Best institutions to study History
Any instructional program in history not listed above.
44 U.S. institutions graduated 542 History students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 54.0199, a specialization of History (CIP 54.01), and leads most directly to the Historians occupation (BLS SOC 19-3093).
About History programs
Any instructional program in history not listed above.
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 offers students a comprehensive understanding of historical events, contexts, and interpretations. This program is designed for those interested in exploring the past through various lenses, including cultural, social, and political perspectives. It is suitable for students who are passionate about research, analysis, and communication in the field of history.
Students in the History program develop essential skills such as reading comprehension, critical thinking, and effective writing. Coursework often includes the study of history and archaeology, sociology, and geography, equipping students with the knowledge necessary to analyze historical data and its significance.
Credentials awarded
What History graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree371 graduates / yr · 25 institutions69%
- Master's degree93 graduates / yr · 8 institutions17%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year33 graduates / yr · 5 institutions6.1%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate11 graduates / yr · 4 institutions2.0%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship10 graduates / yr · 5 institutions1.8%
- Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years8 graduates / yr · 1 institution1.5%
- Doctor's degree - other8 graduates / yr · 1 institution1.5%
- Associate's degree6 graduates / yr · 1 institution1.1%
- Award of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years2 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.4%
Graduates over time
History completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 634 |
| 2013 | 629 |
| 2014 | 656 |
| 2015 | 457 |
| 2016 | 462 |
| 2017 | 456 |
| 2018 | 466 |
| 2019 | 470 |
| 2020 | 473 |
| 2021 | 484 |
| 2022 | 520 |
| 2023 | 538 |
| 2024 | 510 |
| 2025 | 542 |
Top 44 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 | University of California - Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CAPublicBachelor'sDoctoral | 69 | 83% | — | $29,749 |
| 2 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 64 | 85% | — | $26,261 |
| 3 | Harvard University Cambridge, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 56 | 98% | $15,013 | $53,468 |
| 4 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 55 | 92% | $26,873 | $36,876 |
| 5 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion Scottsdale, AZPublicMaster's | 43 | 0% | — | $39,283 |
| 6 | American Public University System Charles Town, WVPrivate for-profitMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 25 | 57% | $10,199 | $35,198 |
| 7 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TXPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 22 | 84% | — | $42,899 |
| 8 | United States Military Academy West Point, NYPublicBachelor's | 18 | 87% | — | — |
| 9 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TNPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 17 | 94% | $14,854 | $46,856 |
| 10 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 14 | 96% | $15,315 | $53,828 |
| 11 | Suffolk University Boston, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 13 | 61% | $28,895 | — |
| 12 | Brigham Young University Provo, UTPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 11 | 81% | $13,712 | $38,643 |
| 13 | Butler University Indianapolis, INPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 10 | 80% | $35,696 | — |
| 14 | Center for Advanced Studies On Puerto Rico and the Caribbean San Juan, PRPrivate not-for-profitDoctoralMaster's | 9 | — | — | — |
| 15 | Georgetown University Washington, DCPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 8 | 95% | $22,242 | $49,876 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus University Park, PAPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 8 | 86% | — | $28,803 |
| 17 | Ohio University - Main Campus Athens, OHPublicDoctoralPost-degree cert.Master's | 7 | 65% | — | $24,075 |
| 18 | Bridgewater College Bridgewater, VAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 7 | 53% | $19,485 | $32,771 |
| 19 | Samford University Birmingham, ALPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 6 | 77% | $28,160 | — |
| 20 | Eastern Connecticut State University Willimantic, CTPublicBachelor's | 6 | 58% | — | $26,186 |
| 21 | Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Perkinston, MSPublicAssociate's | 6 | 48% | — | — |
| 22 | Gallaudet University Washington, DCPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 5 | 47% | $14,382 | — |
| 23 | Chaminade University of Honolulu Honolulu, HIPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 5 | 55% | $25,919 | — |
| 24 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 5 | 94% | $23,803 | — |
| 25 | George Mason University Fairfax, VAPublicPost-degree cert. | 5 | 68% | — | $25,992 |
| 26 | University of California - Riverside Riverside, CAPublicBachelor's | 4 | 76% | — | $29,824 |
| 27 | William Paterson University of New Jersey Wayne, NJPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 4 | 44% | — | — |
| 28 | University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Cincinnati, OHPublicBachelor's | 4 | 75% | — | $31,217 |
| 29 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster's | 4 | 97% | $22,055 | $48,555 |
| 30 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MIPublicDoctoral | 3 | 93% | — | $31,215 |
| 31 | Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, MOPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 3 | 64% | — | — |
| 32 | Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia Beach, VAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 3 | 42% | $20,171 | — |
| 33 | Whitman College Walla Walla, WAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 3 | 81% | $28,508 | — |
| 34 | University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Stevens Point, WIPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 3 | 51% | — | $35,947 |
| 35 | University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras San Juan, PRPublicBachelor's | 3 | 50% | — | — |
| 36 | The University of Montana Missoula, MTPublicAward of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years | 2 | 48% | — | $28,508 |
| 37 | Manhattanville University Purchase, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 2 | 58% | $23,949 | $19,473 |
| 38 | Mount Saint Mary College Newburgh, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 2 | 65% | $21,810 | $32,383 |
| 39 | Duke University Durham, NCPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 2 | 97% | $16,260 | $60,750 |
| 40 | The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, TXPublicDoctoral | 2 | 50% | — | $30,230 |
| 41 | University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CAPublicDoctoral | 1 | 86% | — | $21,713 |
| 42 | LeTourneau University Longview, TXPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 1 | 59% | $24,186 | — |
| 43 | Regent University Virginia Beach, VAPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert. | 1 | 57% | $18,677 | — |
| 44 | Shenandoah University Winchester, VAPrivate not-for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 1 | 67% | $27,455 | — |
* 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 25 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, history teachers, or in various management roles. 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 advancement.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 54.0199
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 |
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 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).
- HistoryCIP 54.010126,654 graduates / yr1,333 institutions
- Public/CIP 54.0105
Applied History 892 graduates / yr51 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 this program?+
You can earn a Bachelor's degree, Master's degree, or a postbaccalaureate certificate.
What skills will I develop in the History program?+
You will develop skills in reading comprehension, writing, critical thinking, and active learning.
What types of jobs can I get with a degree in History?+
You can work as a historian, history teacher, or in management positions.
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 54.0199 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within History (CIP 54.01). NCES defines it as: Any instructional program in history not listed above.
How many institutions offer History programs?+
44 U.S. institutions reported History graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 25 states & territories, awarding 542 credentials in the year. That is 1.9% 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 $32,383 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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