Best Online Bachelor’s of History Degree Programs Ranked for 2025

Badge for BEST ONLINE BACHELOR'S IN HISTORY

Find top-ranked online bachelor’s in history degree programs for students wanting to work for historical societies, schools, government agencies, libraries, and nonprofit organizations in the US.

Key Takeaways

  • Students at one of the best online bachelor’s of history degree programs can explore various historical periods and regions, tailoring their studies to specific interests such as American, European, or Asian history.
  • Many of the best online history programs offer competitive tuition rates and financial aid options, making higher education more accessible to a broader range of students.
  • The best online bachelor’s of history provide asynchronous coursework, allowing students to study at their own pace and balance their education with personal and professional commitments.

2025 Ranking Update

Our Influence Ranking Engine™ leverages machine learning to track the real-world influence of colleges and universities over time. Below you’ll see which schools gained or lost ground for the 2025 school year.

In 2025, the top ten schools in our ranking of the best online bachelor’s in history degree programs saw a substantial amount of movement. Southeast Missouri State University has recently enhanced its online bachelor’s programs, including the Bachelor of Arts in History, to better serve students. The university now offers more than 50 fully online programs, providing greater flexibility for students to pursue their degrees remotely.

Additionally, SEMO has implemented a uniform tuition rate for online students, eliminating the distinction between in-state and out-of-state tuition fees, which makes the program more affordable regardless of a student’s location. These improvements underscore SEMO’s commitment to accessible and flexible education for online learners.

Featured Programs

25 Best Online Bachelor’s in History Degree Programs

  1. Tuition + fees

    $13K

    Acceptance

    87%

    Graduation

    68%

    Student body

    54K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1255/25

    Career Outlook for History degree at University of Arizona

    Cost of Degree: $13,277
    Expenses: $19,500
    Starting Salary: $36,088
    Salary after 4 years: $49,424
    Cost Recoup Time: 12 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BA in History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  2. Tuition + fees

    $10K

    Acceptance

    79%

    Graduation

    65%

    Student body

    27K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1225/25

    Career Outlook for History degree at University of Nebraska–Lincoln

    Cost of Degree: $10,108
    Expenses: $18,548
    Starting Salary: $33,962
    Salary after 4 years: $46,511
    Cost Recoup Time: 12 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BA or BS in History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  3. Tuition + fees

    $7K

    Acceptance

    64%

    Graduation

    69%

    Student body

    72K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1155/23

    Career Outlook for History degree at Florida International University

    Cost of Degree: $6,565
    Expenses: $19,406
    Starting Salary: $33,511
    Salary after 4 years: $45,893
    Cost Recoup Time: 11 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BA in History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  4. Tuition + fees

    $6K

    Acceptance

    41%

    Graduation

    76%

    Student body

    82K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1280/27

    Career Outlook for History degree at University of Central Florida

    Cost of Degree: $6,368
    Expenses: $18,300
    Starting Salary: $32,995
    Salary after 4 years: $45,187
    Cost Recoup Time: 11 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BA in History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  5. #5

    University of Memphis

    Memphis , TN

    Tuition + fees

    $10K

    Acceptance

    95%

    Graduation

    48%

    Student body

    25K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1080/20

    Career Outlook for History degree at University of Memphis

    Cost of Degree: $10,344
    Expenses: $17,726
    Starting Salary: $27,840
    Salary after 4 years: $38,127
    Cost Recoup Time: 13 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BA in History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  6. #6

    University of Idaho

    Moscow , ID

    Tuition + fees

    $8K

    Acceptance

    74%

    Graduation

    61%

    Student body

    13K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1120/23

    Career Outlook for History degree at University of Idaho

    Cost of Degree: $8,816
    Expenses: $15,164
    Starting Salary: $30,288
    Salary after 4 years: $41,481
    Cost Recoup Time: 11 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BA or BS in History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: 4 years
    • Format: Online
  7. Tuition + fees

    $10K

    Graduation

    39%

    Student body

    11K

    Career Outlook for History degree at University of Alaska Fairbanks

    Cost of Degree: $10,016
    Expenses: $16,700
    Starting Salary: $29,064
    Salary after 4 years: $39,804
    Cost Recoup Time: 13 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BA in History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  8. #8

    Liberty University

    Lynchburg , VA

    Tuition + fees

    $23K

    Acceptance

    99%

    Graduation

    66%

    Student body

    131K

    Career Outlook for History degree at Liberty University

    Cost of Degree: $15,822
    Expenses: $21,458
    Starting Salary: $28,009
    Salary after 4 years: $39,114
    Cost Recoup Time: 16 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BS in History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: 3.5 years
    • Format: Online
    BS in Military Studies

