2026 Best Value History Schools in Washington
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the history degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value History Schools
University Of Washington Tacoma Campus tops our 2026 list of the best value history schools in Washington. University Of Washington Tacoma Campus is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Tacoma. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,168, with out-of-state students paying around $43,404. Typical student debt for history graduates is $15,000. History graduates of University Of Washington Tacoma Campus earn a median of $26,261 early in their careers. Set against $15,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Washington Seattle Campus came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value history schools. University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Seattle. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,973, with out-of-state students paying around $43,209. Typical student debt for history graduates is $15,000. Early-career history graduates make about $26,261. Set against $15,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 39% of applicants are accepted.
Eastern Washington University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in history, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the town of Cheney, Eastern Washington University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,586, while out-of-state students pay about $26,583. History graduates carry a median of $23,608 in student loans. Early-career history graduates make about $36,126. Set against $23,608 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in history will find it at Washington State University, which ranked #4. Set in the town of Pullman, Washington State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,391, compared with $29,950 for out-of-state students. History graduates carry a median of $24,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, history degree recipients from Washington State University generally make around $31,220. Set against $24,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Washington State University admits about 87% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in history will find it at Central Washington University, which ranked #5. Central Washington University is a very large public school located in the town of Ellensburg. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,417, with out-of-state students paying around $27,526. Students borrow a median of $25,250 to complete the history program here. Soon after graduation, history degree recipients from Central Washington University generally make around $35,747. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
Western Washington University came in at #6 for value in history this year. Set in the city of Bellingham, Western Washington University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,582, compared with $28,707 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $17,860 to complete the history program here. Soon after graduation, history degree recipients from Western Washington University generally make around $25,355. That is a strong return on a $17,860 median debt. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Pacific Lutheran University came in at #7 for value in history this year. Pacific Lutheran University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Tacoma. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $50,916. Students borrow a median of $23,667 to complete the history program here. History graduates of Pacific Lutheran University earn a median of $49,181 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
Whitworth University landed the #8 spot for history value this year. Set in the suburb of Spokane, Whitworth University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $52,880. History graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, history degree recipients from Whitworth University generally make around $47,998. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Gonzaga University placed #9 among the best values for history. Gonzaga University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Spokane. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $55,480. History graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Early-career history graduates make about $58,733. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 82%.
University Of Puget Sound came in at #10 for value in history this year. University Of Puget Sound is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Tacoma. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $62,898. History graduates carry a median of $20,500 in student loans. History graduates of University Of Puget Sound earn a median of $29,909 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,500 median debt. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 17 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
[History](/majors/history/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong history education at a price that pays off.
