History: Duke University vs University of Pennsylvania

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
Duke University
Durham, NC
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
2.6x
$263,220 tuition
2.8x
$264,416 tuition
$686,142 10-yr earnings · Private nonprofit
$732,659 10-yr earnings · Private nonprofit

Head-to-Head

Duke University University of Pennsylvania
Earnings Multiple 2.6x 2.8x
4-Year Tuition $263,220 $264,416
Year 1 Earnings $60,750 $48,555
10-Year Earnings $686K $733K
Median Debt $13,000 $10,000
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 2.6 months 2.5 months
DegreeWorth Score 48/100 45/100
Acceptance Rate 6.8% 5.9%

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.

Duke University University of Pennsylvania
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $263,220 $264,416
10-Year Projected Earnings $686K $733K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 2.6x 2.8x
5-Year Salary Growth +41% +80%

"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.

Duke University University of Pennsylvania
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $707K $686K $612K $758K $733K $648K
Earnings Multiple 2.7x 2.6x 2.3x 2.9x 2.8x 2.5x
DegreeWorth Score 49 48 43 47 45 40

For the full AI analysis of History career paths, see the Duke University or University of Pennsylvania program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

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

Tuition Gap
$1,196
Duke University saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$12,195/yr
Duke University grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
2.6x / 2.8x
Earnings multiple (10yr earnings ÷ tuition)

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%
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for History: Duke University or University of Pennsylvania?
Duke University scores 48/100 while University of Pennsylvania scores 45/100. Duke University has significantly lower tuition, which drives its competitive ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for History?
Duke University has an in-state earnings multiple of 2.6x vs University of Pennsylvania's 2.8x. That means University of Pennsylvania grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do Duke University and University of Pennsylvania compare on History earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $60,750 at Duke University vs $48,555 at University of Pennsylvania. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $686,142 vs $732,659 — a difference of $46,517.
How much does History cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $263,220 at Duke University and $264,416 at University of Pennsylvania. Median debt at graduation is $13,000 vs $10,000. 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.