Best Online Associate in History Degrees

BEST ONLINE ASSOCIATE'S IN HISTORY
By James Barham
Published:
Updated:

Find top-ranked online history degree programs for students looking for career opportunities in tourism, museum curation, and historical preservation, though many careers in the field of history will require you to continue on to earn your bachelor’s degree.

Key Takeaways

  • History majors should have great critical thinking, verbal and written communication skills in order to succeed in this associate degree program.
  • Students pursuing an online history degree will take courses in world history, environmental history, Western Civilization, History of Women in the United States, African-American History before 1877, military history, and more.
  • Entry-level career opportunities for history majors include working in tourism, museum curation, and historical preservation
  • More advanced positions in the field of history require a bachelor’s degree, and some may even require a master’s degree or doctoral degree.

Top 10 Online Associate in History Degrees

Sort by:
  1. Liberty University
  2. Regent University
  3. Santa Barbara City College
  4. Community College of Denver
  5. Blinn College
  6. College of Southern Nevada
  7. Brookdale Community College
  8. Pima Community College
  9. Saddleback College
  10. Front Range Community College
  1. Liberty University 99%
  2. Delaware Valley University 93%
  3. Regent University 41%
  1. Blinn College 36 to 1
  2. Community College of Aurora 29 to 1
  3. Saddleback College 27 to 1
  4. Santa Barbara City College 25 to 1
  5. Rowan College at Burlington County 24 to 1
  6. Brookdale Community College 22 to 1
  7. Carl Albert State College 21 to 1
  8. College of Southern Idaho 21 to 1
  9. College of Southern Nevada 21 to 1
  10. Community College of Denver 19 to 1
  1. Delaware Valley University $41,380
  2. Liberty University $22,713
  3. Regent University $18,820
  4. Kishwaukee College $8,820
  5. Bucks County Community College $7,920
  6. Brookdale Community College $7,605
  7. Grand Rapids Community College $7,410
  8. Community College of Baltimore County $5,784
  9. Murray State College $4,830
  10. College of Southern Idaho $4,560
  1. Regent University $15,590
  2. Delaware Valley University $9,000
  3. Liberty University $7,847
  1. Kishwaukee College
  2. Cleveland State Community College
  3. Rowan College at Burlington County
  4. Arizona Western College
  5. Grand Rapids Community College
  6. Georgia Highlands College
  7. Community College of Aurora
  8. Community College of Baltimore County
  9. College of Southern Idaho
  10. Bucks County Community College
  1. Regent University 41%
  2. Delaware Valley University 93%
  3. Liberty University 99%
  1. Delaware Valley University 13 to 1
  2. Trinity Valley Community College 15 to 1
  3. Bucks County Community College 15 to 1
  4. Community College of Baltimore County 16 to 1
  5. Pima Community College 16 to 1
  6. Kishwaukee College 16 to 1
  7. Arizona Western College 17 to 1
  8. Murray State College 17 to 1
  9. Liberty University 17 to 1
  10. Grand Rapids Community College 17 to 1
  1. Santa Barbara City College $1,104
  2. Trinity Valley Community College $1,170
  3. Saddleback College $1,288
  4. Pima Community College $2,088
  5. Tyler Junior College $2,208
  6. Georgia Highlands College $2,280
  7. Arizona Western College $2,700
  8. Carl Albert State College $2,737
  9. College of Southern Nevada $3,293
  10. Blinn College $3,510
  1. Liberty University $7,847
  2. Delaware Valley University $9,000
  3. Regent University $15,590

Featured Programs

A Closer Look at the Online Associate in History Degree

An associate in history degree program introduces students to fundamental concepts in history, culture, government, communication, and research skills. This degree allow students to find an entry-level position or go on to pursue a bachelor’s degree in history.

An online associate in history degree program typically takes about two years to complete, or about 60 credit hours. Many programs are flexible, allowing you to pursue your degree full-time or part-time.

An associate in history degree program consists of general education courses, such as English and math, and program-specific courses like world history, geography, and Western civilization, to name a few. History programs also put a special emphasis on communication, research, writing, and critical thinking skills.

Most liberal arts programs, like the online history degrees we are exploring here, require students to complete their general education courses before moving on to higher level courses that are specific to history.

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Skills Needed for History Majors

If you possess these attributes, you are likely to succeed in a history associate degree program:

  • You should have a love for other cultures and a deep desire to learn about them
  • You should have the ability to explore historical events and cultures from a global perspective
  • You should have the ability to conduct original research and translate that research into the written word
  • You should have great critical thinking and verbal communication skills
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The Admissions Process for an Online Associate Degree in History

Admissions criteria varies from school to school, but generally, the following criteria will apply:

  • You must have earned a high school diploma or GED equivalent
  • Taken the ACT or SAT, and received at least the minimum score
  • Taken prerequisite courses in high school, such as English and algebra, and received at least the minimum grades required by the school.

Frequently Asked Questions About Online History Degree Programs

Why get an online associate degree in history?

An online history degree could be the first step toward an intriguing discipline and a fulfilling career.

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What kinds of courses are required when getting an associate degree in history?

For a history major seeking an online associate degree, courses are generally taken at a community college. In addition to general education courses, students in online history programs will take classes such as:

  • World History
  • Environmental History
  • Western Civilization
  • History of Women in the United States
  • African-American History before 1877
  • Military History
  • World Civilization since 1650

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How long does it take to get an associate online history degree?

An online history degree requires about 60 credits and can be completed in about two years of full-time study.

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What can you do with an associate degree in history?

Graduates with online history degrees will qualify for career opportunities in tourism, museum curation, and historical preservation, though many careers in the field of history will require you to continue on to earn your bachelor’s degree, and some may even require a master’s degree or doctoral degree.

