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2023 Most Focused Colleges for History

1,481 Ranked Colleges
32,731 Degrees Awarded
$28,800 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on History Major

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools 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 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 “Schools Highly Focused on History Major” ranking analyzed 1,481 colleges that offered a degree in history. That schools that top this list have a program in history in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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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 “Schools Highly Focused on History Major” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Schools Highly Focused on History Major

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

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for History

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Center for Advanced Studies On Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on History Major list. Center for Advanced Studies On Puerto Rico and the Caribbean is a small school located in San Juan, that handed out 25 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.0% 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%.

Read full report on History at Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Puerto Rico y El Caribe

2
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 #2 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on History Major list. Located in Sweet Briar, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 7 diplomas to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.

Read more about History at Sweet Briar

3
Paine College crest
Paine College
Augusta, Georgia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Paine College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on History Major list. This small school is located in Augusta, Georgia, and it awarded 2 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about History at Paine College

4
Alice Lloyd crest
Alice Lloyd College
Pippa Passes, Kentucky

Out of the 1,481 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on History Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Alice Lloyd College landed the #4 spot on the list. Pippa Passes, Kentucky is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s history degrees to 7 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about History at Alice Lloyd College

5
Hampden - Sydney crest
Hampden - Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney, Virginia

Out of the 1,481 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on History Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Hampden - Sydney College landed the #5 spot on the list. Hampden - Sydney College is a small school located in Hampden-Sydney, Virginia that handed out 21 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Hampden - Sydney College History Report

6
Wabash crest
Wabash College
Crawfordsville, Indiana

With a ranking of #6, Wabash College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on History Major list. This small school is located in Crawfordsville, Indiana, and it awarded 18 ’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 impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about History at Wabash

7
PC crest
Presbyterian College
Clinton, South Carolina

Presbyterian College landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on History Major ranking. Located in Clinton, South Carolina, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 20 degrees to qualified ’s history students 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 Presbyterian College History Report

8
Randolph crest
Randolph College
Lynchburg, Virginia

Randolph College landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on History Major ranking. Located in Lynchburg, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 13 diplomas to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Randolph History Report

9
VMI crest
Virginia Military Institute
Lexington, Virginia

Virginia Military Institute ranked #9 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on History Major list. Virginia Military Institute is a small public school situated in Lexington, Virginia. It awarded 33 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about History at VMI

10
Hillsdale College crest
Hillsdale College
Hillsdale, Michigan

Hillsdale College ranked #10 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on History Major list. This small school is located in Hillsdale, Michigan, and it awarded 31 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on History at Hillsdale College

11
Wells crest
Wells College
Aurora, New York

Wells College landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on History Major ranking. Located in Aurora, New York, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 6 degrees to qualified ’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 more about History at Wells

12
Barnard crest
Barnard College
New York, New York

Barnard College ranked #12 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on History Major list. New York, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s history degrees to 48 students in 2020-2021.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 full report on History at Barnard

13
Emory & Henry College crest
Emory and Henry College
Emory, Virginia

With a ranking of #13, Emory and Henry College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on History Major list. Located in Emory, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 26 degrees to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.

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.

Read more about History at Emory & Henry College

14
Ripon crest
Ripon College
Ripon, Wisconsin

Ripon College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on History Major ranking. Located in Ripon, Wisconsin, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 13 diplomas to qualified ’s history students 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

15
Norwich crest
Norwich University
Northfield, Vermont

Norwich University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on History Major ranking, coming in at #15. Norwich is a small school located in Northfield, Vermont that handed out 79 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Norwich University History Report

16
West Point crest
United States Military Academy
West Point, New York

With a ranking of #16, United States Military Academy did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on History Major list. United States Military Academy is located in West Point, New York and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 68 ’s history degrees to qualified students.

Read more about History at United States Military Academy

17
Gettysburg crest
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Gettysburg College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on History Major ranking. Gettysburg College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 45 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. 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 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on History at Gettysburg College

18
Holy Cross crest
College of the Holy Cross
Worcester, Massachusetts

College of the Holy Cross came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on History Major ranking. Worcester, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s history degrees to 55 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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, 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 89%.

Read full report on History at College of the Holy Cross

19

Sewanee - The University of the South landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on History Major ranking. Sewanee is a small school located in Sewanee, Tennessee that handed out 28 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 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%.

