Best History Teacher, Postsecondary programs in Virginia, ranked by enrollment
Teach courses in human history and historiography.
40 schools in Virginia run programs that feed this job, graduating 1,564 people a year. The job pays a median of $85,910 in Virginia across about 760 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Virginia that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
10 programs in Virginia that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Virginia (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Virginia page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 54.0101In Virginia → | 1,403 | 89.7% | 40 | $31,217 | $24,000 |
| 2 | CIP 54.0108In Virginia → | 86 | 5.5% | 1 | $31,217 | $24,000 |
| 3 | CIP 13.1328In Virginia → | 22 | 1.4% | 2 | $43,033 | $26,044 |
| 4 | CIP 54.0105In Virginia → | 18 | 1.2% | 3 | $31,217 | $24,000 |
| 5 | CIP 54.0199In Virginia → | 17 | 1.1% | 5 | $31,217 | $24,000 |
| 6 | CIP 30.2101In Virginia → | 7 | 0.4% | 1 | — | — |
| 7 | CIP 30.2202In Virginia → | 4 | 0.3% | 1 | $32,054 | $24,000 |
| 8 | CIP 54.0102In Virginia → | 3 | 0.2% | 1 | $31,217 | $24,000 |
| 9 | CIP 30.2201In Virginia → | 2 | 0.1% | 1 | $32,054 | $24,000 |
| 10 | CIP 30.4601In Virginia → | 2 | 0.1% | 1 | — | — |
Top 25 schools in Virginia
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 16 of the 40 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 649 | History, General | $33,456 | 65% | $28,911 | 99% |
| 2 | William & Mary Williamsburg, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 140 | History, General | $31,595 | 89% | — | 34% |
| 3 | University of Virginia - Main Campus Charlottesville, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 113 | History, General | $34,028 | 96% | — | 17% |
| 4 | George Mason University Fairfax, VA Public · 3 feeder programs | 107 | History, General | $25,992 | 68% | — | 87% |
| 5 | James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 70 | History, General | $29,000 | 80% | — | 72% |
| 6 | Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA Public · 2 feeder programs | 69 | History, General | $29,794 | 63% | — | 93% |
| 7 | Old Dominion University Norfolk, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 48 | History, General | $36,733 | 46% | — | 90% |
| 8 | Virginia Military Institute Lexington, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 40 | History, General | $42,543 | 76% | — | 71% |
| 9 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA Public · 2 feeder programs | 38 | History, General | $33,319 | 86% | — | 55% |
| 10 | Christopher Newport University Newport News, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 28 | History, General | $29,386 | 72% | — | 86% |
| 11 | Hampden - Sydney College Hampden-Sydney, VA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 25 | History, General | $42,949 | 62% | $21,034 | 41% |
| 12 | Radford University Radford, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 21 | History, General | $28,239 | 49% | — | 90% |
| 13 | University of Richmond University of Richmond, VA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 20 | History, General | — | 85% | $24,049 | 22% |
| 14 | Longwood University Farmville, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 18 | History, General | $37,404 | 61% | — | 90% |
| 15 | Roanoke College Salem, VA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 14 | History, General | $25,940 | 67% | $24,604 | 83% |
| 16 | University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 14 | History, General | $31,965 | 66% | — | 80% |
| 17 | Bridgewater College Bridgewater, VA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 13 | History, Other | $32,771 | 53% | $19,485 | 92% |
| 18 | Regent University Virginia Beach, VA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 13 | History, General | — | 57% | $18,677 | 38% |
| 19 | Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 12 | History, General | — | 94% | $11,983 | 14% |
| 20 | Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia Beach, VA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 9 | History, General | — | 42% | $20,171 | 73% |
| 21 | Hollins University Roanoke, VA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 8 | History, General | — | 65% | $21,981 | 68% |
| 22 | Mary Baldwin University Staunton, VA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 8 | History, General | — | 39% | $18,500 | — |
| 23 | Norfolk State University Norfolk, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 8 | History, General | — | 38% | — | 88% |
| 24 | Shenandoah University Winchester, VA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 7 | American History (United States) | — | 67% | $27,455 | 77% |
| 25 | University of Lynchburg Lynchburg, VA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 7 | History, General | — | 57% | $19,488 | 43% |
All 40 schools in Virginia
Every school in Virginia with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty University | Lynchburg | Private not-for-profit | 649 | 4 |
| William & Mary | Williamsburg | Public | 140 | 1 |
| University of Virginia - Main Campus | Charlottesville | Public | 113 | 1 |
| George Mason University | Fairfax | Public | 107 | 3 |
| James Madison University | Harrisonburg | Public | 70 | 1 |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | Richmond | Public | 69 | 2 |
| Old Dominion University | Norfolk | Public | 48 | 1 |
| Virginia Military Institute | Lexington | Public | 40 | 1 |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Blacksburg | Public | 38 | 2 |
| Christopher Newport University | Newport News | Public | 28 | 1 |
| Hampden - Sydney College | Hampden-Sydney | Private not-for-profit | 25 | 1 |
| Radford University | Radford | Public | 21 | 1 |
| University of Richmond | University of Richmond | Private not-for-profit | 20 | 2 |
| Longwood University | Farmville | Public | 18 | 1 |
| Roanoke College | Salem | Private not-for-profit | 14 | 1 |
What history teachers, postsecondary earn in Virginia
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $83,820. Virginia pays above the national figure.
Concentrated here: Virginia employs more of this job per worker than the U.S. average.
Metro areas in Virginia
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national History Teachers, Postsecondary page.
How to become a History Teacher, Postsecondary
Job zone 5 of 5 · SVP 8.0 and above- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
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).
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.
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.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Virginia
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 18 majors mapped to History Teachers, Postsecondary14 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 13.1328History Teacher Education
- 30.1301Medieval and Renaissance Studies
- 30.2101Holocaust and Related Studies
- 30.2201Ancient Studies/Civilization
- 30.2202Classical, Ancient Mediterranean, and Near Eastern Studies and Archaeology
- 30.2299Classical and Ancient Studies, Other
- 30.4501History and Language/Literature(no graduates reported)
- 30.4601History and Political Science
- 51.3205History of Medicine(no graduates reported)
- 54.0101History, General
- 54.0102American History (United States)
- 54.0103European History
- 54.0104History and Philosophy of Science and Technology
- 54.0105Public/Applied History
- 54.0106Asian History(no graduates reported)
- 54.0107Canadian History(no graduates reported)
- 54.0108Military History
- 54.0199History, Other
Common questions
Answers for people weighing history teachers, postsecondary programs in Virginia.
What degree do you need to become a History Teacher, Postsecondary?+
Doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is History, General, which awarded 1,403 degrees in Virginia in 2024-25, 89.7% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a History Teacher, Postsecondary?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 10 programs to this occupation. The largest are History, Teacher Education and Professional Development, Holocaust and Related Studies, Classical and Ancient Studies, plus 1 more. Together they graduate about 1,564 people a year in Virginia.
How much do history teachers, postsecondary earn in Virginia?+
The median is $85,910 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 2.5% above the U.S. median of $83,820. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for history teachers, postsecondary growing?+
BLS projects a -0.2% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, little or no change, with roughly 1,700 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Virginia?+
40 institutions in Virginia reported graduates from at least one of the 10 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do history teachers, postsecondary work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Professor, Instructor, History Professor, History Instructor among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 25-1125.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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