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2023 Best Value Colleges for History (Income $0-$30k)

394 Ranked Colleges
32,731 Degrees Awarded
$4,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

In 2020-2021, 32,731 people earned their degree in history, making the major the 30th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, history graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $30,467 and had an average of $23,587 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 394 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in history. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality history programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the history program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank History Schools

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The history school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for History (Income $0-$30k)

1
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Duke University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k. Durham, North Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s history degrees to 61 students in 2020-2021.

Duke not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best History Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Duke University is $371 for History students whose families make $0-$30k.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Duke History Report

2
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Princeton University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Princeton, New Jersey, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 76 diplomas to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.

Princeton did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best History Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Princeton University is $2,958 for History students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about History at Princeton

3
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Yale University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k. New Haven, Connecticut is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s history degrees to 165 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Yale, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best History Schools” ranking. It costs about $961 for history students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Yale.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about History at Yale

4
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Brown University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Providence, Rhode Island is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s history degrees to 91 students in 2020-2021.

Brown also took the #8 spot in our “Best History Schools” ranking. It costs about $1,468 for History students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Brown.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about History at Brown

5
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Out of the 394 schools in the Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvard University landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 178 diplomas to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our history students whose families make $0-$30k list, Harvard has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best History Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Harvard University is $2,564 for History students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Harvard History Report

6
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UPenn is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It awarded 71 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

UPenn not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best History Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Pennsylvania is $580 for History students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about History at UPenn

7
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #7, University of Chicago did quite well on the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. UChicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 103 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UChicago also took the #6 spot in our “Best History Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UChicago is $2,500 for history students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on History at UChicago

8
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

With a ranking of #8, Northwestern University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northwestern is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 82 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best History Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern is $245 for history students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on History at Northwestern

9
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

Vanderbilt University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. Nashville, Tennessee is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s history degrees to 73 students in 2020-2021.

Vanderbilt also took the #9 spot in our “Best History Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Vanderbilt is $3,176 for History students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on History at Vanderbilt University

10

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 160 ’s history degrees to qualified students.

U-M also took the #14 spot in our “Best History Schools” ranking. It costs about $2,670 for History students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read full report on History at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

11
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia

Georgetown University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Washington, District of Columbia, and it awarded 76 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

Georgetown also made our “Best History Schools” list, coming in at #11. The estimated yearly cost for Georgetown is $3,077 for History students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on History at Georgetown University

12
Williams crest
Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts

Williams College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Williams is located in Williamstown, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 33 ’s history degrees to qualified students.

Williams did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best History Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Williams is $1,451 for history students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about History at Williams

13
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida did quite well in the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Gainesville, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s history degrees to 110 students in 2020-2021.

UF excels when it comes to history quality. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for UF is $65 for History students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full University of Florida History Report

14
Tufts crest
Tufts University
Medford, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #14, Tufts University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Tufts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Medford, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 43 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Tufts, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best History Schools” ranking. It costs about $8,122 for history students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Tufts University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Tufts History Report

15

University of Wisconsin - Madison came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s history degrees to 154 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, UW - Madison is in the top on our “Best History Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best History Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Madison is $3,981 for History students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read more about History at UW - Madison

16

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well in the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 117 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best History Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $4,858 for History students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full UIUC History Report

17
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

Boston College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s history degrees to 91 students in 2020-2021.

Boston College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best History Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Boston College is $10,212 for history students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on History at Boston College

18

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and it awarded 159 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

UNC Chapel Hill also claimed a top spot on our “Best History Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best History Schools” list. It costs about $3,753 for History students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read full report on History at UNC Chapel Hill

19

Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in New York, New York, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 218 diplomas to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.

Columbia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best History Schools” list. It costs about $9,873 for history students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Columbia.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about History at Columbia

20
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia

William & Mary ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. William & Mary is located in Williamsburg, Virginia and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 130 ’s history degrees to qualified students.

On top of its placing in this ranking, William & Mary also did well on our “Best History Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for William & Mary is $5,972 for history students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full William & Mary History Report

21
Amherst crest
Amherst College
Amherst, Massachusetts

Amherst College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Amherst, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 25 diplomas to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Amherst is also in the top of our “Best History Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Amherst College is $4,468 for history students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Amherst History Report

22
Wake Forest University crest
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Wake Forest University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Wake Forest University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It awarded 33 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Wake Forest University is also in the top of our “Best History Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Wake Forest University is $10,401 for History students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on History at Wake Forest University

23
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

Cornell University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Cornell University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Ithaca, New York. It awarded 57 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

Cornell not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best History Schools” list. It costs about $5,244 for history students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cornell.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Cornell University History Report

24
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Charlottesville, Virginia, this large public school awarded 159 diplomas to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Virginia, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best History Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus is $12,476 for History students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about History at University of Virginia - Main Campus

25
Notre Dame crest
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana

University of Notre Dame landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Notre Dame is located in Notre Dame, Indiana and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 48 ’s history degrees to qualified students.

Notre Dame also made our “Best History Schools” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $9,872 for history students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Notre Dame.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on History at Notre Dame

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida
34
35
Middlebury crest
Middlebury College
Middlebury, Vermont
36
QC crest
Queens College
Queens, New York
37
Hunter crest
Hunter College
New York, New York
38
American Military University crest
American Public University System
Charles Town, West Virginia
39
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
40
41
Smith crest
Smith College
Northampton, Massachusetts
42
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia
43
44
Dartmouth crest
Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire
45
46
46
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina
48
49
50
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value History Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51Florida International UniversityMiami, FL
52California State University - FresnoFresno, CA
53Lehman CollegeBronx, NY
53California State University - FullertonFullerton, CA
55Brigham Young University - IdahoRexburg, ID
56Trinity CollegeHartford, CT
57Virginia Military InstituteLexington, VA
58University of California - San DiegoLa Jolla, CA
59California State University - Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA
60Virginia TechBlacksburg, VA

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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