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2025 Best History Schools in Pennsylvania

14 Colleges in Pennsylvania
1,292 History Degrees Awarded
$33,218 Avg Early-Career Salary
History degree programs are on the lower end of the spectrum in terms of popularity. In fact, the major ranks #23 out of the 38 majors we look at each year. As such, your educational options may be more limited than if you were in a more popular field.

College Factual looked at 14 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best History Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 1,292 degrees in history to qualified students.

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

Choosing a Great History School

Best History Schools in Pennsylvania The history program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for History rankings. We derive our Best Overall History School rankings by rolling up our degree-level rankings after weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each school.

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

Pick Your History Degree Level

Bachelor's Degrees in History
Master's Degrees in History
Doctor's Degrees in 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 History Schools in Pennsylvania 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 History in Pennsylvania

The schools below may not offer all types of history degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer.

10 Top Pennsylvania Schools in History

1
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
102 History Degrees Awarded
30.4% Growth in Graduates

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

There were approximately 102 history students who graduated with this degree at UPenn in the most recent year we have data available. History degree recipients from University of Pennsylvania receive an earnings boost of around $15,337 over the typical earnings of history majors.

More information about a degree in history from University of Pennsylvania

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
127 History Degrees Awarded
22.8% Growth in Graduates

Every student pursuing a degree in history has to check out University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus. Located in the city of Pittsburgh, Pitt is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #85 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Pitt is a great university overall.

There were roughly 127 history students who graduated with this degree at Pitt in the most recent year we have data available. After graduating, history degree recipients typically earn about $29,591 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in history from University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus

Sponsored
Bachelors Degree Type
BA in History Program Name

Gain a rich foundation of knowledge ranging from early history to modern times with this online bachelor's degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in BA in History from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

3
Villanova crest
Villanova University
Villanova, PA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
$36,879 Median Starting Salary

Villanova University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in history. Located in the suburb of Villanova, Villanova is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #34 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Villanova is a great university overall.

There were about 27 history students who graduated with this degree at Villanova in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the history degree program at Villanova University get $3,661 more than the standard college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in history from Villanova University

4
Gettysburg crest
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, PA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
42 History Degrees Awarded
$28,497 Median Starting Salary

Gettysburg College is a wonderful option for students pursuing a degree in history. Gettysburg is a small private not-for-profit college located in the fringe town of Gettysburg. A Best Colleges rank of #314 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Gettysburg is a great college overall.

There were roughly 42 history students who graduated with this degree at Gettysburg in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the history program report average early career wages of $28,497.

More information about a degree in history from Gettysburg College

5
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
54 History Degrees Awarded
$39,694 Median Starting Salary

SRU is a medium-sized public university located in the distant town of Slippery Rock. This university ranks 37th out of 103 schools for overall quality in the state of Pennsylvania.

There were approximately 54 history students who graduated with this degree at SRU in the most recent year we have data available. Those history students who get their degree from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania receive $6,476 more than the average history student.

More information about a degree in history from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

6

University of Scranton is a small private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Scranton. A Best Colleges rank of #202 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means University of Scranton is a great university overall.

There were about 24 history students who graduated with this degree at University of Scranton in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the history program state that they receive average early career wages of $26,442.

More information about a degree in history from University of Scranton

7
Dickinson crest
Dickinson College
Carlisle, PA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
38th Most Popular In PA
9.1% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Carlisle, Dickinson is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #364 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Dickinson is a great college overall.

There were roughly 11 history students who graduated with this degree at Dickinson in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in history from Dickinson College

Sponsored
Masters Degree Type
MA in History Program Name

The online Master of Arts in History degree program can deepen your understanding of how history is made.

More information about a degree in MA in History from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

8
Duquesne crest
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
$29,451 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Pittsburgh, Duquesne is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #196 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Duquesne is a great university overall.

There were approximately 30 history students who graduated with this degree at Duquesne in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the history program state that they receive average early career income of $29,451.

More information about a degree in history from Duquesne University

9

Located in the town of Indiana, IUP is a public university with a moderately-sized student population. This university ranks 54th out of 103 colleges for overall quality in the state of Pennsylvania.

There were approximately 17 history students who graduated with this degree at IUP in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the history program state that they receive average early career earnings of $32,976.

More information about a degree in history from Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus

10
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
50 History Degrees Awarded
22.0% Growth in Graduates

Ship is a medium-sized public university located in the fringe town of Shippensburg. This university ranks 45th out of 103 colleges for overall quality in the state of Pennsylvania.

There were roughly 50 history students who graduated with this degree at Ship in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the history program report average early career wages of $34,460.

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

Best History Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Region

Explore all the Best History Schools in the Middle Atlantic Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
New Jersey 38 735
New York 38 2,656
Maryland 37 617
Delaware 33 68
District of Columbia 33 258

View All Rankings >

History Majors to Study

Major Annual Graduates
History 1,292

View All History Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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