Best Colleges for History Majors

While early-career earnings for a history major are low, just under half of all graduates go on to earn an advanced degree, with 28% earning a master's. 

Three years after completing their degree, bachelor’s in history graduates earn a weighted average salary of $36,068, which is 29% less than the national average for all bachelor students from the same graduation year. Our bachelor’s in history rankings cover 496 of the 558 programs available, accounting for 93% of total conferrals.



 

Read more
Filters
  • Humanities & Social Sciences
  • History
  • Clear all filters
Sort By
Cost
Earnings
Rankings
Ranking methodology

20 of 339

#1 in History

Amherst College

Amherst, Massachusetts

Economic score 0.55

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $25,035

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $114,276

Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.

Graduation rate 96%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#2 in History

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Economic score 0.82

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $19,500

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $89,238

Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.

Graduation rate 98%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#3 in History

CUNY Hunter College

New York, New York

Economic score 0.83

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $3,296

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $53,778

Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.

Graduation rate 60%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#4 in History

Yale University

New Haven, Connecticut

Economic score 1.12

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $18,535

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $77,988

Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.

Graduation rate 97%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#5 in History

Rice University

Houston, Texas

Economic score 1.22

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $15,091

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $70,345

Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.

Graduation rate 95%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#6 in History

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

Economic score 1.31

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $6,275

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $52,559

Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.

Graduation rate 89%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#7 in History

CUNY Queens College

Queens, New York

Economic score 1.41

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $4,921

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $51,989

Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.

Graduation rate 59%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#8 in History

Duke University

Durham, North Carolina

Economic score 1.43

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $30,785

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $83,943

Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.

Graduation rate 96%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#9 in History

Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire

Economic score 1.58

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $31,120

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $82,121

Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.

Graduation rate 96%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#10 in History

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Economic score 1.61

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $26,138

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $76,695

Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.

Graduation rate 96%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#11 in History
Economic score 1.77

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $3,780

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $46,864

Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.

Graduation rate 62%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#12 in History

Columbia University

New York, New York

Economic score 1.91

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $23,497

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $70,499

Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.

Graduation rate 94%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#13 in History

CUNY City College

New York, New York

Economic score 1.95

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $3,434

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $46,015

Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.

Graduation rate 63%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#14 in History

Bates College

Lewiston, Maine

Economic score 1.98

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $29,341

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $74,121

Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.

Graduation rate 93%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#15 in History

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts

Economic score 2.03

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $26,775

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $72,283

Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.

Graduation rate 96%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#16 in History

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Economic score 2.10

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $20,531

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $65,148

Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.

Graduation rate 96%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#17 in History

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York

Economic score 2.14

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $29,651

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $72,818

Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.

Graduation rate 96%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#18 in History

CUNY Brooklyn College

Brooklyn, New York

Economic score 2.14

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $3,700

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $45,514

Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.

Graduation rate 59%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#19 in History
Economic score 2.24

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $12,426

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $57,191

Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.

Graduation rate 87%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#20 in History

Virginia Military Institute

Lexington, Virginia

Economic score 2.48

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $21,215

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $64,539

Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.

Graduation rate 85%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

Show more

How long does it take me to repay a bachelor's degree in history?

Years

13.1 years

The cost of the average bachelor's degree in history is covered by the new earnings of graduates in 13.1 years.

How much do graduates with a bachelor's degree in history earn?

Salary

$43,659

The median bachelor's degree in history graduate earns $43,659 4 years after graduating.

How much does a bachelor's degree in history cost?

Net cost

$18,779

The average annual cost of a bachelor's degree in history is $18,779. This is the net cost and considers only students that have received Title IV funds.

Explore our other rankings

2024 Best Colleges for English Majors

A bachelor's degree in English enables you to explore the power of the written word, deepen your empathy, and express yourself creatively.

2024 Best Political Science Schools

Get a bachelor's degree in political science to understand the complexities of policy-making and connect modern day issues to philosophical roots of governance.

2024 Best Sociology Schools

Understand social issues, analyze data, and make a positive impact on society with a bachelor's in sociology degree.

2024 Best Bachelor's Degree in Social Work

4 years after completing their degree, bachelor's in social work graduates earn a weighted average of $43,348. Find the best BSW programs in terms of economic return.

2024 Best Colleges for Criminal Justice

Find the best colleges for criminal justice in terms of economic return, and what careers you qualify for with this degree.