Read more about History at Sewanee - The University of the South

20
W&J crest
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #20, Washington & Jefferson College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on History Major list. W&J is a private not-for-profit institution located in Washington, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 18 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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%.

Full W&J History Report

21
Centre College of Kentucky crest
Centre College
Danville, Kentucky

With a ranking of #21, Centre College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on History Major list. Centre College of Kentucky is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Danville, Kentucky. It awarded 24 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%. 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.

Read more about History at Centre College

22

Hobart and William Smith Colleges came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on History Major ranking. Geneva, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s history degrees to 38 students in 2020-2021.

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. 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%.

Read full report on History at Hobart and William Smith Colleges

23
Bates crest
Bates College
Lewiston, Maine

Bates College ranked #23 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on History Major list. Located in Lewiston, Maine, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 33 degrees to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read full report on History at Bates

24
Grinnell crest
Grinnell College
Grinnell, Iowa

Grinnell College ranked #24 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on History Major list. Grinnell College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Grinnell, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 29 ’s degrees 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 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on History at Grinnell College

25
YHC crest
Young Harris College
Young Harris, Georgia

Young Harris College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on History Major ranking, coming in at #25. This small school is located in Young Harris, Georgia, and it awarded 12 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Young Harris College History Report

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

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools 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 Northland College Ashland, WI
52 Belmont Abbey College Belmont, NC
53 Salem College Winston-Salem, NC
54 Lycoming College Williamsport, PA
55 Cornell College Mount Vernon, IA
56 Southwestern University Georgetown, TX
57 Westminster College Missouri Fulton, MO
58 Stillman College Tuscaloosa, AL
59 Knox College Galesburg, IL
60 Warren Wilson College Swannanoa, NC
60 Ohio State University - Marion Campus Marion, OH
60 Colby - Sawyer College New London, NH
63 Union College New York Schenectady, NY
64 Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts North Adams, MA
65 Ohio Wesleyan University Delaware, OH
Rank College Location
66 Colby College Waterville, ME
67 University of Saint Katherine San Marcos, CA
68 Lane College Jackson, TN
69 Saint Mary’s College Notre Dame, IN
70 Wittenberg University Springfield, OH
71 Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA
72 Haverford College Haverford, PA
73 Christopher Newport University Newport News, VA
74 University of Nebraska at Kearney Kearney, NE
75 DePauw University Greencastle, IN
76 Yale University New Haven, CT
77 St Mary’s College of Maryland St. Mary’s City, MD
78 Guilford College Greensboro, NC
79 Princeton University Princeton, NJ
80 Kenyon College Gambier, OH
81 SUNY Old Westbury Old Westbury, NY
82 Washington College Chestertown, MD
83 Brevard College Brevard, NC
84 Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, NY
85 Austin College Sherman, TX
86 Smith College Northampton, MA
87 Hanover College Hanover, IN
88 Albion College Albion, MI
89 SUNY Cortland Cortland, NY
90 Westmont College Santa Barbara, CA
Rank College Location
91 Ave Maria University Ave Maria, FL
92 Black Hills State University Spearfish, SD
93 Providence College Providence, RI
94 Pace University - New York New York, NY
95 Albright College Reading, PA
96 Finlandia University Hancock, MI
96 Transylvania University Lexington, KY
98 Texas A&M University - San Antonio San Antonio, TX
99 Allegheny College Meadville, PA
100 Patrick Henry College Purcellville, VA
101 Agnes Scott College Decatur, GA
102 Middlebury College Middlebury, VT
103 Lyon College Batesville, AR
104 Hartwick College Oneonta, NY
104 Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY
106 Vanguard University of Southern California Costa Mesa, CA
107 Saint Anselm College Manchester, NH
108 Alma College Alma, MI
109 St Olaf College Northfield, MN
110 College of the Ozarks Point Lookout, MO
