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2025 Best History Schools in Virginia

16 Colleges in Virginia
1,463 History Degrees Awarded
$33,218 Avg Early-Career Salary
History is of the hottest degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #30 most popular major in the country. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.

In 2025, College Factual analyzed 16 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best History Schools in Virginia ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 1,463 degrees in history annually.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great History School

Best History Schools in Virginia Your choice of history school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for history schools, we combine our degree-level rankings, weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each level.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

History Rankings by Degree Level

Associate Degrees in History
Bachelor's Degrees in History
Master's Degrees in History
Doctor's Degrees in History

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 the Best History Schools in Virginia. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.

To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Read more about College Factual's methodology.

Best Schools for History in Virginia

Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the history degree levels they offer.

10 Top Virginia Schools in History

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
163 History Degrees Awarded
2.5% Growth in Graduates

Any student pursuing a degree in history needs to check out University of Virginia - Main Campus. University of Virginia is a very large public university located in the midsize suburb of Charlottesville. A Best Colleges rank of #35 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means University of Virginia is a great university overall.

There were approximately 163 history students who graduated with this degree at University of Virginia in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the history program state that they receive average early career wages of $34,028.

More information about a degree in history from University of Virginia - Main Campus

2
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, VA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
113 History Degrees Awarded
$31,595 Median Starting Salary

William & Mary is a great option for students interested in a degree in history. William & Mary is a medium-sized public school located in the suburb of Williamsburg. A Best Colleges rank of #103 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means William & Mary is a great school overall.

There were roughly 113 history students who graduated with this degree at William & Mary in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the history program earn an average of $31,595 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in history from William & Mary

Sponsored
Bachelors Degree Type
BA in History Program Name

Gain a rich foundation of knowledge ranging from early history to modern times with this online bachelor's degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in BA in History from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

3
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
69 History Degrees Awarded
$29,000 Median Starting Salary

James Madison University is a wonderful decision for students interested in a degree in history. Located in the city of Harrisonburg, JMU is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #141 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means JMU is a great university overall.

There were about 69 history students who graduated with this degree at JMU in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the history program state that they receive average early career wages of $29,000.

More information about a degree in history from James Madison University

4
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
63 History Degrees Awarded
$33,319 Median Starting Salary

It is difficult to beat Virginia Tech if you wish to pursue a degree in history. Virginia Tech is a very large public school located in the small city of Blacksburg. A Best Colleges rank of #58 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Virginia Tech is a great school overall.

There were roughly 63 history students who graduated with this degree at Virginia Tech in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the history program report average early career earnings of $33,319.

More information about a degree in history from Virginia Tech

5
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
113 History Degrees Awarded
$34,510 Median Starting Salary

Located in the suburb of Fairfax, GMU is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #92 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means GMU is a great university overall.

There were about 113 history students who graduated with this degree at GMU in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the history program report average early career income of $34,510.

More information about a degree in history from George Mason University

6
Liberty University crest
Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
447 History Degrees Awarded
18.6% Growth in Graduates

Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Lynchburg. A Best Colleges rank of #265 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Liberty University is a great university overall.

There were about 447 history students who graduated with this degree at Liberty University in the most recent year we have data available. Those history students who get their degree from Liberty University make $3,611 more than the typical history graduate.

More information about a degree in history from Liberty University

7
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
34 History Degrees Awarded
2.9% Growth in Graduates

VMI is a small public school located in the distant town of Lexington. This school ranks 23rd out of 57 schools for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were about 34 history students who graduated with this degree at VMI in the most recent data year. Those history students who get their degree from Virginia Military Institute receive $9,325 more than the standard history student.

More information about a degree in history from Virginia Military Institute

Sponsored
Masters Degree Type
MA in History Program Name

The online Master of Arts in History degree program can deepen your understanding of how history is made.

More information about a degree in MA in History from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

8
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
53 History Degrees Awarded
$29,794 Median Starting Salary

VCU is a very large public university located in the city of Richmond. A Best Colleges rank of #189 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means VCU is a great university overall.

There were roughly 53 history students who graduated with this degree at VCU in the most recent year we have data available. After graduating, history degree recipients generally earn around $29,794 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in history from Virginia Commonwealth University

9
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
48 History Degrees Awarded
$29,386 Median Starting Salary

Located in the midsize city of Newport News, CNU is a public university with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #479 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means CNU is a great university overall.

There were roughly 48 history students who graduated with this degree at CNU in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, history degree recipients usually make around $29,386 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in history from Christopher Newport University

10
Hampden - Sydney crest
Hampden - Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney, VA

Hampden - Sydney is a small private not-for-profit college located in the rural area of Hampden-Sydney. This college ranks 24th out of 57 colleges for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were approximately 28 history students who graduated with this degree at Hampden - Sydney in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the history major at Hampden - Sydney College make $9,731 more than the average graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in history from Hampden - Sydney College

Best History Colleges in the Southeast Region

Explore all the Best History Schools in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Georgia 287 678
Florida 282 886
North Carolina 279 1,060
Tennessee 269 552
South Carolina 248 423
Kentucky 244 364
Louisiana 242 426
Mississippi 234 231
Arkansas 234 246
Alabama 233 500
West Virginia 207 491

View All Rankings >

History is one of 0 different types of History programs to choose from.

History Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
General History 1,415
Military History 19
Other History 19
Public/Applied History 10

View All History Concentrations >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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