2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2019-2020, 32,905 people earned their degree in history, making the major the 22nd most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, history graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $29,593 and had an average of $23,490 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 5,424 history graduates with average earnings and debt of $28,877 and $19,249 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 3,115 history graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California” ranking analyzed 37 colleges that offered a degree in history. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality history programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the history program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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More Ways to Rank History Schools
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California
The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree history students.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for History in California
Out of the 37 schools in the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Long Beach landed the #1 spot on the list. California State University - Long Beach is located in Long Beach, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 143 bachelors’s history degrees to qualified students.
CSULB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend CSULB is $9,622 for california bachelor’s degree history students.
The low student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
Full California State University - Long Beach History Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. San Luis Obispo, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s history degrees to 64 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is $21,595 for california bachelor’s degree history students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about History at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fresno. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California. Located in Fresno, California, this large public school awarded 97 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2019-2020.
Fresno State also made our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #23. It costs about $5,464 for California Bachelor’s Degree History students per year to attend California State University - Fresno.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read full report on History at California State University - Fresno
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Northridge. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Northridge, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s history degrees to 75 students in 2019-2020.
CSUN did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $8,414 for california bachelor’s degree history students per year to attend California State University - Northridge.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Out of the 37 schools in the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Los Angeles landed the #5 spot on the list. UCLA is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 319 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.
UCLA also made our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend UCLA is $14,279 for california bachelor’s degree history students.
The low student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
California State University - San Marcos ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. CSUSM is a public institution located in San Marcos, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 78 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
CSUSM did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for CSUSM is $13,399 for california bachelor’s degree history students.
The low student loan default rate of 4.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on History at California State University - San Marcos
With a ranking of #8, University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. UCSB is a public institution located in Santa Barbara, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 174 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UCSB also took the #5 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $15,884 for california bachelor’s degree history students per year to attend University of California - Santa Barbara.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
San Jose State University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. San Jose State is a public institution located in San Jose, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 48 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
San Jose State also took the #12 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for San Jose State is $14,928 for california bachelor’s degree history students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
California State University - Stanislaus ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Stan State is located in Turlock, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 58 bachelors’s history degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend California State University - Stanislaus is $6,019 for california bachelor’s degree history students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
San Francisco State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. This large school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 78 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.
SFSU also took the #18 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for San Francisco State University is $15,113 for california bachelor’s degree history students.
Read full report on History at San Francisco State University
California State University - Chico came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. Chico State is located in Chico, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 68 bachelors’s history degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend California State University - Chico is $15,017 for California Bachelor’s Degree History students.
The low student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about History at California State University - Chico
California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #13. Cal State Fullerton is a public institution located in Fullerton, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 103 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree history students list, Cal State Fullerton has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cal State Fullerton is $7,991 for California Bachelor’s Degree History students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The low student loan default rate of 2.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Sonoma State University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. SSU is a medium-sized public school situated in Rohnert Park, California. It awarded 61 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree history students list, SSU has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SSU is $17,478 for California Bachelor’s Degree History students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
University of California - San Diego ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. La Jolla, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s history degrees to 90 students in 2019-2020.
UCSD also made our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #8. It costs about $14,232 for California Bachelor’s Degree History students per year to attend University of California - San Diego.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
University of California - Davis landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. This large school is located in Davis, California, and it awarded 113 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.
UC Davis also made our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $14,669 for California Bachelor’s Degree History students per year to attend UC Davis.
The low student loan default rate of 1.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
University of California - Irvine came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. UC Irvine is a public institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 73 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UC Irvine not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $14,783 for California Bachelor’s Degree History students per year to attend UC Irvine.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Read full report on History at University of California - Irvine
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well in the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #18. Pomona, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s history degrees to 76 students in 2019-2020.
Cal Poly Pomona also took the #21 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is $12,734 for California Bachelor’s Degree History students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.
Read more about History at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona
University of California - Berkeley came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 119 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.
UC Berkeley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UC Berkeley is $15,329 for California Bachelor’s Degree History students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
California State University - Sacramento landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. Sac State is located in Sacramento, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 111 bachelors’s history degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Sacramento is $9,979 for california bachelor’s degree history students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about History at California State University - Sacramento
San Diego State University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. San Diego State University is a large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 64 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.
SDSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend San Diego State University is $14,788 for California Bachelor’s Degree History students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The low student loan default rate of 2.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
California State University - Los Angeles landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. California State University - Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 61 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Cal State LA is $2,768 for california bachelor’s degree history students.
The low student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
California State University - Dominguez Hills did quite well in the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #23. Located in Carson, California, this fairly large public school handed out 21 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $4,215 for california bachelor’s degree history students per year to attend CSUDH.
The low student loan default rate of 2.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on History at California State University - Dominguez Hills
California State University - Bakersfield landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. Located in Bakersfield, California, this fairly large public school awarded 37 degrees to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $5,318 for California Bachelor’s Degree History students per year to attend California State University - Bakersfield.
California State University - San Bernardino came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. Located in San Bernardino, California, this fairly large public school handed out 83 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend California State University - San Bernardino is $7,342 for california bachelor’s degree history students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
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Notes and References
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Abraham Ortelius.
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