According to the BLS, a history major can expect a median salary of $60,000, with 60% of employees holding at least a bachelor’s degree, and 50% holding a master’s degree or higher.

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Learn more about how to major in history.

Best Online Associate Degree in History Programs

Median Salaries of Similar Careers in the U.S.

The following graph depicts the average salaries of similar occupations to Historians in the U.S.

Source: U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

Annual Salary
66800Anthropologists and Archeologists
72130Historians
86740Geographers
90900Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other
120430Political Scientists
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Best Online Associate Degree Programs in History

  3. #3

    Regent University

    Virginia Beach , VA
    #13 Best CCCU Colleges and Universities 2023 #1 Best Christian Colleges in Virginia 2023 #5 Best Private Colleges in Virginia 2023 #9 Best Research Universities in Virginia 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $19K

    Acceptance

    41%

    Graduation

    62%

    Student body

    7K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1080/25

    Online Degrees

    AA in History
    • Required Credits: 64
    • Completion time: 2 years
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  5. #5

    Delaware Valley University

    Doylestown , PA
    #7 Best Online Associate Degrees in Pennsylvania 2023 #12 Best Online Associate in Early Childhood Education #16 Best Online Associate in English

    Tuition + fees

    $41K

    Acceptance

    93%

    Graduation

    54%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1047/21

    Online Degrees

    AA in History
    • Required Credits: 61
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  7. #6

    Murray State College

    Tishomingo , OK
    #8 Best Community Colleges in Oklahoma 2023 #9 Best Online Associate Degrees in Oklahoma 2023 #9 Best Online Associate in Hospitality and Tourism #19 Best Online Associate in Sociology
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $7K

    Graduation

    27%

    Student body

    1K

    Online Degrees

    AS in Arts and Sciences

    Concentrations

    • History
    • Required Credits: 62-63
    • Completion time: 2 years
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  9. #8

    Liberty University

    Lynchburg , VA
    #4 Top 20 Best Military Friendly Online Colleges Ranked for 2023 #8 Top 15 Best Online Colleges for Transfer Students in 2023 #13 Best Online Christian Colleges and Universities for Doctoral Degrees #2 Best Christian Colleges in Virginia 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $23K

    Acceptance

    99%

    Graduation

    62%

    Student body

    79K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1145/25

    Online Degrees

    AA in History
    • Required Credits: 60
    • Completion time: 1.5 years
    • Format: Online
    AA in Military History
    • Required Credits: 60
    • Completion time: 1.5 years
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  14. #12

    Carl Albert State College

    Poteau , OK
    #10 Best Community Colleges in Oklahoma 2023 #10 Best Online Associate Degrees in Oklahoma 2023 #12 Best Online Associate in Political Science #18 Best Online Associate in Paralegal Studies

    Tuition + fees

    $4K

    Graduation

    33%

    Student body

    1K

    Online Degrees

    AA in History and Political Science
    • Required Credits: 62-64
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    Compare school
  29. #25

    Georgia Highlands College

    Rome , GA
    #6 Best Online Associate Degrees in Georgia 2023 #15 Best Online Associate in Political Science

    Tuition + fees

    $3K

    Graduation

    20%

    Student body

    4K

    Online Degrees

    AA in Humanities

    Concentrations

    • History
    • Required Credits: 65
    • Completion time: 24 months
    • Format: Online
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Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require a time of adjustment. Although you’ll typically learn the same material and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, going online will require greater independence and responsibility than going in person. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, for harnessing the online educational technology that you’ll need to use, and for completing the course requirements, such as listening to lectures, learning lessons, reading texts, and handing in assignments. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take the initiative in building relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

No. The only part of online education that’s easier than campus-based education is ease of access: all you need is a computer and an internet connection for online education. But even this seeming advantage of online education can be misleading: what’s easier, studying online with your computer and internet connection from your home where you need to cook, clean, pay rent, and maintain a job? Or studying on campus in a dorm where all your living needs are handled by the school, and college staff are there to help you every step of the way?

If you take the commute to campus out of the equation, campus-based education is easier. All the support structures available on campus for students, especially with real people to help you in person, are not there online. The demands on you as an online student will largely be the same as for your campus-based counterpart, but without the same helps.

In general, your online courses will present the same material and test you in the same way as traditional in-person courses. In many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning with remote educational technology for the first time, online college may be considerably more challenging than campus-based college. For a few insights on how to manage this new online experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable non-profit institutions on the one end and less-than-reputable for-profit institutions on the other end. Accreditation gives you the power to identify the more reputable actors in online education. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency indicating that a college or university is meeting standards of quality and credibility. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university that is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. For students seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that they opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree. For more on this important topic, check out our What is Accreditation and Why Does It Matter? College & University Accreditation Guide.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited (see the previous point), you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer of credits. In many cases, you will encounter some bureaucratic haggling in which some of your credits will be transferred and others may be refused. However, provided that you have attended an online school with recognized regional accreditation, you should be in good shape in transferring your credits earned online.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript, or resumé differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

Some employers may express the concern that because you did your degree online, you may need to transition from an online education experience to in-person workplace experience. But in an age of Covid, that concern seems much diminished. The fact is that much employment these days is remote. And collaboration increasingly happens online over Zoom. Many employers will therefore view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will be less than ideal for you (though depending on your circumstances, it may also be the only viable option).

While there is much in traditional campus-based education that can be substituted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing that can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual in-person classroom setting. As you transition to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face in getting the most out of your online classes is overcoming this difference between “real reality” and “virtual reality.” Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. Above all, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete at your own pace and on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

Resources for Online College-Bound Students

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

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