics and history, managed to carve a niche that utilized their history degrees more directly.

Fast forward five or ten years and the trends start to show a blend of success and some that have strayed from history-related careers. While some have stayed in educational roles—teaching history or working in administrative capacities at educational institutions—others have transitioned into quite different fields like marketing, real estate, and even park services. A number of graduates seem to have found good positions in education, likely leaning on their history background, but there are definitely cases where they moved on to jobs that might not connect back to their degree in a meaningful way, like administrative or managerial roles. Overall, while there are certainly some impressive careers emerging, many have taken a more winding path that doesn’t always scream “history graduate.”

How hard is a History degree from Virginia Commonwealth University?

So, getting a Bachelor’s degree in History at Virginia Commonwealth University (or really any school) can be a bit of a mixed bag, depending on your interests and strengths. Generally, it’s not considered super tough like some other majors, but it does require a lot of reading, writing, and critical thinking. If you enjoy digging into the past, analyzing events, and crafting essays, you might find it pretty manageable. On the flip side, if you’re not into writing or find research tedious, it might feel a bit challenging. Overall, it's about what you make of it – if you’re passionate about the subject, you’ll probably breeze through it more easily than someone who’s just there to fill a requirement.

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 Virginia Commonwealth University tend to make good money?

Looking at these VCU history grads, it seems like there’s a mixed bag in terms of how much money they’re making. The CEO and realtor from the 2010 grad definitely seem to be doing well, especially since the CEO role has been ongoing for over a decade. However, others like the teachers and adjunct instructors might not be raking in the cash, given that teaching positions often pay less, especially at the entry-level. The more experienced educators might be making a decent income now, but overall, a lot of these jobs don’t scream big bucks—think more of steady salaries rather than six-figure paychecks. So, while some are likely comfortable, others might be struggling a bit more financially.

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 Virginia Commonwealth 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