History: California State University-Northridge vs Duke University

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
Duke University
Durham, NC
In-State
18.5x
$28,380 tuition
2.6x
$263,220 tuition
Out-of-State
6.9x
$75,900 tuition
2.6x
$263,220 tuition
$524,823 10-yr earnings · Public
$686,142 10-yr earnings · Private nonprofit

Head-to-Head

California State University-Northridge Duke University
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 18.5x 2.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.9x 2.6x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $28,380 $263,220
Year 1 Earnings $37,031 $60,750
10-Year Earnings $525K $686K
Median Debt $15,000 $13,000
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 4.9 months 2.6 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 58/100 48/100
Acceptance Rate 93.2% 6.8%

Both programs have high AI automation risk (44% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to History graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for History graduates.

California State University-Northridge Duke University
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $28,380 $263,220
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $75,900 $263,220
10-Year Projected Earnings $525K $686K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 18.5x 2.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.9x 2.6x
5-Year Salary Growth +41% +41%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for History (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

California State University-Northridge Duke University
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $528K $525K $488K $707K $686K $612K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 18.6x 18.5x 17.2x 2.7x 2.6x 2.3x
DegreeWorth Score 59 58 56 49 48 43

For the full AI analysis of History career paths, see the California State University-Northridge or Duke University program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for History graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$234,840
California State University-Northridge saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$23,719/yr
Duke University grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
18.5x / 2.6x
Out-of-state: 6.9x / 2.6x

Career Paths

History graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Natural sciences managers $161,180 8,500 +3.7% 50%
Managers, all other $136,550 106,700 +4.5% 47%
History teachers, postsecondary $81,500 1,700 -0.2% 51%
Historians $74,050 300 +2.2% 47%
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education $64,580 66,200 -1.6% 33%
Curators $61,770 1,800 +7.0% 50%
Archivists $61,570 1,100 +3.8% 50%
Museum technicians and conservators $47,460 1,900 +5.4% 24%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for History: California State University-Northridge or Duke University?
California State University-Northridge scores 58/100 while Duke University scores 48/100. California State University-Northridge has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for History?
California State University-Northridge has an in-state earnings multiple of 18.5x vs Duke University's 2.6x. That means California State University-Northridge grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition. The $234,840 tuition gap is the biggest driver of this difference.
How do California State University-Northridge and Duke University compare on History earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $37,031 at California State University-Northridge vs $60,750 at Duke University. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $524,823 vs $686,142 — a difference of $161,319.
How much does History cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $28,380 at California State University-Northridge and $263,220 at Duke University. Median debt at graduation is $15,000 vs $13,000. Both programs lead to the same History career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.