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2025 Best General History Schools

416 Colleges in the United States
30,058 General History Degrees Awarded
Ranked #23 in popularity, general history is one of the most sought-after degree programs in the nation. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.

College Factual reviewed 416 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for degree seekers in the field of general history. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 30,058 degrees in general history annually.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great General History School

Best General History Schools The general history program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for General History rankings. For our Best Overall General History School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Pick Your General History Degree Level

Associate Degrees in General History
Bachelor's Degrees in General History
Master's Degrees in General History
Doctor's Degrees in General History

When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings, including this Best General History Schools list to help you make the college decision. You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.

In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.

More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.

Best Schools for General History in the United States

Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the general history degree levels they offer. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

25 Top Schools in General History

1
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
3rd Most Popular In MA
115 General History Degrees Awarded

Every student who is interested in general history needs to take a look at Harvard University. Harvard is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the midsize city of Cambridge. A Best Colleges rank of #4 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Harvard is a great university overall.

There were approximately 115 general history students who graduated with this degree at Harvard in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in general history from Harvard University

2
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, NC
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
6th Most Popular In NC
52 General History Degrees Awarded

Duke University is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in general history. Located in the city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #7 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Duke is a great university overall.

There were about 52 general history students who graduated with this degree at Duke in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in general history from Duke University

3
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
5th Most Popular In PA
82 General History Degrees Awarded

It's difficult to beat University of Pennsylvania if you wish to pursue a degree in general history. Located in the city of Philadelphia, UPenn is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #2 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UPenn is a great university overall.

There were about 82 general history students who graduated with this degree at UPenn in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in general history from University of Pennsylvania

4
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, CT
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In CT
170 General History Degrees Awarded

Yale University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in general history. Located in the city of New Haven, Yale is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #20 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Yale is a great university overall.

There were about 170 general history students who graduated with this degree at Yale in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in general history from Yale University

5
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In MI
131 General History Degrees Awarded

U-M is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Ann Arbor. This university ranks 1st out of 56 colleges for overall quality in the state of Michigan.

There were roughly 131 general history students who graduated with this degree at U-M in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in general history from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

6
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
4th Most Popular In IL
86 General History Degrees Awarded

Northwestern is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Evanston. A Best Colleges rank of #5 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Northwestern is a great university overall.

There were approximately 86 general history students who graduated with this degree at Northwestern in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in general history from Northwestern University

7
NYU crest
New York University
New York, NY
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
3rd Most Popular In NY
141 General History Degrees Awarded

Located in the large city of New York, NYU is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #16 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means NYU is a great university overall.

There were about 141 general history students who graduated with this degree at NYU in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in general history from New York University

8
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
4th Most Popular In TN
38 General History Degrees Awarded

Vanderbilt is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Nashville. A Best Colleges rank of #18 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Vanderbilt is a great university overall.

There were approximately 38 general history students who graduated with this degree at Vanderbilt in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in general history from Vanderbilt University

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In WI
185 General History Degrees Awarded

Located in the city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 46 schools for overall quality in the state of Wisconsin.

There were about 185 general history students who graduated with this degree at UW - Madison in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in general history from University of Wisconsin - Madison

10
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In NY
167 General History Degrees Awarded

Located in the city of New York, Columbia is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #15 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Columbia is a great university overall.

There were roughly 167 general history students who graduated with this degree at Columbia in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in general history from Columbia University in the City of New York

11
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
3rd Most Popular In IN
66 General History Degrees Awarded

Located in the suburb of Notre Dame, Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 41 schools for overall quality in the state of Indiana.

There were approximately 66 general history students who graduated with this degree at Notre Dame in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in general history from University of Notre Dame

12
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
6th Most Popular In CA
121 General History Degrees Awarded

Located in the suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 7th out of 161 schools for overall quality in the state of California.

There were approximately 121 general history students who graduated with this degree at UCSB in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in general history from University of California - Santa Barbara

13
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In CA
265 General History Degrees Awarded

Located in the large city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 4th out of 161 schools for overall quality in the state of California.

There were about 265 general history students who graduated with this degree at UCLA in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in general history from University of California - Los Angeles

14
Dartmouth crest
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
2nd Most Popular In NH
40 General History Degrees Awarded

Dartmouth is a medium-sized private not-for-profit college located in the remote town of Hanover. A Best Colleges rank of #12 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Dartmouth is a great college overall.

There were about 40 general history students who graduated with this degree at Dartmouth in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in general history from Dartmouth College

15
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
2nd Most Popular In MA
76 General History Degrees Awarded

Boston College is a fairly large private not-for-profit college located in the city of Chestnut Hill. A Best Colleges rank of #17 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Boston College is a great college overall.

There were approximately 76 general history students who graduated with this degree at Boston College in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in general history from Boston College

16
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, RI
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In RI
94 General History Degrees Awarded

Located in the city of Providence, Brown is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 9 colleges for overall quality in the state of Rhode Island.

There were about 94 general history students who graduated with this degree at Brown in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in general history from Brown University

17
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
2nd Most Popular In TX
135 General History Degrees Awarded

Located in the midsize city of College Station, Texas A&M College Station is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 115 colleges for overall quality in the state of Texas.

There were approximately 135 general history students who graduated with this degree at Texas A&M College Station in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in general history from Texas A&M University - College Station

18
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
2nd Most Popular In VA
163 General History Degrees Awarded

Located in the midsize suburb of Charlottesville, University of Virginia is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 57 schools for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were approximately 163 general history students who graduated with this degree at University of Virginia in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in general history from University of Virginia - Main Campus

19
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
53rd Most Popular In CA
45 General History Degrees Awarded

USC is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Los Angeles. A Best Colleges rank of #13 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means USC is a great university overall.

