What first comes to mind for many people when they imagine life after earning a History degree is likely being a public school History teacher or being stuck without a job until they can afford to pursue their Master's or Ph.D. While graduate school might be a common goal for History grads, however, the major opens up a plethora of job opportunities, some of them extremely high-paying. According to government data summarized by Data USA, the mean annual income for History graduates in 2017 was almost $86,000, and the most common jobs were in law, education, and management.
Additionally, according to American Community Survey data from 2010-2014, less than half the number of Bachelor's in History grads pursued a higher degree, most History grads do not become professional historians or museum workers, and the vast majority of History grads earn income in the 75th percentile or higher. A review of this data published in the American Historical Association magazine Perspectives on History suggests History majors fill roles in a wider range of career paths than graduates of most other fields, and go on to become more educated than most of their peers.
For non-traditional students who want to understand the world around them better and are open to careers in different fields, an online degree in History is an excellent choice. Most schools on our list offer robust career support and encourage students to pursue a minor to bolster their resumes, allowing students to showcase the broad critical thinking, writing, and communications skills employers crave. When it comes to choosing a career, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, careers in law are projected to grow at an average to much faster than average pace, most education careers are growing at an average pace, and most management careers are growing at a faster than average pace.
An online degree is an obvious first choice for nontraditional students, some of whom may already have impressive work history on their resumes. Many universities offer self-paced or accelerated courses, which can make it easier to fit school around work or childcare schedules, and some programs offer joint Bachelor's/Master's programs that help students go further without paying full price. Many on-campus perks are available to online students as well, further bridging the gap between online and on-campus learning.
Selection Criteria
Best Value Schools publishes college degree rankings with the belief of how one's higher education should be, both, affordable and an investment of continued value for the students who pursue them. The staff of BVS collects data from reputable sources in order to calculate Net Price and the short and long-term value of every ranked degree. Collected data is simplified into weighted categories before scoring and then scaled through a BVS Score up to 100. The weighted categories are:
Degree Investment Return (25%)
Student & Alumni Evaluation (25%)
Cost Value (25%)
Matriculation (10%)
Academic Success (15%)
No matter what degree you decide on, we hope our research and support has made the selection process easier. There are numerous resources BVS utilizes to collect information on degrees, and we encourage you to check them out for yourself!
Here are the 25 Best Online Bachelor's Degrees in History!
Featured Online Programs
Figuring out where to apply? These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online degrees. Consider one of these accredited programs, and discover their value today.
