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2023 Best Value Colleges for History (With Aid)

376 Ranked Colleges
32,731 Degrees Awarded
$10,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid

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 “Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2020-2021, 32,731 people earned their degree in history, making the major the 23rd 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 Getting Aid” ranking looked at 376 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in history. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent history programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the history program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank History Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
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More History Rankings Other Ranking Categories

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid” list to help you make the college decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for history students with aid.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for History (With Aid)

1
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

Out of the 376 schools in the Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Yale University landed the #1 spot on the list. 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. The yearly cost to attend Yale University is $15,296 for history students with aid.

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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 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 Yale University

2
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Harvard University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Harvard is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 178 ’s history degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our history students with aid list, Harvard has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best History Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Harvard is $13,872 for history students with aid.

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. 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 more about History at Harvard University

3

Out of the 376 schools in the Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #3 spot on the list. UW Seattle is a public institution located in Seattle, Washington. The school has a large population, and it awarded 163 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UW Seattle 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. It costs about $12,017 for history students with aid per year to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Washington - Seattle Campus History Report

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid. Located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 159 degrees to qualified ’s history students 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. The estimated yearly cost for UNC Chapel Hill is $12,469 for History students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Full University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill History Report

5
American Military University crest
American Public University System
Charles Town, West Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend American Public University System. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid list. American Military University is a private for-profit institution located in Charles Town, West Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 398 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, American Military 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. It costs about $10,563 for History students with aid per year to attend American Military University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%.

Full American Public University System History Report

6
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey

With a ranking of #6, Princeton University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Princeton, New Jersey, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 76 diplomas to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.

Princeton also made our “Best History Schools” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for Princeton University is $9,836 for History students with aid.

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%. 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.

Full Princeton History Report

7
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

With a ranking of #7, University of Florida did quite well on the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid list. UF is located in Gainesville, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 110 ’s history degrees to qualified students.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UF also did well on our “Best History Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best History Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Florida is $5,135 for history students with aid.

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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on History at UF

8

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 117 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our history students with aid list, UIUC has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best History Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $14,321 for History students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign History Report

9
QC crest
Queens College
Queens, New York

With a ranking of #9, Queens College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid list. QC is a fairly large public school situated in Queens, New York. It awarded 75 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for QC is $3,469 for History students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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 Queens College History Report

10
CCNY crest
The City College of New York
New York, New York

The City College of New York came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. CCNY is located in New York, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 56 ’s history degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for CCNY is $2,805 for History students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%.

Read more about History at The City College of New York

11
Hunter crest
Hunter College
New York, New York

With a ranking of #11, Hunter College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Located in New York, New York, this large public school handed out 65 degrees to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Hunter College is $2,158 for History students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about History at Hunter College

12

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. U-M is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 160 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best History Schools” list. It costs about $14,878 for history students with aid per year to attend U-M.

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 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on History at U-M

13

University of California - Los Angeles landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. UCLA is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 344 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UCLA also made our “Best History Schools” list, coming in at #25. It costs about $15,023 for history students with aid per year to attend UCLA.

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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 University of California - Los Angeles History Report

14

California State University - Los Angeles landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school handed out 91 diplomas to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Cal State LA is $3,302 for History students with aid.

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 Cal State LA

15
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Charlottesville, Virginia, this large public school handed out 159 degrees to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.

University of Virginia also took the #15 spot in our “Best History Schools” ranking. It costs about $22,006 for History students with aid per year to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about History at University of Virginia - Main Campus

16

With a ranking of #16, California State University - Fresno did quite well on the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 89 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - Fresno is $6,230 for history students with aid.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about History at Fresno State

17

Brigham Young University - Provo ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Provo, Utah, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 101 diplomas to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.

BYU excels when it comes to history quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best History Schools” list. It costs about $13,474 for history students with aid per year to attend Brigham Young University - Provo.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on History at Brigham Young University - Provo

18

With a ranking of #18, University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid list. USF Tampa is a public institution located in Tampa, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 118 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend USF Tampa is $8,346 for history students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, 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 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full USF Tampa History Report

19
Lehman crest
Lehman College
Bronx, New York

Lehman College landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Lehman is a public institution located in Bronx, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 27 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $2,614 for History students with aid per year to attend Lehman College.

Read more about History at Lehman College

20

University of Wisconsin - Madison ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid list. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 154 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UW - Madison 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 University of Wisconsin - Madison is $17,234 for History students with aid.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UW - Madison History Report

21

With a ranking of #21, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley did quite well on the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid list. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is a large public school situated in Edinburg, Texas. It awarded 55 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend UT Rio Grande Valley is $3,743 for History students with aid.

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 full report on History at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

22

Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well in the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #22. Arizona State University - Tempe is a public institution located in Tempe, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 130 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

ASU - Tempe also claimed a top spot on our “Best History Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Arizona State University - Tempe is $13,107 for history students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full ASU - Tempe History Report

23
Williams crest
Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts

Williams College landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 33 degrees to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.

Williams also took the #20 spot in our “Best History Schools” ranking. It costs about $23,497 for history students with aid per year to attend Williams.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on History at Williams

24
Brooklyn College crest
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, New York

Brooklyn College landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Brooklyn, New York, this fairly large public school awarded 38 degrees to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Brooklyn College is $3,067 for History students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 Brooklyn College

25
Amherst crest
Amherst College
Amherst, Massachusetts

Amherst College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #25. Amherst is located in Amherst, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 25 ’s history degrees to qualified students.

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 [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Amherst College is $21,657 for history students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Amherst History Report

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid

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
27
IU Bloomington crest
Indiana University - Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana
29
30
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida
31
32
VMI crest
Virginia Military Institute
Lexington, Virginia
33
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina
34
35
36
37
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
38
39
40
41
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value History Schools For Those Getting Aid

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

Rank College Location
51 Iowa State University Ames, IA
52 University of North Florida Jacksonville, FL
53 North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC
54 University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC
55 College of Staten Island CUNY Staten Island, NY
56 University of Missouri - St Louis Saint Louis, MO
57 University of Georgia Athens, GA

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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