by our College Data Analytics Team
[History](/majors/history/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find the best return on investment for history students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the history degrees they offer, see the list below.
Leading the list is Brigham Young University Idaho, our #1 best value for history in Idaho. Located in the town of Rexburg, Brigham Young University Idaho is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,800. History graduates carry a median of $8,750 in student loans. Early-career history graduates make about $43,853. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
College Of Western Idaho came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value history schools. Set in the rural area of Nampa, College Of Western Idaho is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,446, while out-of-state students pay about $7,454. History graduates carry a median of $12,497 in student loans. Soon after graduation, history degree recipients from College Of Western Idaho generally make around $40,963.
University Of Idaho came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value history schools. Set in the town of Moscow, University Of Idaho is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,084, while out-of-state students pay about $28,320. Typical student debt for history graduates is $27,965. History graduates of University Of Idaho earn a median of $43,246 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Idaho State University earned it the #4 place for history. Set in the city of Pocatello, Idaho State University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,610, compared with $27,720 for out-of-state students. History graduates carry a median of $30,793 in student loans. Early-career history graduates make about $51,446. Set against $30,793 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Boise State University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value history schools. Set in the city of Boise, Boise State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,048, with out-of-state students paying around $27,788. Students borrow a median of $28,050 to complete the history program here. Soon after graduation, history degree recipients from Boise State University generally make around $34,568. Set against $28,050 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
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The College Of Idaho landed the #6 spot for history value this year. Located in the suburb of Caldwell, The College Of Idaho is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $37,845 in tuition and fees. History graduates carry a median of $23,789 in student loans. History graduates of The College Of Idaho earn a median of $30,968 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,789 median debt. Roughly 49% of applicants are accepted.
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.