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Best Schools for History

History graduates earn a median of $30,289 within two years of graduation, ranking #217 out of 292 tracked majors — 15% below the median across all fields. There are 544 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 17,122 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: Amherst College graduates earn $74,576 while University of North Carolina at Pembroke graduates earn $13,702 — a $60,874 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap.

Early career salary growth is modest: History graduates see an average 5% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

544
Schools
$30,289
Avg. 2yr Earnings
#217
of 292 Majors
17,122
Graduates

Public vs Private: History

Public (340 schools)
$29,236
avg. 2yr earnings
Private (188 schools)
$32,006
avg. 2yr earnings

Private schools produce $2,770 more in early earnings on average for History graduates. Factor in tuition difference to calculate which offers better ROI.

History by State

New York
43 schools
$30,970
California
41 schools
$29,082
Texas
33 schools
$33,847
Massachusetts
29 schools
$34,989
Pennsylvania
28 schools
$29,769
Ohio
25 schools
$28,252
Virginia
21 schools
$30,141
Illinois
21 schools
$30,402

Top History Schools by Graduate Earnings

#1
A

Amherst College

Amherst, MA · Private

$74,576
2yr Earnings
1yr: $43,271
Grads: 17
Acceptance: 9.8%
#2
U

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA · Private

$53,775
2yr Earnings
1yr: $50,380
Grads: 37
Acceptance: 5.9%
#3
D

Duke University

Durham, NC · Private

$52,941
2yr Earnings
1yr: $45,091
Grads: 30
Acceptance: 6.8%
#4
B

Bates College

Lewiston, ME · Private

$51,273
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 13.0%
#5
D

Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH · Private

$50,856
2yr Earnings
1yr: $42,685
Grads: 34
Acceptance: 6.2%
#6
R

Rice University

Houston, TX · Private

$49,840
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 7.9%
#7
H

Harvard University

Cambridge, MA · Private

$49,644
2yr Earnings
1yr: $50,411
Grads: 47
Acceptance: 3.5%
#8
W

Williams College

Williamstown, MA · Private

$49,464
2yr Earnings
1yr: $40,036
Grads: 28
Acceptance: 10.0%
#9
T

The University of Texas at Dallas

Richardson, TX · Public

$48,041
2yr Earnings
1yr: $33,516
Grads: 40
Acceptance: 65.5%
#10
Y

Yale University

New Haven, CT · Private

$47,260
2yr Earnings
1yr: $52,357
Grads: 37
Acceptance: 4.5%
#11
N

New York University

New York, NY · Private

$47,260
2yr Earnings
1yr: $45,990
Grads: 33
Acceptance: 9.4%
#12
S

Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX · Private

$47,260
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,802
Grads: 18
Acceptance: 61.2%
#13
T

Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, TX · Private

$47,260
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 42.6%
#14
G

George Washington University

Washington, DC · Private

$46,673
2yr Earnings
1yr: $42,168
Grads: 36
Acceptance: 43.5%
#15
A

American University

Washington, DC · Private

$45,852
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 47.4%
#16
U

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN · Private

$45,529
2yr Earnings
1yr: $47,439
Grads: 27
Acceptance: 12.4%
#17
V

Virginia Military Institute

Lexington, VA · Public

$45,094
2yr Earnings
1yr: $39,325
Grads: 33
Acceptance: 81.7%
#18
S

Santa Clara University

Santa Clara, CA · Private

$43,798
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 43.8%
#19
P

Princeton University

Princeton, NJ · Private

$43,798
2yr Earnings
1yr: $50,775
Grads: 34
Acceptance: 4.5%
#20
A

American Public University System

Charles Town, WV ·

$43,798
2yr Earnings
1yr: $48,988
Grads: 62
Acceptance: N/A
#21
F

Fordham University

Bronx, NY · Private

$43,240
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 56.3%
#22
N

Northeastern University Oakland

Oakland, CA · Private

$42,682
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,067
Grads: 17
Acceptance: 16.5%
#23
S

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA · Public

$42,682
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 80.2%
#24
N

Northeastern University

Boston, MA · Private

$42,682
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,067
Grads: 17
Acceptance: 5.7%
#25
L

