History
History graduates earn an average annual wage of $261,078, making it one of the higher-paying degree fields. With 92,580 professionals in the field earning competitive wages, this degree offers strong career prospects.
Key Statistics
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in History and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$8,179 Median In-State Public
$37,835 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for History majors are, on average, $8,179 for in-state public colleges, and $37,835 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for History programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
30,992 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in History from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in History.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern New Hampshire University | NH | 156,755 |
| 2 | University of Phoenix-Arizona | AZ | 76,996 |
| 3 | Grand Canyon University | AZ | 68,619 |
| 4 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | 64,398 |
| 5 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | 59,099 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering History programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barstow Community College | CA | $1,104 |
| 2 | Taft College | CA | $1,108 |
| 3 | Copper Mountain Community College | CA | $1,114 |
| 4 | Antelope Valley Community College District | CA | $1,124 |
| 5 | Woodland Community College | CA | $1,124 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for History programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada College | CA | $10 |
| 2 | College of the Sequoias | CA | $29 |
| 3 | Coahoma Community College | MS | $560 |
| 4 | Henry Ford College | MI | $576 |
| 5 | Oxnard College | CA | $659 |
Schools with the lowest net price (after financial aid) for History programs.
Graduation Rates
62.45% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
61.22% Average Graduation Rate
155 Institutions Reporting
49.70% - 73.40% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for History programs across institutions.
Employment
Information on the businesses and industries that employ History graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$261,078 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for History majors is $261,078.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for History majors.
Occupations by Share
92,580 2023 Workforce
The number of History graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in History by share of the total number of graduates.
Return on Investment & Value
Financial analysis of History degree including debt, earnings, and return on investment metrics.
Financial Value Analysis
ROI data is not available for this degree program.
Financial value comparison for History degree.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in History in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in History.
Age distribution for History degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
30,992 Total Degrees Awarded
17,757 Male (57.30%)
13,235 Female (42.70%)
Gender distribution of History degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
20,483 White (66.09%)
5,098 Hispanic or Latino (16.45%)
1,297 Two or More Races (4.18%)
1,219 Black or African American (3.93%)
1,128 Asian (3.64%)
Racial and ethnic distribution of History degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in History are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in History.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the History field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
History majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for History majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for History majors.
About
History
In 2023, 30,992 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in History.
CIP Code
54.5401 - History
Insights and Analysis
High Earning Potential: History graduates earn an average annual wage of $261,078, placing them among the top earners in the workforce. This strong earning potential reflects both the demand for skills in this field and the value employers place on this degree.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.