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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for History

1,264 Ranked Colleges
25,656 Degrees Awarded
$29,648 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on History Major

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major” ranking - to help you make that decision.

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.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 25,656 history graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major” ranking analyzed 1,264 colleges that offered a degree in history. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their history program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons 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.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree history students.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for History

1
Sweet Briar crest
Sweet Briar College
Sweet Briar, Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Sweet Briar College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major list. Sweet Briar College is a small school located in Sweet Briar, Virginia that handed out 7 bachelors’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about History at Sweet Briar

2
Paine College crest
Paine College
Augusta, Georgia

Out of the 1,264 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Paine College landed the #2 spot on the list. Paine College is a small school located in Augusta, Georgia that handed out 2 bachelors’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on History at Paine College

3
Alice Lloyd crest
Alice Lloyd College
Pippa Passes, Kentucky

Out of the 1,264 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Alice Lloyd College landed the #3 spot on the list. Alice Lloyd is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Pippa Passes, Kentucky. It awarded 7 bachelors’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on History at Alice Lloyd

4
Hampden - Sydney crest
Hampden - Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney, Virginia

Out of the 1,264 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Hampden - Sydney College landed the #4 spot on the list. This small school is located in Hampden-Sydney, Virginia, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Hampden - Sydney College History Report

5
Wabash crest
Wabash College
Crawfordsville, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Wabash College. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major. Located in Crawfordsville, Indiana, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 18 degrees to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about History at Wabash

6
PC crest
Presbyterian College
Clinton, South Carolina

Presbyterian College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major ranking. Clinton, South Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s history degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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 full report on History at PC

7
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Randolph College
Lynchburg, Virginia

Randolph College landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major ranking. Located in Lynchburg, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 13 degrees to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Randolph History Report

8
VMI crest
Virginia Military Institute
Lexington, Virginia

Virginia Military Institute came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major ranking. Located in Lexington, Virginia, this small public school awarded 33 degrees to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Virginia Military Institute History Report

9
Hillsdale College crest
Hillsdale College
Hillsdale, Michigan

Hillsdale College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major ranking. Located in Hillsdale, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 31 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on History at Hillsdale College

10
Wells crest
Wells College
Aurora, New York

Wells College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major ranking. Located in Aurora, New York, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 6 degrees to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2020-2021.

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.

Read full report on History at Wells College

11
Barnard crest
Barnard College
New York, New York

Barnard College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major ranking, coming in at #11. Barnard College is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 48 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 Barnard

12
Emory & Henry College crest
Emory and Henry College
Emory, Virginia

Emory and Henry College ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major list. This small school is located in Emory, Virginia, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 Emory and Henry College

13
Ripon crest
Ripon College
Ripon, Wisconsin

Ripon College landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major ranking. Ripon is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Ripon, Wisconsin. It awarded 13 bachelors’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Ripon History Report

14
West Point crest
United States Military Academy
West Point, New York

United States Military Academy did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major ranking, coming in at #14. West Point is a public institution located in West Point, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 68 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full United States Military Academy History Report

15
Gettysburg crest
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Gettysburg College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major ranking. Gettysburg is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It awarded 45 bachelors’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about History at Gettysburg College

16
Holy Cross crest
College of the Holy Cross
Worcester, Massachusetts

College of the Holy Cross came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major ranking. College of the Holy Cross is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Worcester, Massachusetts. It awarded 55 bachelors’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 Holy Cross

17

With a ranking of #17, Sewanee - The University of the South did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major list. Sewanee - The University of the South is located in Sewanee, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 28 bachelors’s history degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Sewanee - The University of the South History Report

18
W&J crest
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington, Pennsylvania

Washington & Jefferson College ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major list. Located in Washington, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 18 degrees to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about History at W&J

19
Centre College of Kentucky crest
Centre College
Danville, Kentucky

Centre College ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major list. Centre College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Danville, Kentucky. The school has a small population, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 1.8% 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 Centre College of Kentucky

20

Hobart and William Smith Colleges ranked #20 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major list. The Colleges is a small school located in Geneva, New York that handed out 38 bachelors’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.

