Best institutions to study American History (United States)
A program that focuses on the development of American society, culture, and institutions from the Pre-Columbian period to the present.
6 U.S. institutions graduated 268 American History (United States) students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 54.0102, a specialization of History (CIP 54.01), and leads most directly to the Historians occupation (BLS SOC 19-3093).
About American History (United States) programs
A program that focuses on the development of American society, culture, and institutions from the Pre-Columbian period to the present. Includes instruction in American historiography, American history sources and materials, historical research methods, and applications to the study of specific themes, issues, periods, and institutions.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The American History (United States) program focuses on the development of American society, culture, and institutions from the Pre-Columbian period to the present. It is designed for students interested in exploring the complexities of American history through various themes, issues, and periods, preparing them for a deeper understanding of the nation’s past and its impact on contemporary society.
Students in this program will gain essential skills in reading comprehension, writing, critical thinking, and research methods. Coursework includes instruction in American historiography and the analysis of historical sources, enabling students to effectively gather, interpret, and present historical data.
Credentials awarded
What American History (United States) graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Master's degree254 graduates / yr · 3 institutions95%
- Bachelor's degree10 graduates / yr · 1 institution3.7%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year3 graduates / yr · 1 institution1.1%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship1 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.4%
Graduates over time
American History (United States) completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 185 |
| 2013 | 197 |
| 2014 | 156 |
| 2015 | 110 |
| 2016 | 99 |
| 2017 | 106 |
| 2018 | 112 |
| 2019 | 105 |
| 2020 | 99 |
| 2021 | 116 |
| 2022 | 94 |
| 2023 | 133 |
| 2024 | 241 |
| 2025 | 268 |
Top 6 institutions for American History (United States), ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gettysburg College Gettysburg, PAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 194 | 83% | $24,453 | $28,497 |
| 2 | Ashland University Ashland, OHPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 52 | 61% | $21,785 | — |
| 3 | United States Military Academy West Point, NYPublicBachelor's | 10 | 87% | — | — |
| 4 | Adams State University Alamosa, COPublicMaster's | 8 | 39% | — | — |
| 5 | Shenandoah University Winchester, VAPrivate not-for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 3 | 67% | $27,455 | — |
| 6 | Inter American University of Puerto Rico - Metro San Juan, PRPrivate not-for-profitDoctoral | 1 | 39% | $10,446 | — |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader History field (CIP 54.01) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 6 states & territories
Where American History (United States) graduates come from. Each state links to all History programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 194 | Gettysburg College194 / yr |
| Ohio | 1 | 52 | Ashland University52 / yr |
| New York | 1 | 10 | United States Military Academy10 / yr |
| Colorado | 1 | 8 | Adams State University8 / yr |
| Virginia | 1 | 3 | Shenandoah University3 / yr |
| Puerto Rico | 1 | 1 | Inter American University of Puerto Rico - Metro1 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 19-3093, Historians, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the American History program often pursue careers as historians, secondary school teachers, or history teachers at the postsecondary level. The job outlook for historians is about as fast as average, with an annual growth rate of 2.2% and approximately 300 annual openings. The median wage for historians is $74,050, typically requiring a master's degree for entry-level positions.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 54.0102
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Historiansprimary SOC 19-3093 | $76,750 | +2.2% About as fast as average | ~300 | Master's degree |
Managers, All Other SOC 11-9199 | $141,900 | +4.5% About as fast as average | ~106,700 | Bachelor's degree |
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education SOC 25-2031 | $72,040 | -1.6% Decline | ~66,200 | Bachelor's degree |
History Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1125 | $83,820 | -0.2% Little or no change | ~1,700 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in American History (United States) programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Gather historical data from sources such as archives, court records, diaries, news files, and photographs, as well as from books, pamphlets, and periodicals.
- Organize data, and analyze and interpret its authenticity and relative significance.
- Prepare publications and exhibits, or review those prepared by others, to ensure their historical accuracy.
- Organize information for publication and for other means of dissemination, such as via storage media or the Internet.
- Conduct historical research as a basis for the identification, conservation, and reconstruction of historic places and materials.
- Conserve and preserve manuscripts, records, and other artifacts.
Tools and technology used
Other History specializations
The 8 other 6-digit CIP codes under History (CIP 54.01).
- HistoryCIP 54.010126,654 graduates / yr1,333 institutions
- Public/CIP 54.0105
Applied History 892 graduates / yr51 institutions - HistoryCIP 54.0199542 graduates / yr44 institutions
- Military HistoryCIP 54.0108287 graduates / yr11 institutions
- History and Philosophy of Science and TechnologyCIP 54.0104207 graduates / yr19 institutions
- European HistoryCIP 54.0103partial data9 graduates / yr3 institutions
Show 2 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- Asian History54.0106
- Canadian History54.0107
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Master's degree, Bachelor's degree, or an award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in reading comprehension, writing, critical thinking, and historical research methods.
What careers can I pursue with this degree?+
You can work as a historian, secondary school teacher, or postsecondary history teacher.
What is the job outlook for historians?+
The job outlook for historians is about as fast as average, with a growth rate of 2.2% and approximately 300 annual openings.
What is the CIP code for American History (United States)?+
American History (United States) is CIP 54.0102 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within History (CIP 54.01). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on the development of American society, culture, and institutions from the Pre-Columbian period to the present. Includes instruction in American historiography, American history sources and materials, historical research methods, and applications to the study of specific themes, issues, periods, and institutions.
How many institutions offer American History (United States) programs?+
6 U.S. institutions reported American History (United States) graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 6 states & territories, awarding 268 credentials in the year. That is 0.9% of all History graduates.
How much do American History (United States) graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Historians occupation, which American History (United States) most directly leads to, pays a median of $76,750 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader History field report median earnings of $28,497 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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