2021 Best Colleges for History
Approximately 32,625 history degrees were granted to students last year in the United States. With so many options it can be a daunting task finding the best choice. This year's Best Colleges for History ranking analyzed 309 colleges and universities that offer a bachelor's degree in history. We look at over 20 factors to determine the top 25 colleges for History students.
Featured schools near , edit
Choosing a Great History School
The history program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. To make it into this list a school must excel in the following areas.
Overall Quality is a Must
The overall quality of a school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To take this into account we include a college's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a host of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Over 80% of the schools in this list are in the top 7% of our overall quality ranking while the lowest ranked school on the list is still in the top 14%.
Better Early and Mid Career Salaries
History graduates from colleges on this list tend to earn more after college than those from other schools. A history bachelors degree from a school in the United States helped students who graduated in 2015-2017 earn $28,971 a couple years later.
Other Factors We Consider
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
- Major Focus - How much a school focuses on History students vs. other majors.
- Major Popularity - How many other history students choose this school.
- Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or a recognized history related accrediting body.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for History students.
Best Schools to Study History in United States
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities to study history. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list. Of the 309 schools analyzed, only 25 earned the distinction of being on this list.
Top 25 Best History Colleges
Harvard University is among your best bets if you want to study history. Harvard is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the midsize city of Cambridge. A Best Colleges rank of 3 out of 1,715 colleges nationwide means Harvard is a great college overall.
There are approximately 245 history undergrads studying this program at Harvard.
More… Request Information
Yale University is among your top options if you're planning on studying history. Located in the midsize city New Haven, Yale is a private not-for-profit school with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of 10 out of 1,715 colleges nationwide means Yale is a great college overall.
There are about 196 history undergraduates enrolled in this degree at Yale.
More… Request Information
Columbia University in the City of New York is a good choice for students pursuing a History major. Located in the city New York, Columbia is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population. This school ranks 32nd out of 1,715 colleges for overall quality in the state of New York.
For those interested in something more advanced, Columbia also offers 2 different higher degree levels in history, the most popular of which is a Master's Degree.
More… Request Information
University of Pennsylvania is a great choice for students interested in a History major. UPenn is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Philadelphia. A Best Colleges rank of 9 out of 1,715 schools nationwide means UPenn is a great school overall.
There are about 95 history undergraduates enrolled in this degree at UPenn.
More… Request Information
Duke is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Durham. A Best Colleges rank of 2 out of 1,715 schools nationwide means Duke is a great school overall.
Duke University is one of the most popular school to study history in United States exceeding 65 graduates last year.
More… Request Information
Brown is a large private not-for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of Providence. A Best Colleges rank of 13 out of 1,715 schools nationwide means Brown is a great school overall.
For those interested in something more advanced, Brown also offers 2 different higher degree levels in history, the most popular of which is a Master's Degree.
More… Request Information
Williams is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Williamstown. A Best Colleges rank of 7 out of 1,715 colleges nationwide means Williams is a great college overall.
With 49 undergraduates, Williams College is one of most popular colleges to study history in United States.
More… Request Information
University of Virginia is a fairly large public school located in the small suburb of Charlottesville. This school ranks 42nd out of 1,715 schools for overall quality in the state of Virginia.
For those interested in something more advanced, University of Virginia also offers 2 different higher degree levels in history, the most popular of which is a Master's Degree.
More… Request Information
Located in the city Houston, Rice is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of 11 out of 1,715 schools nationwide means Rice is a great college overall.
A preferred choice for history undergrads, there are about 36 students studying this program at Rice.
More… Request Information
Located in the remote town Hanover, Dartmouth is a private not-for-profit school with a medium-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of 15 out of 1,715 colleges nationwide means Dartmouth is a great college overall.
There are approximately 54 history undergraduates enrolled in this degree at Dartmouth.
More… Request Information
Holy Cross is a small private not-for-profit school located in the midsize city of Worcester. A Best Colleges rank of 31 out of 1,715 schools nationwide means Holy Cross is a great school overall.
A favorite major for history undergraduates, there are roughly 44 learners enrolled in this degree at Holy Cross.
More… Request Information
William & Mary is a moderately-sized public school located in the small suburb of Williamsburg. This college ranks 73rd out of 1,715 colleges for overall quality in the state of Virginia.
College of William and Mary is one of the most popular college to study history in United States with more than 117 graduates last year.
More… Request Information
Located in the city Chicago, UChicago is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of 19 out of 1,715 colleges nationwide means UChicago is a great school overall.
There are about 104 history undergraduates studying this degree at UChicago.
More… Request Information
Located in the city Evanston, Northwestern U is a private not-for-profit college with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of 12 out of 1,715 colleges nationwide means Northwestern U is a great college overall.