Read full report on History at The Colleges

21
Bates crest
Bates College
Lewiston, Maine

Bates College ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major list. Bates College is a small school located in Lewiston, Maine that handed out 33 bachelors’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 1.5%, 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 90%.

Read more about History at Bates

22
Grinnell crest
Grinnell College
Grinnell, Iowa

Grinnell College landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major ranking. Grinnell, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s history degrees to 29 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Grinnell History Report

23
YHC crest
Young Harris College
Young Harris, Georgia

Young Harris College ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major list. YHC is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Young Harris, Georgia. It awarded 12 bachelors’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% 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 full report on History at YHC

24

The University of Virginia’s College at Wise came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major ranking. Wise, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s history degrees to 13 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about History at UVa - Wise

25
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Davidson College
Davidson, North Carolina

Davidson College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major ranking, coming in at #25. Davidson is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Davidson, North Carolina. It awarded 33 bachelors’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

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 excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 Davidson History Report

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major

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
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Birmingham Southern College
Birmingham, Alabama
28
Carleton crest
Carleton College
Northfield, Minnesota
29
Amherst crest
Amherst College
Amherst, Massachusetts
30
Conn College crest
Connecticut College
New London, Connecticut
31
Hendrix crest
Hendrix College
Conway, Arkansas
32
Mount Saint Mary crest
Mount Saint Mary College
Newburgh, New York
33
Reed crest
Reed College
Portland, Oregon
34
35
Blackburn crest
Blackburn College
Carlinville, Illinois
36
Colgate crest
Colgate University
Hamilton, New York
37
Williams crest
Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts
38
Huntingdon College crest
Huntingdon College
Montgomery, Alabama
39
Beloit crest
Beloit College
Beloit, Wisconsin
40
Roanoke crest
Roanoke College
Salem, Virginia
41
Annapolis crest
United States Naval Academy
Annapolis, Maryland
42
Sterling College crest
Sterling College
Sterling, Kansas
43
The College of Idaho crest
The College of Idaho
Caldwell, Idaho
44
Oberlin crest
Oberlin College
Oberlin, Ohio
45
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University of Mary Washington
Fredericksburg, Virginia
46
Lawrence U crest
Lawrence University
Appleton, Wisconsin
47
Northland crest
Northland College
Ashland, Wisconsin
48
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Belmont Abbey College
Belmont, North Carolina
49
Salem crest
Salem College
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
50
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Lycoming College
Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on History Major

