2023 Most Popular Colleges for History in California
181
Ranked Colleges
5,392
Degrees Awarded
$31,600
Avg Cost*
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Most Well Attended History Major in California” 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.
Across California, there were 5,392 history graduates with average earnings and debt of $27,322 and $18,158 respectively.
For this year’s “Most Well Attended History Major in California” ranking, we looked at 181 colleges that offer a degree in history. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular history programs in the United States.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
More Ways to Rank History Schools
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Well Attended History Major in California” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
Most Well Attended History Major in California
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended History Major in California”.
Top 25 Most Popular Colleges for History in California
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Los Angeles. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Well Attended History Major in California list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 344 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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%.
Read full report on History at UCLA
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Long Beach. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended History Major in California list. Long Beach, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s history degrees to 164 students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full CSULB History Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Santa Barbara. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended History Major in California. UCSB is a large school located in Santa Barbara, California that handed out 161 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about History at University of California - Santa Barbara
Out of the 181 schools in the Most Well Attended History Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 149 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about History at University of California - Berkeley
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fullerton. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended History Major in California. California State University - Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 145 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
Read full report on History at California State University - Fullerton
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Sacramento. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended History Major in California. California State University - Sacramento is a large school located in Sacramento, California that handed out 145 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Sac State History Report
University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended History Major in California list. Located in Santa Cruz, California, this fairly large public school awarded 135 degrees to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on History at University of California - Santa Cruz
University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended History Major in California ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Riverside, California, this large public school handed out 134 degrees to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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%.
Read full report on History at UCR
University of California - Davis came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended History Major in California ranking. This large school is located in Davis, California, and it awarded 120 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full UC Davis History Report
California State University - Northridge did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended History Major in California ranking, coming in at #10. This large school is located in Northridge, California, and it awarded 109 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full California State University - Northridge History Report
San Francisco State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended History Major in California ranking, coming in at #11. SFSU is a large public school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 95 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full San Francisco State University History Report
University of California - Irvine ranked #11 on this year’s Most Well Attended History Major in California list. University of California - Irvine is a public institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 95 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
Read full report on History at UC Irvine
With a ranking of #13, California State University - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended History Major in California list. Cal State LA is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 91 ’s history degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about History at California State University - Los Angeles
University of Southern California landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended History Major in California ranking. USC is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 90 ’s history degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 USC
With a ranking of #15, California State University - Fresno did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended History Major in California list. California State University - Fresno is located in Fresno, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 89 ’s history degrees to qualified students.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% 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%.
Full Fresno State History Report
San Diego State University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended History Major in California ranking. Located in San Diego, California, this large public school awarded 83 degrees to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about History at SDSU
University of California - San Diego ranked #17 on this year’s Most Well Attended History Major in California list. La Jolla, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s history degrees to 80 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full University of California - San Diego History Report
With a ranking of #18, Bakersfield College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended History Major in California list. This large school is located in Bakersfield, California, and it awarded 74 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on History at Bakersfield College
California State University - San Bernardino landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended History Major in California ranking. San Bernardino, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s history degrees to 72 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about History at California State University - San Bernardino
California State University - San Marcos came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended History Major in California ranking. Located in San Marcos, California, this fairly large public school handed out 70 degrees to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full California State University - San Marcos History Report
California State University - Chico did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended History Major in California ranking, coming in at #21. California State University - Chico is a public institution located in Chico, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 69 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full California State University - Chico History Report
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona ranked #22 on this year’s Most Well Attended History Major in California list. Cal Poly Pomona is a public institution located in Pomona, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 67 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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 Cal Poly Pomona History Report
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended History Major in California ranking, coming in at #23. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is a large public school situated in San Luis Obispo, California. It awarded 64 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on History at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Stanford University ranked #24 on this year’s Most Well Attended History Major in California list. Stanford University is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 60 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, 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 86%.
Full Stanford History Report
With a ranking of #25, Mt. San Antonio College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended History Major in California list. This large school is located in Walnut, California, and it awarded 55 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about History at Mt. San Antonio College