Le Moyne College

Syracuse, NY · Private

$42,682
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 75.3%
#26
B

Bucknell University

Lewisburg, PA · Private

$42,682
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 32.0%
#27
C

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, MA · Private

$42,363
2yr Earnings
1yr: $43,146
Grads: 47
Acceptance: 21.1%
#28
S

Stonehill College

Easton, MA · Private

$42,123
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 72.6%
#29
T

Towson University

Towson, MD · Public

$41,937
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,404
Grads: 51
Acceptance: 82.8%
#30
W

Wellesley College

Wellesley, MA · Private

$41,937
2yr Earnings
1yr: $29,442
Grads: 17
Acceptance: 13.9%
#31
W

Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, NC · Private

$41,789
2yr Earnings
1yr: $40,486
Grads: 22
Acceptance: 21.6%
#32
U

University of Maryland Global Campus

Adelphi, MD ·

$41,565
2yr Earnings
1yr: $43,853
Grads: 50
Acceptance: N/A
#33
H

Hobart William Smith Colleges

Geneva, NY · Private

$41,193
2yr Earnings
1yr: $29,417
Grads: 22
Acceptance: 57.3%
#34
U

University of Virginia-Main Campus

Charlottesville, VA · Public

$40,605
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,890
Grads: 58
Acceptance: 16.9%
#35
T

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, TX · Public

$40,426
2yr Earnings
1yr: $32,908
Grads: 95
Acceptance: 70.9%
#36
T

Texas A&M University-Kingsville

Kingsville, TX · Public

$40,048
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 92.3%
#37
C

Citadel Military College of South Carolina

Charleston, SC · Public

$40,017
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,853
Grads: 28
Acceptance: 98.1%
#38
S

St. Joseph's University-New York

Brooklyn, NY · Private

$39,927
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 71.4%
#39
M

McNeese State University

Lake Charles, LA · Public

$39,729
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 67.5%
#40
S

Saint Anselm College

Manchester, NH · Private

$39,729
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 78.3%
#41
U

University of Houston-Downtown

Houston, TX · Public

$39,648
2yr Earnings
1yr: $23,640
Grads: 31
Acceptance: 90.6%
#42
C

Clayton State University

Morrow, GA · Public

$39,585
2yr Earnings
1yr: $31,128
Grads: 25
Acceptance: 70.6%
#43
C

Connecticut College

New London, CT · Private

$39,369
2yr Earnings
1yr: $30,404
Grads: 16
Acceptance: 38.3%
#44
U

University of Chicago

Chicago, IL · Private

$39,369
2yr Earnings
1yr: $40,346
Grads: 34
Acceptance: 4.8%
#45
A

Assumption University

Worcester, MA · Private

$39,369
2yr Earnings
1yr: $30,545
Grads: 22
Acceptance: 86.5%
#46
T

Tufts University

Medford, MA · Private

$39,369
2yr Earnings
1yr: $47,243
Grads: 24
Acceptance: 10.1%
#47
P

Providence College

Providence, RI · Private

$39,369
2yr Earnings
1yr: $22,583
Grads: 27
Acceptance: 48.7%
#48
T

The University of Texas at Arlington

Arlington, TX · Public

$39,369
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,648
Grads: 77
Acceptance: 81.3%
#49
F

Franklin and Marshall College

Lancaster, PA · Private

$39,009
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 31.8%
#50
S

Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia

Philadelphia, PA · Private

$39,009
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 86.4%

Showing top 50 of 544 schools. View all or filter by state above.

Majors with Similar Earnings

Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants $30,704 Human Biology $30,664 East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics $30,626 Communications Technologies/Technicians and Support Services, Other $30,504 Radio, Television, and Digital Communication $30,433 Theological and Ministerial Studies $30,246

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for History?
Amherst College ranks #1 for History with median graduate earnings of $74,576 within two years. There are 544 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.
How much do History graduates earn?
History graduates earn an average of $30,289 within two years of graduation. This is 15% below the median across all majors. Earnings range from $13,702 to $74,576 depending on the school.
How hard is it to get into a top History program?
The average acceptance rate across History programs is 70.9%. The most selective program is at Harvard University with a 3.5% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.
Is a public or private school better for History?
Private History programs average $32,006 in early earnings vs $29,236 at public schools. Private schools lead in earnings, but cost significantly more — calculate net price before deciding.

Data updated June 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders.

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