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

Rank College Location
51 Cornell College Mount Vernon, IA
52 Southwestern University Georgetown, TX
53 Westminster College Missouri Fulton, MO
54 Stillman College Tuscaloosa, AL
55 Knox College Galesburg, IL
56 Ohio State University - Marion Campus Marion, OH
56 Colby - Sawyer College New London, NH
56 Warren Wilson College Swannanoa, NC
59 Union College New York Schenectady, NY
60 Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts North Adams, MA
61 Ohio Wesleyan University Delaware, OH
62 Colby College Waterville, ME
63 University of Saint Katherine San Marcos, CA
64 Lane College Jackson, TN
65 Saint Mary’s College Notre Dame, IN
Rank College Location
66 Wittenberg University Springfield, OH
67 Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA
68 Haverford College Haverford, PA
69 Christopher Newport University Newport News, VA
70 DePauw University Greencastle, IN
71 William & Mary Williamsburg, VA
72 St Mary’s College of Maryland St. Mary’s City, MD
73 Guilford College Greensboro, NC
74 Kenyon College Gambier, OH
75 SUNY Old Westbury Old Westbury, NY
76 Washington College Chestertown, MD
77 Brevard College Brevard, NC
78 Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, NY
79 Austin College Sherman, TX
80 Smith College Northampton, MA
81 Hanover College Hanover, IN
82 Albion College Albion, MI
83 Westmont College Santa Barbara, CA
84 Ave Maria University Ave Maria, FL
85 Black Hills State University Spearfish, SD
86 Albright College Reading, PA
87 Finlandia University Hancock, MI
87 Transylvania University Lexington, KY
89 SUNY Cortland Cortland, NY
90 Texas A&M University - San Antonio San Antonio, TX
Rank College Location
91 Allegheny College Meadville, PA
92 Patrick Henry College Purcellville, VA
93 Agnes Scott College Decatur, GA
94 Middlebury College Middlebury, VT
95 Lyon College Batesville, AR
96 Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY
96 Hartwick College Oneonta, NY
98 Vanguard University of Southern California Costa Mesa, CA
99 Saint Anselm College Manchester, NH
100 Alma College Alma, MI
101 St Olaf College Northfield, MN
102 College of the Ozarks Point Lookout, MO
103 Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA
104 Kentucky Christian University Grayson, KY
105 Earlham College Richmond, IN
106 Hollins University Roanoke, VA
107 Saint Michael’s College Colchester, VT
108 Maryville College Maryville, TN
109 Defiance College Defiance, OH
110 Wofford College Spartanburg, SC
111 Pomona College Claremont, CA
112 Chowan University Murfreesboro, NC
113 Rhodes College Memphis, TN
114 Trinity University San Antonio, TX
115 Central College Pella, IA
Rank College Location
116 Bridgewater State University Bridgewater, MA
117 Bridgewater College Bridgewater, VA
118 Eastern Connecticut State University Willimantic, CT
119 St Lawrence University Canton, NY
120 Franciscan University of Steubenville Steubenville, OH
121 SUNY Geneseo Geneseo, NY
122 Kentucky Wesleyan College Owensboro, KY
122 William Jewell College Liberty, MO
124 University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg Greensburg, PA
125 United States Air Force Academy USAF Academy, CO
126 Holy Cross College Notre Dame, IN
127 Simpson College Indianola, IA
128 Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME
129 Siena College Loudonville, NY
130 Gordon College Wenham, MA
131 Truman State University Kirksville, MO
132 Shepherd University Shepherdstown, WV
133 Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia Beach, VA
134 Trinity College Hartford, CT
135 Converse College Spartanburg, SC
136 Gustavus Adolphus College Saint Peter, MN
137 Dartmouth College Hanover, NH
138 St. Andrews University Laurinburg, NC
139 Longwood University Farmville, VA
140 Denison University Granville, OH
Rank College Location
141 Geneva College Beaver Falls, PA
142 Princeton University Princeton, NJ
143 Carroll College Helena, MT
144 Juniata College Huntingdon, PA
145 Cabrini University Radnor, PA
146 Centenary College of Louisiana Shreveport, LA
147 Coe College Cedar Rapids, IA
148 Keene State College Keene, NH
149 Hamilton College Clinton, NY
150 Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Shippensburg, PA
151 Purchase College Purchase, NY
152 Providence College Providence, RI
153 Wheaton College Massachusetts Norton, MA
153 Randolph - Macon College Ashland, VA
155 Lewis & Clark College Portland, OR
156 Monmouth College Monmouth, IL
157 Occidental College Los Angeles, CA
158 Blue Mountain College Blue Mountain, MS
159 Bethany Lutheran College Mankato, MN
160 McPherson College McPherson, KS
161 Georgia Gwinnett College Lawrenceville, GA
162 SUNY New Paltz New Paltz, NY
163 Wilmington College Wilmington, OH
164 Luther College Decorah, IA
165 Nazareth College Rochester, NY
Rank College Location
166 Walla Walla University College Place, WA
167 Flagler College - St Augustine Saint Augustine, FL
168 Illinois College Jacksonville, IL
169 Ottawa University - Online Ottawa, KS
170 Hastings College Hastings, NE
171 Millsaps College Jackson, MS
172 Wheaton College Illinois Wheaton, IL
173 William Peace University Raleigh, NC
174 University of Minnesota - Morris Morris, MN
175 Chaminade University of Honolulu Honolulu, HI
176 Texas A&M University - Texarkana Texarkana, TX
177 Fort Lewis College Durango, CO
178 Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington, IL
179 Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA
180 Eastern Oregon University La Grande, OR
181 Saint Vincent College Latrobe, PA
182 Yale University New Haven, CT
183 University of Montevallo Montevallo, AL
184 Waynesburg University Waynesburg, PA
185 Emmanuel College Massachusetts Boston, MA
186 Brown University Providence, RI
187 Whittier College Whittier, CA
188 Nebraska Wesleyan University Lincoln, NE
189 Castleton University Castleton, VT
190 University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
Rank College Location

Notes and References

References

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