These Are the College Degrees People End Up Regretting

History draws students who love understanding how the past shaped the present. They may picture themselves working in museums, archives, education, law, publishing, research, government, or preservation. The degree feels rich and serious because it builds writing, evidence-based thinking, and a deeper understanding of politics, culture, and human behavior.

Regret can appear when graduates realize many history-related careers require another step. Teaching may need certification, archive work may need a library science degree, academia usually requires graduate school, and law requires law school. Without that next credential, some history majors struggle to turn a strong education into a clear job.