by our College Data Analytics TeamA degree in History and Political Science involves the study of A Program With A General Synthesis Of History And Political Science Or A Specialization Which Draws From History And Political Science. Includes Instruction In Comparative Government And Politics, Historiography, Historical Research Methods, Political Science, Political Theory, Records Administration, And Systematic Study Of Political Institutions And Behavior. Read on to learn the essential details every history and political science student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering history and political science programs.
Nationwide, history and political science is a popular field of study, with 69 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best History and Political Science Schools ranking analyzes these 16 schools to determine the best overall colleges for history and political science students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of history and political science programs later in this article.
Programs in History and Political Science develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations history and political science graduates commonly enter.
Skills developed in a history and political science program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a history and political science major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several history and political science degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 3 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 45 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 21 |
People currently working in careers related to history and political science tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 58.3% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 18.3% |
| Master’s degree | 15.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.5% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.9% |
| Some college courses | 1.4% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 1.2% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.8% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.2% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.2% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.1% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in history and political science careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying history and political science opens doors to a variety of career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to history and political science.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to history and political science.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,638,816 | 11.6% |
| History Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,269,153 | 10.5% |
| Managers, All Other | 468,025 | 6.2% |
| Compliance Managers | 310,203 | 13.0% |
| Loss Prevention Managers | 265,210 | 2.2% |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | 206,415 | 9.9% |
| Political Scientists | 202,741 | 5.4% |
| Social Science Research Assistants | 153,535 | 4.7% |
Salaries for history and political science graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers history and political science grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Wind Energy Development Managers | $169,952 |
| Loss Prevention Managers | $165,723 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | $122,567 |
| Compliance Managers | $117,178 |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | $99,321 |
| Managers, All Other | $95,684 |
| Historians | $89,780 |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | $77,828 |
With 16 different history and political science programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased history and political science school rankings to help you.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