For those interested in something more advanced, Northwestern U also offers 2 different higher degree levels in history, the most popular of which is a Doctor's Degree (Research / Scholarship).
More… Request Information
Located in the small city Lewiston, Bates is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population. This college ranks 47th out of 1,715 schools for overall quality in the state of Maine.
Bates College is a fairly popular college to study history in United States with more than 18 graduations last year.
More… Request Information
Boston College is a large private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Chestnut Hill. This college ranks 61st out of 1,715 schools for overall quality in the state of Massachusetts.
A preferred choice for history undergraduates, there are approximately 90 students studying this program at Boston College.
More… Request Information
NYU is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. This school ranks 130th out of 1,715 schools for overall quality in the state of New York.
For those interested in something more advanced, NYU also offers 2 different higher degree levels in history, the most popular of which is a Master's Degree.
More… Request Information
Located in the town Crawfordsville, Wabash is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly small student population. This school ranks 199th out of 1,715 schools for overall quality in the state of Indiana.
A popular choice for history undergrads, there are approximately 19 individuals enrolled in this program at Wabash.
More… Request Information
UCLA is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Los Angeles. This school ranks 65th out of 1,715 schools for overall quality in the state of California.
There are approximately 358 history undergraduates studying this degree at UCLA.
More… Request Information
Located in the suburb Notre Dame, Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of 14 out of 1,715 schools nationwide means Notre Dame is a great college overall.
For those interested in something more advanced, Notre Dame also offers 2 different higher degree levels in history, the most popular of which is a Doctor's Degree (Research / Scholarship).
More… Request Information
Located in the city Waltham, Brandeis is a private not-for-profit college with a medium-sized student population. This college ranks 75th out of 1,715 schools for overall quality in the state of Massachusetts.
For those interested in something more advanced, Brandeis also offers 2 different higher degree levels in history, the most popular of which is a Master's Degree.
More… Request Information
UNC Chapel Hill is a fairly large public school located in the city of Chapel Hill. This college ranks 60th out of 1,715 schools for overall quality in the state of North Carolina.
There are roughly 176 history undergraduates studying this degree at UNC Chapel Hill.
More… Request Information
Wisconsin is a very large public school located in the large city of Madison. This school ranks 76th out of 1,715 colleges for overall quality in the state of Wisconsin.
For those interested in something more advanced, Wisconsin also offers 2 different higher degree levels in history, the most popular of which is a Doctor's Degree (Research / Scholarship).
More… Request Information
Located in the city Bronx, Fordham U is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population. This college ranks 244th out of 1,715 colleges for overall quality in the state of New York.
With 56 undergraduates, Fordham University is one of most popular schools to study history in United States.
More… Request Information
The American University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. This college ranks 164th out of 1,715 colleges for overall quality in the state of District of Columbia.
A preferred major for history undergraduates, there are roughly 63 learners enrolled in this degree at The American University.
More… Request InformationRest of the Top Best Colleges for History
Honorable Mentions
Here are some additional great schools for History students that almost earned our Best Colleges for History award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 47 | University of Florida | Gainesville, FL |
| 48 | Texas A&M University - College Station | College Station, TX |
| 49 | Florida State University | Tallahassee, FL |
| 50 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | Baton Rouge, LA |
| 51 | Binghamton University | Vestal, NY |
| 52 | University of Maryland - College Park | College Park, MD |
| 53 | Rutgers University - New Brunswick | New Brunswick, NJ |
| 54 | University of California - Irvine | Irvine, CA |
| 55 | University at Albany | Albany, NY |
| 56 | University of Iowa | Iowa City, IA |
| 57 | Loyola University Chicago | Chicago, IL |
| 58 | Tulane University of Louisiana | New Orleans, LA |
| 59 | University of South Carolina - Columbia | Columbia, SC |
| 60 | Ohio State University - Main Campus | Columbus, OH |
| 61 | The College of New Jersey | Ewing, NJ |
History by Region
View the Best Colleges for History for a specific region near you.
| Region |
|---|
| Southeast |
| New England |
| Rocky Mountains |
| The Plains States |
| Middle Atlantic |
| Far Western US |
| Southwest |
| Great Lakes |
Rankings in Majors Related to History
History Majors to Study
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| History | 32,806 |
View All History Related Majors >
Majors Similar to History
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Education | 306,739 |
| Social Sciences | 203,399 |
| Psychology | 177,655 |
| Communication & Journalism | 122,154 |
| Family, Consumer & Human Sciences | 59,281 |
View All History Related Majors >
Notes and References
- The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
- 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 the rest 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).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Abraham Ortelius. More about our data sources and methodologies.
College Factual provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© College Factual – All Rights Reserved.
