by our College Data Analytics Team
[History](/majors/history/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong history education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 20 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value history schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in history, balancing cost against outcomes.
Arizona State University earned the #1 spot for value among history schools in Arizona. Set in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,223, while out-of-state students pay about $33,139. Typical student debt for history graduates is $28,513. Early-career history graduates make about $46,055. That is a strong return on a $28,513 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Northern Arizona University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in history, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Flagstaff, Northern Arizona University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,619 in tuition and fees, compared with $20,044 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for history graduates is $21,250. History graduates of Northern Arizona University earn a median of $28,862 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,250 median debt. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Arizona is a great value for students pursuing a degree in history, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Tucson, University Of Arizona is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,573, while out-of-state students pay about $39,903. Students borrow a median of $25,250 to complete the history program here. Early-career history graduates make about $30,592. That is a strong return on a $25,250 median debt. University Of Arizona admits about 86% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in history will find it at Grand Canyon University, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Phoenix, Grand Canyon University is a very large private for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,508. History graduates carry a median of $32,237 in student loans. History graduates of Grand Canyon University earn a median of $43,596 early in their careers. Set against $32,237 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 79%.
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This ranking is produced 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 · 20 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.