2026 Best Value History Schools in District of Columbia
[History](/majors/history/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong history education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for history students.
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2026 Best Value History Schools in District of Columbia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the history degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value History Schools
Catholic University Of America tops our 2026 list of the best value history schools in District of Columbia. Catholic University Of America is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $58,378. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the history program here. Soon after graduation, history degree recipients from Catholic University Of America generally make around $65,120. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Catholic University Of America admits about 83% of applicants.
George Washington University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value history schools. George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. In-state tuition and fees average $67,710. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the history program here. Early-career history graduates make about $38,927. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. George Washington University admits about 47% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Georgetown University one of the best values for history. Located in the city of Washington, Georgetown University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,089. Typical student debt for history graduates is $16,640. Soon after graduation, history degree recipients from Georgetown University generally make around $49,876. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Georgetown University admits about 13% of applicants.
American University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in history, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Washington, American University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $58,771. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the history program here. History graduates of American University earn a median of $45,713 early in their careers. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. American University admits about 62% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes Howard University one of the best values for history. Located in the city of Washington, Howard University is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $35,810. History graduates carry a median of $25,498 in student loans. Soon after graduation, history degree recipients from Howard University generally make around $58,495. That is a strong return on a $25,498 median debt. The acceptance rate is 41%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
