Historians
Research, analyze, record, and interpret the past as recorded in sources, such as government and institutional records, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs, interviews, films, electronic media, and unpublished manuscripts, such as personal diaries and letters.
- Median pay
- $76,750
- Doing it now
- 3,800
- By 2035
- Up 3%
- Usually needs
- Master's degree
a year
across the country
300 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- Organize data, and analyze and interpret its authenticity and relative significance.
- Gather historical data from sources such as archives, court records, diaries, news files, and photographs, as well as from books, pamphlets, and periodicals.
- Trace historical development in a particular field, such as social, cultural, political, or diplomatic history.
- Conduct historical research as a basis for the identification, conservation, and reconstruction of historic places and materials.
- Conduct historical research, and publish or present findings and theories.
- Speak to various groups, organizations, and clubs to promote the aims and activities of historical societies.
- Prepare publications and exhibits, or review those prepared by others, to ensure their historical accuracy.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- HistorySee 1,267 colleges that teach it
- Classical and Ancient StudiesSee 70 colleges that teach it
- Medieval and Renaissance StudiesSee 42 colleges that teach it
- Health Professions Education, Ethics, and HumanitiesSee 36 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Analytical and curious
Organised and precise
Creative and expressive
Careers like this one
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $76,750 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.