History associate degrees are a stepping stone for anyone who loves the field of history and wants to make a professional career out of it. An associate program in history broadens your knowledge of historical periods and equips you with critical thinking skills. These help you to get an advanced degree or join the workforce sooner than later.
This article guides you on the best colleges for history associate degrees. We also give you a rough idea of history associate degree requirements, costs, financing options, and the salaries a degree in history can provide.
What Is History?
History is the study of past events or historical periods and the historical context by which they occurred. As a subject of study, history uses an analytical, comprehensive, and holistic lens in learning about events, people, and places of the past. It specifically involves a historical study of art forms, human history, and public history.
What Is a History Associate Degree?
A history associate degree is awarded to a student after dedicating two to three years of learning history. It’s shorter than a four-year degree or a bachelor’s program. To complete this degree program in history, you need to fulfill the credits of coursework, including elective credits, that your chosen college requires.
History Associate Degree Requirements
To acquire a history associate degree, the minimum education requirements are a high school diploma or equivalent like a General Educational Development (GED) diploma. You must also meet the GPA requirements of the desired college. In terms of age requirement, you must be 18 years old and above from the start of classes.
How Much Does a History Associate Degree Cost?
A two-year college-level associate degree has an average tuition fee of $3,621. The cost of associate degrees may vary depending on the type of institutions in which you enroll. For public institutions, a two-year program’s tuition fee is $3,377, while a private institution costs $15,828.
History Associate Degree Financing Options: How to Pay for Your History Degree
If you worry about how to pay for your history degree, financing options are also available. As a history student, you might be eligible for federal financial aid if the institution is accredited or included in The Department of Education’s database of schools. To receive federal aid or student loans, you can submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application.
Best History Associate Degree Programs and Schools: Overview
| School | Program | Accreditation |
|---|---|---|
| Bergen Community College | Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts – History Option | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
| Blinn College | Associate Degree in History | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| College of the Desert | Associate in Arts in History for Transfer | Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges |
| College of the Siskiyous | Associate of Arts in History | Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges |
| Georgia Military College | Associate Degree in History | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Hesston College | Associate Degree in History | The Higher Learning Commission |
| Liberty University | Associate of Arts in History | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Regent University | Associate of Arts in History | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Tyler Junior College | Associate of Arts in History | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Walters State Community College | Associate of Science in History | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
Best Colleges for History: Top History Associate Degree Programs
In this section, we give you more detailed information on the best schools for history associate degrees. You’ll also get an overview of the education coursework and classes they offer.
Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts – History Option | Bergen Community College
This college offers an associate program in liberal arts and sciences with an option to specialize in history. This degree’s class coverage includes history, humanities, social science, and mathematics. The program also aims to prepare students to transfer to bachelor’s degree programs.
Associate Degree in History | Blinn College
This college offers an Associate Degree in History program to students who will wish to transfer to a four-year degree program. Students earning this associate degree will study history through courses on American history, western civilization, the federal government, and world civilizations.
Associate in Arts in History for Transfer | College of the Desert
This college offers a history associate degree to students who want to study the sociopolitical effects of past events. More than facts, history students learn how to analyze, debate, and give their stance on historical events. It prepares students to transfer to California State University campuses with bachelor’s degrees in history.
Associate of Arts in History | College of the Siskiyous
Founded in 1957, College of the Siskiyous is one of 116 publicly funded California community colleges located in Weed, California. Its Associate Degree in History program is for students interested in studying human experience throughout the US, western, and world civilizations. After finishing its core history courses and electives, you can transfer to a baccalaureate degree.
Associate Degree in History | Georgia Military College
The history associate degree of Georgia Military College is for students who want to work as paralegals and legal assistants or in the relevant field of security and criminal justice. History students taking up this program must have analytical skills on how historical events or themes occur. They’ll also need research skills, so they can move to an advanced degree.
Associate Degree in History | Hesston University
This school’s associate program requires 60 credit hours from students to complete their history degree. Its history classes are categorized into skill courses, knowledge courses, responsibility, faith, and integration courses.
