Best institutions to study History
A program that focuses on the general study and interpretation of the past, including the gathering, recording, synthesizing and criticizing of evidence and theories about past events.
1,333 U.S. institutions graduated 26,654 History students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 54.0101, a specialization of History (CIP 54.01), and leads most directly to the Historians occupation (BLS SOC 19-3093).
About History programs
A program that focuses on the general study and interpretation of the past, including the gathering, recording, synthesizing and criticizing of evidence and theories about past events. Includes instruction in historiography; historical research methods; studies of specific periods, issues and cultures; and applications to areas such as historic preservation, public policy, and records administration.
See also: 30.4501 - History and Language/Literature., 30.4601 - History and Political Science.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The History program focuses on the general study and interpretation of the past, equipping students with the skills to gather, record, synthesize, and critique evidence related to historical events. This program is ideal for those interested in understanding various periods, cultures, and significant issues throughout history, as well as their applications in fields like public policy and historic preservation.
Students will develop core skills in reading comprehension, writing, critical thinking, and research methods. Coursework typically includes instruction in historiography, historical research techniques, and the analysis of specific historical periods and cultures.
Credentials awarded
What History graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree20,238 graduates / yr · 1,139 institutions76%
- Master's degree3,039 graduates / yr · 325 institutions11%
- Associate's degree2,290 graduates / yr · 193 institutions8.6%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship805 graduates / yr · 138 institutions3.0%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year137 graduates / yr · 11 institutions0.5%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate122 graduates / yr · 24 institutions0.5%
- Post-master's certificate19 graduates / yr · 5 institutions0.1%
- Award of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years2 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.0%
- Award of less than 12 weeks2 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.0%
Graduates over time
History completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 39,873 |
| 2013 | 38,961 |
| 2014 | 35,933 |
| 2015 | 33,056 |
| 2016 | 30,720 |
| 2017 | 29,259 |
| 2018 | 28,804 |
| 2019 | 28,832 |
| 2020 | 28,884 |
| 2021 | 28,812 |
| 2022 | 27,348 |
| 2023 | 27,291 |
| 2024 | 26,547 |
| 2025 | 26,654 |
Top 50 institutions for History, 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 | Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NHPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster's | 566 | 43% | $34,565 | $37,734 |
| 2 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoralPost-degree cert.Associate's | 529 | 65% | $28,911 | $33,456 |
| 3 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion Scottsdale, AZPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 247 | 0% | — | $39,283 |
| 4 | University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 238 | 93% | — | $28,116 |
| 5 | University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WIPublicBachelor'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearDoctoralMaster's | 234 | 90% | — | $35,959 |
| 6 | American Public University System Charles Town, WVPrivate for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sAssociate'sPost-degree cert. | 228 | 57% | $10,199 | $35,198 |
| 7 | Yale University New Haven, CTPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 192 | 96% | $27,025 | $54,700 |
| 8 | Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 166 | 43% | $21,535 | $43,596 |
| 9 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoralMaster's | 164 | 96% | $15,315 | $53,828 |
| 10 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 148 | 69% | — | $25,014 |
| 11 | William & Mary Williamsburg, VAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 140 | 89% | — | $31,595 |
| 12 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FLPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 135 | 78% | — | $34,335 |
| 13 | Illinois State University Normal, ILPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 134 | 65% | — | $40,465 |
| 14 | University of North Texas Denton, TXPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 133 | 61% | — | $36,568 |
| 15 | California State University - Fullerton Fullerton, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 131 | 70% | — | $27,083 |
| 16 | University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, MDPublicBachelor's | 131 | 33% | — | $31,852 |
| 17 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TXPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 131 | 84% | — | $42,899 |
| 18 | Eastern Washington University Cheney, WAPublicMaster'sBachelor's | 131 | 43% | — | $36,126 |
| 19 | University of California - Berkeley Berkeley, CAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 129 | 93% | — | $28,849 |
| 20 | California State University - Sacramento Sacramento, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 128 | 56% | — | $32,596 |
| 21 | University of Florida Gainesville, FLPublicBachelor'sDoctoralAward of less than 12 weeksMaster's | 128 | 91% | — | $27,360 |
| 22 | University of California - Davis Davis, CAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 120 | 86% | — | $31,895 |
| 23 | Princeton University Princeton, NJPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 117 | 98% | $13,729 | $45,363 |
| 24 | San Diego State University San Diego, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 115 | 76% | — | $38,203 |