    Concentrations

    • History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: 3.5 years
    • Format: Online
  9. Tuition + fees

    $9K

    Acceptance

    86%

    Graduation

    56%

    Student body

    11K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1075/20

    Career Outlook for History degree at Southeast Missouri State University

    Cost of Degree: $9,495
    Expenses: $17,786
    Starting Salary: $26,680
    Salary after 4 years: $36,538
    Cost Recoup Time: 13 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BA in Social Science

    Concentrations

    • Anthropology
    • Criminal Justice
    • Economics
    • History (any prefix)
    • Political Science
    • Psychology
    • or Sociology
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  10. #10

    Providence College

    Providence , RI

    Tuition + fees

    $58K

    Acceptance

    53%

    Graduation

    86%

    Student body

    5K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1340/30

    Career Outlook for History degree at Providence College

    Cost of Degree: $60,848
    Expenses: $19,792
    Starting Salary: $49,659
    Salary after 4 years: $69,347
    Cost Recoup Time: 18 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BA in History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: 4 years
    • Format: Online
  11. Tuition + fees

    $9K

    Acceptance

    85%

    Graduation

    56%

    Student body

    24K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1050/21

    Career Outlook for History degree at Sam Houston State University

    Cost of Degree: $9,228
    Expenses: $16,966
    Starting Salary: $32,028
    Salary after 4 years: $43,864
    Cost Recoup Time: 12 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BA in History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: 4-5 years
    • Format: Online
  12. Tuition + fees

    $15K

    Acceptance

    96%

    Graduation

    55%

    Student body

    9K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1140/26

    Career Outlook for History degree at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

    Cost of Degree: $15,208
    Expenses: $21,112
    Starting Salary: $33,188
    Salary after 4 years: $45,452
    Cost Recoup Time: 14 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BA in History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: 4 years
    • Format: Online
  13. #13

    Regent University

    Virginia Beach , VA

    Tuition + fees

    $20K

    Acceptance

    32%

    Graduation

    55%

    Student body

    14K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1140/22

    Career Outlook for History degree at Regent University

    Cost of Degree: $20,686
    Expenses: $12,146
    Starting Salary: $30,851
    Salary after 4 years: $43,082
    Cost Recoup Time: 14 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BA in History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: 4 years
    • Format: Online
    BA in English-History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: 4 years
    • Format: Online
    BS in Professional Studies-History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: 4 years
    • Format: Online
  14. #14

    Northern Kentucky University

    Highland Heights , KY

    Tuition + fees

    $11K

    Acceptance

    86%

    Graduation

    50%

    Student body

    19K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1160/22

    Career Outlook for History degree at Northern Kentucky University

    Cost of Degree: $10,896
    Expenses: $14,960
    Starting Salary: $26,937
    Salary after 4 years: $36,891
    Cost Recoup Time: 13 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BA in History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: 4 years
    • Format: Online
  15. #15

    Troy University

    Troy , AL

    Tuition + fees

    $9K

    Acceptance

    95%

    Graduation

    46%

    Student body

    19K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1050/20

    Career Outlook for History degree at Troy University

    Cost of Degree: $9,792
    Expenses: $14,366
    Starting Salary: $26,486
    Salary after 4 years: $36,274
    Cost Recoup Time: 12 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BS in History

    Concentrations

    • American and Latin American History
    • European/Asian/African History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  16. Tuition + fees

    $15K

    Acceptance

    96%

    Graduation

    41%

    Student body

    224K

    Career Outlook for History degree at Southern New Hampshire University

    Cost of Degree: $16,450
    Expenses: $24,000
    Starting Salary: $33,963
    Salary after 4 years: $47,428
    Cost Recoup Time: 15 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BA in History

    Concentrations

    • American History
    • European History
    • Middle Eastern Studies
    • Military History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: 4 years
    • Format: Online
  17. #17

    Idaho State University

    Pocatello , ID

    Tuition + fees

    $8K

    Graduation

    37%

    Student body

    15K

    Career Outlook for History degree at Idaho State University

    Cost of Degree: $8,356
    Expenses: $14,854
    Starting Salary: $28,291
    Salary after 4 years: $38,745
    Cost Recoup Time: 12 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BA in History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: 4 years
    • Format: Online
  18. Tuition + fees

    $10K

    Acceptance

    89%

    Graduation

    40%

    Student body

    6K

    Median SAT/ACT

    940/17

    Career Outlook for History degree at Norfolk State University

    Cost of Degree: $9,910
    Expenses: $17,592
    Starting Salary: $25,004
    Salary after 4 years: $34,244
    Cost Recoup Time: 14 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BA in History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  19. Tuition + fees

    $10K

    Acceptance

    88%

    Graduation

    53%

    Student body

    8K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1130/22

    Career Outlook for History degree at University of Tennessee at Martin

    Cost of Degree: $10,194
    Expenses: $13,380
    Starting Salary: $25,842
    Salary after 4 years: $35,391
    Cost Recoup Time: 12 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BS/BA in History and Philosophy
    • Required Credits: None Reported
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  20. Tuition + fees

    $13K

    Acceptance

    51%

    Graduation

    52%

    Student body

    19K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1125/23

    Career Outlook for History degree at University of Missouri–St. Louis

    Cost of Degree: $14,400
    Expenses: $20,666
    Starting Salary: $31,706
    Salary after 4 years: $43,422
    Cost Recoup Time: 14 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BA in History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: 4 years
    • Format: Online
    BLS in Liberal Studies

    Concentrations

    • Communication
    • Gender Studies
    • History
    • Philosophy
    • Political Science
    • Social Work
    • Sociology
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: 4 years
    • Format: Online
  21. Tuition + fees

    $8K

    Acceptance

    86%

    Graduation

    54%

    Student body

    8K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1100/22

    Career Outlook for History degree at University of Nebraska at Kearney

    Cost of Degree: $8,270
    Expenses: $17,784
    Starting Salary: $29,515
    Salary after 4 years: $40,422
    Cost Recoup Time: 12 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BS in History

    Concentrations

    • Social Science Comprehensive
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  22. Tuition + fees

    $11K

    Acceptance

    96%

    Graduation

    52%

    Student body

    11K

    Career Outlook for History degree at University of North Alabama

    Cost of Degree: $11,990
    Expenses: $12,800
    Starting Salary: $27,582
    Salary after 4 years: $37,774
    Cost Recoup Time: 12 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BA/BS in History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  23. Tuition + fees

    $12K

    Acceptance

    82%

    Graduation

    60%

    Student body

    5K

    Career Outlook for History degree at Westfield State University

    Cost of Degree: $11,882
    Expenses: $17,814
    Starting Salary: $31,513
    Salary after 4 years: $43,158
    Cost Recoup Time: 13 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BA in History
    • Required Credits: 60
    • Completion time: 2 years
    • Format: Online
  24. Tuition + fees

    $9K

    Acceptance

    92%

    Graduation

    45%

    Student body

    11K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1050/20

    Career Outlook for History degree at West Texas A&M University

    Cost of Degree: $9,101
    Expenses: $15,503
    Starting Salary: $30,095
    Salary after 4 years: $41,216
    Cost Recoup Time: 12 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BAAS in Applied Arts and Sciences

    Concentrations

    • History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: 4-5 years
    • Format: Online
  25. #25

    Arkansas Tech University

    Russellville , AR

    Tuition + fees

    $8K

    Acceptance

    94%

    Graduation

    49%

    Student body

    11K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1085/20

    Career Outlook for History degree at Arkansas Tech University

    Cost of Degree: $8,508
    Expenses: $15,186
    Starting Salary: $24,875
    Salary after 4 years: $34,067
    Cost Recoup Time: 13 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Online Degrees

    BA in History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion time: 4 years
    • Format: Online

Career Outlook for Students with History Degree

Go to Degree Finder tool

History

Degree Level: Bachelor's

  • Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)
  • Avg. Cost of Degree*: $11,062
  • Avg. Expenses*: $17,511
  • Avg. Starting Salary*: $31,187
  • Avg. Salary after 4 Years*: $42,711
  • Avg. Cost Recoup Time**: 12 years
  • Job Growth: 2.82%
  • Number of Jobs: 2,383,100
  • * denotes ‘annually’
  • ** denotes ‘at 15% of annual salary’

Career Salaries

CareerJob GrowthAvg. Salary
Natural Sciences Managers7.49%$157,740
Managers, All Other5.75%$133,560
History Teachers, Postsecondary0.78%$82,140
Historians5.88%$72,890
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education-0.64%$65,220

Top Industries

IndustryAvg. Salary
Natural Sciences Managers$157,740
Managers, All Other$133,560
History Teachers, Postsecondary$82,140

Frequently Asked Questions About History Degrees

A bachelor’s degree in history gives students a comprehensive education of the past and a contextual understanding of the present.

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Students can study either online or on campus and can choose from various concentrations, such as African history, Asian history, Eastern European history, European history, Latin American history, and United States history.

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On average, an undergraduate degree in history requires 120 credits, which typically takes about four to five years to complete.

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While some students use their degree to apply for law school or to pursue a master’s degree, many history graduates go on to work for historical societies, schools, government agencies, libraries, and nonprofit organizations.

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Learn more about how to major in history.

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Online History Programs Looking for You

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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.

Do you have a question about this topic? Ask it here