Associate of Arts in History | Liberty University
Liberty University’s associate of arts in history prepares students for a future in history-related jobs like historian, archivist, and teaching asisstant. During this course, you will learn about American and world history, global engagements, and will be exposed to historical documents for review.
Associate of Arts in History | Regent University
Regent University’s associate in history program has 64 credit hours, including core courses on United States history and Western civilization. Here, you’ll learn about cultures and economies from a Christian and biblical worldview.
Associate Degree in History | Tyler Junior College
The history associate degree at Tyler Junior College is a two-year degree program that prepares students for history-related fields including United States history and western civilization coursework.
Associate of Science in History | Walters State Community College
Walters State is a public college located in Morristown, Tennessee. In its history associate degree program, learners take world history and cultural geography as core courses and social studies as one of the electives. Students can then transfer their credits to a baccalaureate degree after this associate program completion.
Best Online History Associate Degree Programs and Schools: Overview
| School | Program | Accreditation |
|---|---|---|
| Allen Community College | Associate in Arts in History | The Higher Learning Commission |
| American Public University | Associate in Arts in History | The Higher Learning Commission |
| Blinn College | Associate of Arts in History | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Bucks County Community College | Associate of Arts in History | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
| College of Southern Nevada | Associate of Arts in History | Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities |
| Community College of Aurora | Associate of Arts History Transfer Major | The Higher Learning Commission |
| Cowley County Community College | Associate of Arts in History | The Higher Learning Commission |
| East Mississippi Community College | Associate of Arts in History | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Front Range Community College | Associate of Arts in History | The Higher Learning Commission |
| Liberty University | Associate of Arts in History | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Montgomery County Community College | History Associate of Arts | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
Best Colleges for History: Top Online History Associate Degree Programs
If taking classes in college campus isn’t feasible, you still have an option to take an online history degree. Listed below are the top colleges where you can earn your history associate degree program online.
Associate in Arts in History | Allen County Community College
Allen County’s associate program in history offers 65 credit hours with a mix of core American history and electives in social sciences, political science, or humanities. It gives a solid understanding of history to equip students for transferring to a university study.
Associate in Arts in History | American Public University
This university’s online associate in history has 60 credit hours, 45 of which can be transferable to an advanced degree. In this program, students learn not only about US history but also African-American history and western and modern civilization. It also has a class about women’s history in the US.
Associate of Arts in History | Blinn College
Blinn College has several methods of instruction for its associate degree in history, including traditional, flex, and online. While students learn generally about United States history and western civilization, it also has courses specific to the federal government and Texas history. After completing 30 credit hours, students can consider the available transfer options.
Associate of Arts in History | Bucks County Community College
Bucks County Community College offers 61-63 credit hours for its history associate degree program, with some transferable courses. This program teaches students to use their critical and analytical minds to study historical events. Apart from history, they also learn more about geography, humanities, and social sciences.
Associate of Arts History Transfer Major | Community College of Aurora
The Associate of Arts History Transfer Major at Community College of Aurora near Denver is an online program that teaches students to review history from a political and economic standpoint. Learners must possess strong communication and writing skills to articulate their thoughts about historical topics. This two-year program can be transferred to a bachelor’s degree.
Associate of Arts in History | Cowley County Community College
With this college’s online history associate degree, students learn about US history, world history, psychology, sociology, and other related fields of study. The school has career services for students who want to transfer to a four-year institution or explore professional careers after program completion.
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Associate of Arts in History | East Mississippi Community College
East Mississippi Community College is a public institution in Scooba, Mississippi. Students who enroll in its online history associate degree learn about US history, literature, American national government, and macroeconomics. The associate program is 100% online and has a transfer option to a bachelor’s degree level program.
Associate of Arts in History | Front Range Community College
Front Range Community College offers its history associate degree on college campuses and online as well. The program covers a range of topics on history, combined with arts and humanities, social science, and other elective courses. This two-year degree in history can be transferred to any public four-year university or transfer institution.