There were approximately 45 general history students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in general history from University of Southern California

20
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, TX
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
19th Most Popular In TX

Rice is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the city of Houston. This university ranks 3rd out of 115 colleges for overall quality in the state of Texas.

There were approximately 30 general history students who graduated with this degree at Rice in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in general history from Rice University

21
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In WA
90 General History Degrees Awarded

Located in the large city of Seattle, UW Seattle is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 50 colleges for overall quality in the state of Washington.

There were about 90 general history students who graduated with this degree at UW Seattle in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in general history from University of Washington - Seattle Campus

22
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
3rd Most Popular In FL
136 General History Degrees Awarded

Located in the midsize city of Gainesville, UF is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 70 schools for overall quality in the state of Florida.

There were approximately 136 general history students who graduated with this degree at UF in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in general history from University of Florida

23
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, DC
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
2nd Most Popular In DC
59 General History Degrees Awarded

Located in the city of Washington, Georgetown is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #11 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Georgetown is a great university overall.

There were about 59 general history students who graduated with this degree at Georgetown in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in general history from Georgetown University

24
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In MN
101 General History Degrees Awarded

Located in the city of Minneapolis, UMN Twin Cities is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 52 schools for overall quality in the state of Minnesota.

There were roughly 101 general history students who graduated with this degree at UMN Twin Cities in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in general history from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

25
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In OH
130 General History Degrees Awarded

Ohio State is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Columbus. This university ranks 1st out of 91 colleges for overall quality in the state of Ohio.

There were about 130 general history students who graduated with this degree at Ohio State in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in general history from Ohio State University - Main Campus

Rest of the Top 50 Best General History Schools

26
Amherst crest
Amherst College
Amherst, MA
27
28
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, VA
29
30
Tufts crest
Tufts University
Medford, MA
31
32

33

34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41

42
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL

43
44
45
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
46
Syracuse crest
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY
47
48
49
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, MA
50

Remaining Award Winners

This section represents the rest of the colleges awarded a Best General History Schools badge. Showing in this list means the school was ranked in the top 20% of the 416 different United States general history schools we analyzed.

Rank College Location
51 University of California - Riverside Riverside, CA
52 Villanova University Villanova, PA
53 University of Connecticut Storrs, CT
54 University of Georgia Athens, GA
55 University of South Carolina - Columbia Columbia, SC
56 Brandeis University Waltham, MA
57 University of California - Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA
58 Catholic University of America Washington, DC
59 Binghamton University Vestal, NY
60 University of Delaware Newark, DE
61 American Public University System Charles Town, WV
62 University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CA
63 Barnard College New York, NY
64 Clemson University Clemson, SC
65 American University Washington, DC
66 University at Albany Albany, NY
67 University of New Hampshire - Main Campus Durham, NH
68 University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Norman, OK
69 Salem State University Salem, MA
70 University of California - Irvine Irvine, CA
71 Michigan State University East Lansing, MI
72 Tulane University of Louisiana New Orleans, LA
73 University of South Florida - Main Campus Tampa, FL
74 James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA
75 Marquette University Milwaukee, WI
76 University of North Texas Denton, TX
77 Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA
78 Illinois State University Normal, IL
79 George Mason University Fairfax, VA
80 Rowan University Glassboro, NJ
81 University of Arizona Tucson, AZ
82 Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX
83 University of Iowa Iowa City, IA

Additional Noteworthy Schools

Here are some additional great schools for General History students that almost earned our Best General History Schools award.

Rank College Location
84 The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL
85 Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX
86 Middlebury College Middlebury, VT
87 University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY
88 University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR
89 The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Knoxville, TN
90 Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY
91 Liberty University Lynchburg, VA
92 California State University - Sacramento Sacramento, CA
93 University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT
94 Auburn University Auburn, AL
95 Citadel Military College of South Carolina Charleston, SC
96 Grinnell College Grinnell, IA
97 University of Miami Coral Gables, FL
98 North Dakota State University - Main Campus Fargo, ND
99 Virginia Military Institute Lexington, VA
100 University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI
101 Providence College Providence, RI
102 Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, MO
103 Western Washington University Bellingham, WA
104 Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC
105 University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC
106 Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO
107 North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC
108 Texas State University San Marcos, TX
109 Washington State University Pullman, WA
110 Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA
111 California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA
112 Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Slippery Rock, PA
113 Hobart and William Smith Colleges Geneva, NY
114 Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI
115 Gonzaga University Spokane, WA
116 University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Cincinnati, OH
117 University of Oregon Eugene, OR
118 San Diego State University San Diego, CA
119 The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TX
120 Keene State College Keene, NH
121 California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA
122 Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA
123 Bridgewater State University Bridgewater, MA
124 Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX
125 University of Vermont Burlington, VT
126 University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL
127 Towson University Towson, MD
128 Arizona State University - Skysong Scottsdale, AZ
129 University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NE
130 University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO
131 Northeastern University Boston, MA
132 Connecticut College New London, CT
133 Baylor University Waco, TX
134 Brigham Young University - Provo Provo, UT
135 Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL
136 San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA
137 St Lawrence University Canton, NY
138 Ohio University - Athens Campus Athens, OH

General History by Region

View the Best General History Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Other U.S. Territories
Great Lakes

View All Rankings >

General History is one of 8 different types of History programs to choose from.

Majors Similar to General History

Related Major Annual Graduates
Other History 547
Public/Applied History 274
History and Philosophy of Science and Technology 256
Military History 196
American History (United States) 99
European History 13

View All General History Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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