111 Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA
112 Kentucky Christian University Grayson, KY
113 Earlham College Richmond, IN
114 Hollins University Roanoke, VA
115 Saint Michael’s College Colchester, VT
Rank College Location
116 Maryville College Maryville, TN
117 Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Shippensburg, PA
117 Defiance College Defiance, OH
119 Wofford College Spartanburg, SC
120 Pomona College Claremont, CA
121 Chowan University Murfreesboro, NC
122 Rhodes College Memphis, TN
123 Trinity University San Antonio, TX
124 Brown University Providence, RI
125 Central College Pella, IA
126 Bridgewater State University Bridgewater, MA
127 Bridgewater College Bridgewater, VA
128 Eastern Connecticut State University Willimantic, CT
129 St Lawrence University Canton, NY
130 Franciscan University of Steubenville Steubenville, OH
131 Converse College Spartanburg, SC
132 Texas A&M University - Texarkana Texarkana, TX
133 SUNY Geneseo Geneseo, NY
134 William Jewell College Liberty, MO
134 Kentucky Wesleyan College Owensboro, KY
136 University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg Greensburg, PA
137 United States Air Force Academy USAF Academy, CO
138 Holy Cross College Notre Dame, IN
139 Simpson College Indianola, IA
140 Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME
Rank College Location
141 Siena College Loudonville, NY
142 Gordon College Wenham, MA
143 Truman State University Kirksville, MO
144 Shepherd University Shepherdstown, WV
145 Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia Beach, VA
146 Trinity College Hartford, CT
147 University of Illinois at Springfield Springfield, IL
148 Gustavus Adolphus College Saint Peter, MN
149 Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Slippery Rock, PA
150 Dartmouth College Hanover, NH
151 St. Andrews University Laurinburg, NC
152 Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX
153 Longwood University Farmville, VA
154 Denison University Granville, OH
155 Keene State College Keene, NH
156 Geneva College Beaver Falls, PA
157 Carroll College Helena, MT
158 Juniata College Huntingdon, PA
159 Cabrini University Radnor, PA
160 Centenary College of Louisiana Shreveport, LA
161 Coe College Cedar Rapids, IA
162 Crafton Hills College Yucaipa, CA
163 Dean College Franklin, MA
164 Hamilton College Clinton, NY
165 Purchase College Purchase, NY
Rank College Location
166 Randolph - Macon College Ashland, VA
166 Wheaton College Massachusetts Norton, MA
168 Lewis & Clark College Portland, OR
169 Monmouth College Monmouth, IL
170 Sul Ross State University Alpine, TX
171 Occidental College Los Angeles, CA
172 Texas A & M University - Central Texas Killeen, TX
173 American Public University System Charles Town, WV
174 Blue Mountain College Blue Mountain, MS
175 Worcester State University Worcester, MA
176 Bethany Lutheran College Mankato, MN
177 McPherson College McPherson, KS
178 Georgia Gwinnett College Lawrenceville, GA
179 SUNY New Paltz New Paltz, NY
180 Wilmington College Wilmington, OH
181 Luther College Decorah, IA
182 Nazareth College Rochester, NY
183 Walla Walla University College Place, WA
184 Flagler College - St Augustine Saint Augustine, FL
185 Illinois College Jacksonville, IL
186 University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
187 Ottawa University - Online Ottawa, KS
188 Hastings College Hastings, NE
189 Millsaps College Jackson, MS
190 Wheaton College Illinois Wheaton, IL
Rank College Location
191 William Peace University Raleigh, NC
192 University of Minnesota - Morris Morris, MN
193 Chaminade University of Honolulu Honolulu, HI
194 Fort Lewis College Durango, CO
195 Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington, IL
196 Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA
197 Eastern Oregon University La Grande, OR
198 Saint Vincent College Latrobe, PA
199 University of Montevallo Montevallo, AL
200 Arizona State University - Skysong Scottsdale, AZ
201 Waynesburg University Waynesburg, PA
202 Emmanuel College Massachusetts Boston, MA
203 University of California - Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA
204 Whittier College Whittier, CA
205 Western Connecticut State University Danbury, CT
206 Nebraska Wesleyan University Lincoln, NE
207 Castleton University Castleton, VT
208 Assumption University Worcester, MA
209 Sonoma State University Rohnert Park, CA
210 Houghton College Houghton, NY
211 The College of New Jersey Ewing, NJ
212 Howard Payne University Brownwood, TX
213 Blinn College Brenham, TX
214 Newberry College Newberry, SC
215 Linfield University - McMinnville Campus McMinnville, OR
Rank College Location
216 Mary Baldwin University Staunton, VA
217 Norfolk State University Norfolk, VA
218 Carthage College Kenosha, WI
219 Salem State University Salem, MA
220 Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, CO
221 Tougaloo College Tougaloo, MS
221 Moravian College Bethlehem, PA
223 Goucher College Baltimore, MD

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