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by our College Data Analytics Team
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2020-2021, 32,731 people earned their degree in history, making the major the 23rd most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, history graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $30,467 and had an average of $23,587 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Far Western US region, there were 6,427 history graduates with average earnings and debt of $28,050 and $19,565 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking looked at 40 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in history. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great history programs and cost less that 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.
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 Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region” list to help you make the college decision.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region.
Out of the 40 schools in the Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Long Beach landed the #2 spot on the list. CSULB is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 164 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSULB, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best History Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Long Beach is $10,054 for Far Western US Region History students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on History at California State University - Long Beach
Out of the 40 schools in the Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Fresno landed the #3 spot on the list. Fresno State is located in Fresno, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 89 ’s history degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our far western us region history students list, Fresno State has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best History Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Fresno is $6,230 for Far Western US Region History students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, 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 undergraduate students.
Read more about 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 2023 Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region list. California State University - Northridge is a large school located in Northridge, California that handed out 109 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
CSUN also made our “Best History Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #23. The yearly cost to attend CSUN is $8,523 for Far Western US Region History students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on History at California State University - Northridge
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Sacramento. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Sacramento, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s history degrees to 145 students in 2020-2021.
Sac State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best History Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. It costs about $11,178 for far western us region history students per year to attend Sac State.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.
San Francisco State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #6. San Francisco, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s history degrees to 95 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our far western us region history students list, SFSU has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best History Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. It costs about $14,459 for Far Western US Region History students per year to attend San Francisco State University.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
University of Nevada - Reno came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Located in Reno, Nevada, this large public school awarded 40 degrees to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our far western us region history students list, UNR has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best History Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. It costs about $14,930 for Far Western US Region History students per year to attend UNR.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
National University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 24 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend National University is $20,722 for far western us region history students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%.
California State University - Stanislaus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #9. This fairly large school is located in Turlock, California, and it awarded 51 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Stan State is $6,566 for Far Western US Region History students.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad 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 - Stanislaus
California State University - Fullerton came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Cal State Fullerton is located in Fullerton, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 145 ’s history degrees to qualified students.
Cal State Fullerton not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best History Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. It costs about $8,003 for far western us region history students per year to attend California State University - Fullerton.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 did quite well in the 2023 Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #11. Sonoma State University is located in Rohnert Park, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 49 ’s history degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our far western us region history students list, SSU has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best History Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Sonoma State University is $17,563 for far western us region history students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%.
Western Washington University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Western Washington University is a fairly large public school situated in Bellingham, Washington. It awarded 80 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at WWU, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best History Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Western Washington University is $17,070 for far western us region history students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
California State University - San Marcos landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. CSUSM is a public institution located in San Marcos, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 70 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for CSUSM is $13,218 for far western us region history students.
The low undergrad 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%.
San Diego State University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region list. This large school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 83 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SDSU, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best History Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. It costs about $13,845 for Far Western US Region History students per year to attend SDSU.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Washington State University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Located in Pullman, Washington, this large public school awarded 65 degrees to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.
Wazzu not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best History Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Wazzu is $15,300 for Far Western US Region History students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
California State University - San Bernardino landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. California State University - San Bernardino is a fairly large school located in San Bernardino, California that handed out 72 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for CSUSB is $8,107 for far western us region history students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
With a ranking of #17, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well on the 2023 Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Cal Poly Pomona is located in Pomona, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 67 ’s history degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for Cal Poly Pomona is $14,304 for Far Western US Region History students.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about History at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona
With a ranking of #18, California State University - Chico did quite well on the 2023 Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in Chico, California, this fairly large public school handed out 69 degrees to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend California State University - Chico is $16,218 for Far Western US Region History students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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%.
Read full report on History at California State University - Chico
With a ranking of #19, California State University - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2023 Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region list. California State University - Los Angeles is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 91 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend California State University - Los Angeles is $3,302 for Far Western US Region History students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full California State University - Los Angeles History Report
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region list. This large school is located in San Luis Obispo, California, and it awarded 64 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also took the #12 spot in our “Best History Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is $20,677 for Far Western US Region History students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, 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 94%.
Read more about History at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
Oregon State University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Corvallis, Oregon is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s history degrees to 68 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Oregon State, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best History Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. It costs about $21,508 for far western us region history students per year to attend Oregon State.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
California State University - Channel Islands did quite well in the 2023 Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #22. CSUCI is a public institution located in Camarillo, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 34 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $14,928 for far western us region history students per year to attend California State University - Channel Islands.
The low undergrad 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%.
Portland State University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region list. This large school is located in Portland, Oregon, and it awarded 70 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Portland State University is $12,498 for far western us region history students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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%.
With a ranking of #24, Central Washington University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region list. This fairly large school is located in Ellensburg, Washington, and it awarded 31 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Central Washington University is $16,514 for Far Western US Region History students.
With a ranking of #25, University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value History Schools in the Far Western US Region list. This large school is located in Seattle, Washington, and it awarded 163 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.
UW Seattle also made our “Best History Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus is $12,017 for Far Western US Region History students.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies