Best History Schools in California

California has 41 colleges offering History programs tracked by the College Scorecard, producing 1,866 recent graduates. Graduates earn $28,742 on average within two years, roughly in line with the national average of $30,243.

School choice matters significantly: University of Southern California graduates earn $38,289 while California State University-Dominguez Hills graduates earn $21,964 — a $16,325 gap. Research each program's curriculum, employer connections, and career services before deciding.

Schools in CA

$28,742

CA Avg. Earnings

$30,243

National Avg.

607

Schools Nationally

Public vs Private: History in California

Public Schools (30)

$27,586

avg. 2yr earnings

Private Schools (10)

$31,892

avg. 2yr earnings

Private schools produce $4,306 more in early earnings on average, but typically cost more. Compare net price to determine which offers better ROI.

History Schools in California, Ranked by Earnings

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA · Private

$38,289

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $29,963

Graduates: 34

Acceptance: 10.0%

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA · Public

$35,416

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $27,907

Graduates: 33

Acceptance: 29.8%

California State University-East Bay

Hayward, CA · Public

$20,140

2yr Earnings

Acceptance: 96.8%

University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA · Public

$32,711

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $31,678

Graduates: 104

Acceptance: 11.7%

University of California-San Diego

La Jolla, CA · Public

$30,047

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $26,976

Graduates: 54

Acceptance: 24.5%

University of California-Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, CA · Public

$25,452

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $24,560

Graduates: 100

Acceptance: 62.5%

National University

San Diego, CA · Private

N/A

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $44,540

Graduates: 20

Acceptance: N/A

University of California-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA · Public

$25,774

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $25,829

Graduates: 233

Acceptance: 8.7%

University of California-Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA · Public

$30,891

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $26,516

Graduates: 94

Acceptance: 27.8%

#10

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA · Public

$35,274

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $33,036

Graduates: 70

Acceptance: 96.2%

#11

San Diego State University

San Diego, CA · Public

$24,035

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $27,033

Graduates: 32

Acceptance: 34.4%

#12

University of California-Davis

Davis, CA · Public

$27,604

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $31,189

Graduates: 95

Acceptance: 41.6%

#13

Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park, CA · Public

$37,856

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $32,106

Graduates: 40

Acceptance: 94.7%

#14

California State University-Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA · Public

California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA · Public

$29,250

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $25,949

Graduates: 84

Acceptance: 93.6%

#16

California State University-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA · Public

$37,568

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $27,493

Graduates: 36

Acceptance: 91.9%

#17

California Baptist University

Riverside, CA · Private

University of California-Irvine

Irvine, CA · Public

$26,739

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $20,274

Graduates: 47

Acceptance: 25.6%

#19

California State University-San Marcos

San Marcos, CA · Public

$27,947

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $19,478

Graduates: 29

Acceptance: 95.7%

#20

California State University-Long Beach

Long Beach, CA · Public

$27,874

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $26,582

Graduates: 102

Acceptance: 47.1%

#21

University of California-Riverside

Riverside, CA · Public

$23,087

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $22,033

Graduates: 60

Acceptance: 63.3%

#22

California State University-Fresno

Fresno, CA · Public

$26,353

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $24,029

Graduates: 48

Acceptance: 96.4%

#23

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

Pomona, CA · Public

$30,119

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $25,363

Graduates: 66

Acceptance: 73.7%

#24

California State University-Stanislaus

Turlock, CA · Public

$21,964

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $26,581

Graduates: 31

Acceptance: 97.5%

#25

Ashford University

San Diego, CA ·

$35,060

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $38,970

Graduates: 77

Acceptance: N/A

#26

California State University-Chico

Chico, CA · Public

$27,947

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $16,767

Graduates: 24

Acceptance: 93.7%

#27

California State University-Fullerton

Fullerton, CA · Public

$29,956

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $25,066

Graduates: 97

Acceptance: 86.7%

#28

California State University-Northridge

Northridge, CA · Public

$24,730

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $27,865

Graduates: 73

Acceptance: 93.2%

#29

California State University-San Bernardino

San Bernardino, CA · Public

$16,940

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $20,628

Graduates: 61

Acceptance: 98.3%

#30

University of California-Merced

Merced, CA · Public

Santa Clara University

Santa Clara, CA · Private

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA · Public

California State University-Channel Islands

Camarillo, CA · Public

$24,035

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $20,770

Graduates: 37

Acceptance: 93.1%

#34

California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

Arcata, CA · Public

$25,967

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $20,882

Graduates: 34

Acceptance: 98.8%

#35

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, CA · Private

Azusa Pacific University

Azusa, CA · Private

$32,925

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $29,201

Graduates: 19

Acceptance: 79.5%

#37

Stanford University

Stanford, CA · Private

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, CA · Private

Chapman University

Orange, CA · Private

Concordia University-Irvine

Irvine, CA · Private

California State University-Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA · Public

$21,964

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $24,510

Graduates: 32

Acceptance: 91.3%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for History in California?

University of Southern California ranks #1 for History in California with median graduate earnings of $38,289 within two years of graduation. There are 41 schools offering History programs in the state.

How much do History graduates earn in California?

History graduates in California earn an average of $28,742 within two years of graduation. This is 5% below the national average of $30,243 for this major.

What is the hardest History school to get into in California?

Stanford University is the most selective History program in California with an acceptance rate of 3.9%. The average acceptance rate across History programs in the state is 63.9%.

Should I attend a public or private school for History in California?

In California, private History programs produce average earnings of $31,892 vs $27,586 at public schools. However, public schools typically cost less — consider net price relative to earnings when calculating ROI. There are 30 public and 10 private options in the state.

Other Popular Majors in California

Construction Management $81,700 Construction Engineering $81,610 Construction Engineering Technologies $76,343 Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions $75,984 Computer Science $72,889 Computer Engineering $72,447 Dental Support Services and Allied Professions $71,074 Computer and Information Sciences, General $68,388

All colleges in California →

History in Other States

New York Pennsylvania Texas Ohio Massachusetts Virginia Illinois New Jersey Wisconsin North Carolina Georgia Indiana View All →

Get History Career Insights

We're building major-specific salary reports with ROI analysis by school. Be the first to get yours.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study file last updated June 2026. Institution-level figures elsewhere on the site come from the June 2026 release.