Associate of Arts in History | Liberty University
Liberty University is known for being a Christian liberal arts institution. Its associate degree in history comprises the study of American and world history. It also taps into the subjects of civic and global engagements. Since this online program involves analyzing historical documents, you will hone your research, interpretation, and writing skills.
History Associate of Arts | Mohave Community College
Mohave Community College offers an affordable online associate degree program with a transfer option to a four-year program. Its history major classes cover US history, political science and national government, and western civilization. Its electives include anthropology, psychology, and English classes.
What’s the Average History Associate Degree Salary?
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Alt-Text: A library assistant helps two students with their research at a library workspace
Caption: History associate degrees allow you to find work as a library assistant, teacher, or social science research assistant.
Once you have completed either an on-campus or online associate degree, you can start thinking about the professional career paths available to you. In this section, we detail the jobs you can get with history associate degrees and the average salary you could earn.
Top History Associate Degree Jobs and Salaries: Overview
| History Associate Degree Jobs | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| History Teacher | $85,630 |
| Social Science Research Assistant | $81,280 |
| Museum Worker | $45,710 |
| Library Assistant | $31,840 |
| Teacher Assistant | $28,900 |
Best History Associate Degree Jobs Explained
History Teacher
- Average Salary: $85,630
- Job Outlook: 8%
- Number of Jobs: 20,450
- Highest-Paying States: California, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, District of Columbia, New York
History teachers facilitate the learning of students about history. They challenge their history students to be critical about analyzing history and in thinking about how past events affect the present. A degree in history also prepares you to work as a social studies teacher.
Social Science Research Assistant
- Average Salary: $81,280
- Job Outlook: 8%
- Number of Jobs: 35,330
- Highest-Paying States: District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut
Social science research assistants primarily to support lead researchers. They conduct literature searches, carry out experiments, and perform other research-related duties.
Museum Worker
- Average Salary: $45,710
- Job Outlook: 19%
- Number of Jobs: 11,930
- Highest-Paying States: District of Columbia, Maryland, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts
Museum workers include document conservators, museum educators, and curatorial assistants who are in charge of taking care of historical objects and collections. They also prepare these artifacts for museum display and exhibits.
Library Assistant
- Average Salary: $31,840
- Job Outlook: 0%
- Number of Jobs: 84,560
- Highest-Paying States: District of Columbia, Nevada, California, Massachusetts, Oregon
Library assistants help the main librarian in the administration and organization of library space. They take care of books and other library materials, such as microfilms and electronic media.
Teaching Assistant
- Average Salary: $28,900
- Job Outlook: 9%
- Number of Jobs: 1,272,840
- Highest-Paying States: Alaska, Washington, Massachusetts, Maryland, California
Teaching assistants provide support to the teacher of a class. Their other duties may include creating lesson materials and supervising students.
Should You Get an Associate Degree in History?
Yes, you should get an associate degree in history. It’s more affordable and saves you more time than enrolling straight to an undergraduate degree. If you have less time or money available but you love learning history, have a strong work ethic, and your career goals are to work in the field, getting a history associate degree is your best option.
History Associate Degree FAQ
An associate degree in history can open careers in education for you. In the legal field, you can also get a job as a paralegal or legal assistant. In the art world, you can be a curatorial assistant, museum curator, or museum educator if you have a history associate degree.
There are four types of associate degrees and they are AA or Associate of Arts, AS or Associate of Science, AAA or Associate of Applied Arts, and AAS or Associate of Applied Science. Usually, a history associate degree relates to the Associate of Arts. Admission requirements for these programs may vary.
A major is the main subject you’re studying in a degree program. Typically, it’s where you’d want to specialize once you join the workforce. One example of a history major is art history where you primarily learn to be an expert in the historical context of different art forms.
No, an associate program isn’t useless. It’s an intermediary between a high school diploma and a bachelor’s degree. With an associate degree, you can choose to transfer to four-year degree options. You can also apply for jobs that accept associate degrees as a minimum education requirement.
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