| 25 | University of South Florida Tampa, FLPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 115 | 77% | — | $33,474 |
| 26 | Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OHPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 114 | 88% | — | $26,663 |
| 27 | University of Virginia - Main Campus Charlottesville, VAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 113 | 96% | — | $34,028 |
| 28 | Texas State University San Marcos, TXPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 111 | 55% | — | $37,741 |
| 29 | California State University - Fresno Fresno, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 109 | 57% | — | $21,642 |
| 30 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TXPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 109 | 89% | — | $34,495 |
| 31 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 108 | 68% | — | $39,283 |
| 32 | University of California - Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 108 | 83% | — | $29,749 |
| 33 | Harvard University Cambridge, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 108 | 98% | $15,013 | $53,468 |
| 34 | Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TXPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 108 | 55% | — | $34,016 |
| 35 | New York University New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoralMaster's | 105 | 88% | $29,023 | $39,636 |
| 36 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign, ILPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 103 | 85% | — | $26,436 |
| 37 | Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 103 | 84% | — | $33,763 |
| 38 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NCPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 102 | 69% | — | $33,791 |
| 39 | Bakersfield College Bakersfield, CAPublicAssociate's | 97 | 21% | — | — |
| 40 | California State University - Northridge Northridge, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 96 | 57% | — | $37,031 |
| 41 | George Mason University Fairfax, VAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 95 | 68% | — | $25,992 |
| 42 | University of California - Riverside Riverside, CAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 94 | 76% | — | $29,824 |
| 43 | University of Georgia Athens, GAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 94 | 90% | — | $26,983 |
| 44 | California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 92 | 55% | — | $24,077 |
| 45 | University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, COPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 92 | 74% | — | $37,044 |
| 46 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NCPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 91 | 91% | — | $34,592 |
| 47 | The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, TXPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 90 | 53% | — | $33,264 |
| 48 | University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MDPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 89 | 89% | — | $42,020 |
| 49 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MIPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 89 | 93% | — | $31,215 |
| 50 | University of California - Irvine Irvine, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 87 | 87% | — | $23,480 |
* 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 53 states & territories
Where History graduates come from. Each state links to all History programs offered there.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 19-3093, Historians, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the History program can pursue careers as historians, secondary school teachers, or postsecondary history educators. 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, with a typical educational requirement of a Master's degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 54.0101
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 |
Tour Guides and Escorts SOC 39-7011 | — | — | — | — |
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 History 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).
- Public/CIP 54.0105
Applied History 892 graduates / yr51 institutions - HistoryCIP 54.0199542 graduates / yr44 institutions
- Military HistoryCIP 54.0108287 graduates / yr11 institutions
- American History (United States)CIP 54.0102partial data268 graduates / yr6 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 the History program?+
You can earn a Bachelor's, Master's, Associate's, or Doctor's degree in History.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in reading, writing, critical thinking, and historical research methods.
What careers can I pursue with a degree in History?+
You can become a historian, teacher, or work in historic preservation and public policy.
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%.
What is the CIP code for History?+
History is CIP 54.0101 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 general study and interpretation of the past, including the gathering, recording, synthesizing and criticizing of evidence and theories about past events. Includes instruction in historiography; historical research methods; studies of specific periods, issues and cultures; and applications to areas such as historic preservation, public policy, and records administration.
How many institutions offer History programs?+
1,333 U.S. institutions reported History graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 53 states & territories, awarding 26,654 credentials in the year. That is 92.4% of all History graduates.
How much do History graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Historians occupation, which History 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 $31,526 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. This specialization accounts for nearly all History graduates, so its figures match the History program page.
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