What Can You Do With a Bachelors in History
Careers for History Majors
Set up to beginning your journeying?
History majors explore topics like art, architecture, and politics throughout the past. Earning a history degree qualifies graduates for career opportunities at museums, schools, and libraries.
Read on to acquire nigh degree options, possible career paths, and professional resources related to the field of history.
Why Pursue a Career in History?
History careers span several disciplines, including the arts, business, and regime. Graduates can pursue a job that aligns with their goals and interests. History majors typically pursue a specific subject area to focus their studies and develop a strong understanding of their subject expanse.
Historians explore and translate past events and eras. Successful professionals in this field typically possess strong analytical, research, writing, and foreign language skills.
History Career Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), historians earn a mean annual wage of $68,690. The highest-paying areas of employment include the federal executive branch; architecture and engineering; and direction, scientific, and technical consulting services. Other top industries include research, evolution, and postsecondary education.
Many careers in this field require a primary's caste, and employment tends to be competitive. The BLS projects that historian jobs will grow by iii% between 2022 and 2029. Pursuing a history career may be rewarding, just you must commit a lot of time and energy to earning a degree.
A worker's salary potential depends on variables like their education, location, and feel level. The tabular array beneath provides average annual salaries for a few mutual history careers based on a professional'southward experience.
| Job Title | Early Career (1-four Years) | Midcareer (five-9 Years) | Experienced (10-19 Years) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Museum Curator | $33,680 | $37,900 | $38,920 |
| Curator | $43,090 | $50,660 | $57,540 |
| Archivist | $46,520 | $53,850 | $58,180 |
Source: PayScale
Skills Gained With a History Caste
During a history program, students consummate coursework focused on a variety of fourth dimension periods, regions, and thematic areas. Studying history helps students develop critical thinking, analytical, and writing skills, which are important qualities for the profession.
Regardless of whether graduates take history-related jobs or work in different fields, these skills can help history majors succeed in many industries.
History students examine primary sources, secondary sources, and other documents to place relevant information and build arguments based on their analysis. They oft use analytical skills when writing research papers, integrating their conclusions into an argument supported by evidence.
History classes require verbal and written communication skills, every bit students fence in class and write persuasive essays and papers to support their positions. History also trains students to sympathise a document's audience, purpose, and goals — a valuable skill that can translate into strong communication abilities.
As a liberal arts major, history students ofttimes build strong strange language skills as role of their programs. Curricula include a foreign linguistic communication requirement, and most graduate programs expect reading proficiency in a foreign language. These skills tin can pb to history jobs in government, such as working for the U.South. Department of Land.
History students use inquiry and analysis skills to respond questions most the past. They act equally investigators, studying the past for clues to amend empathise history and link past events to the present. A history degree builds strong trouble-solving skills, which tin do good graduates pursuing many different jobs.
During a history program, students ofttimes bear original enquiry. They learn how to identify relevant and reputable sources, detect the nigh relevant documents, and respond questions based on their analysis. At the graduate level, history students conduct extensive research that culminates in a thesis or doctoral dissertation.
History Career Paths
Pursuing a history degree develops strong research and writing skills, which may prove useful in many career paths. Some programs offer specializations that allow you to align your caste more closely with your goals. Possible career paths for a history major tin can be establish in the areas of constabulary, journalism, government, education, and concern.
Law may be the correct fit if y'all have a passion for helping people and seeking justice. A groundwork in the history of constitutional law or government could assist you define precedent and empathize how laws evolve over time.
Journalism offers several specializations, including business, fine art, politics, and news. A background in history gives yous perspectives on a multifariousness of topics, which tin help you depict comparisons to current trends and problems. A history degree also develops the research and writing skills y'all need to effectively write for journals, newspapers, magazines, and blogs.
Government careers span a multifariousness of disciplines, including project management, civil engineering, archiving, social work, and administration. The curriculum of a history degree prepares you to succeed in government jobs by developing an extensive understanding of how governments evolve over time.
Educational activity careers include opportunities to piece of work with a variety of age groups. Education professionals often teach a unmarried subject, like American history, art, architecture, economics, or social history. History teachers commonly teach secondary and postsecondary students.
This field includes career opportunities as museum curators, archivists, librarians, and historians. These roles typically crave meaning content knowledge and strong enquiry, communication, strange language, and writing skills.
Pursuing a career in business concern equally a history major may not seem like an obvious pick, only a history caste develops the skills you lot need to clarify market trends and aid organizations create strategic concern plans. Common positions include consultants, economists, and market analysts.
How to Outset Your Career in History
History majors can pursue a variety of career paths after edifice their research, writing, and analytical skills. Jobs you tin can get with a history degree include positions in schools, museums, archives, and libraries.
Many history majors continue to work as social studies teachers at the center school or loftier school level, using their knowledge of history to teach young learners. At the highest level, historians with a doctorate can become university professors.
Associate Degree in History
In an acquaintance program, history students gain analytical and writing skills by conducting independent research and presenting their findings in papers. An associate degree prepares graduates for jobs as administrative assistants or didactics assistants who provide back up services for business or education professionals.
After earning an acquaintance degree in history, graduates can also transfer into a bachelor's program to earn a four-year degree. Prospective history students looking for a more flexible option might be interested in earning an online associate degree in art history.
What Can You Do With an Associate in History?
Authoritative assistants work as support staff in an office surround. They enter data, keep records, and conduct correspondence. Administrative assistants must possess strong writing and organizational skills. Some positions may as well crave direct contact with customers.
Salary: $39,850
Pedagogy assistants assistance teachers work with students of all ages. They may perform administrative tasks, provide teaching support, and piece of work with students who have special needs. Some public school positions may require a license.
Bacon: $27,920
Tour guides escort visitors at a tourist allure or historically important site. They educate visitors about the location, answering questions and providing boosted resources. History students often possess strong public speaking skills, research ability, and historical noesis, which assistance them succeed as bout guides.
Salary: $27,600
Source: BLS
Bachelor'due south Degree in History
Students earning a available'southward caste in history complete full general education requirements and upper-level major courses. Many programs let students specialize in an surface area of history, such as modern U.S. or medieval Europe history.
History majors gain valuable research, writing, and assay skills, which can pb to careers in didactics, public history, and preservation. The tiptop online history programs prepare graduates for a multifariousness of careers, including roles in fields exterior of history. Students tin can as well consider enrolling in an online art history programme.
What Tin can You Practise With a Bachelor'south in History?
Museum educators provide educational support at museums by teaching visitors about the collections. They create learning strategies, requite lectures, and create activities designed for visitors. Museum educators may also teach classes or oversee museum volunteers.
Salary: $35,820
Sometimes called museum registrars or collections specialists, these workers are responsible for ensuring the condom of the many pieces within a museum's collections. These professionals may interact with the public by giving talks and answering questions.
Bacon: $44,430
Source: BLS and Payscale
Main's Degree in History
By earning a principal's degree, graduates tin expand their history career options. Many jobs that directly draw on the skills of a historian, such as adjunct instructor or museum curator, crave a graduate degree.
During a master'due south program, students complete avant-garde coursework, build their analytical and writing skills, and write a primary's thesis demonstrating their historical knowledge. Some specialties, such as public history, oft include an internship in a museum, library, or annal.
Prospective principal's students tin can learn more well-nigh the top online master'southward in history programs or consider an online master's in art history.
What Tin You Exercise With a Master'south in History?
Historians study the past, research and interpret sources, and clarify prove to accomplish conclusions. Historians draw on the analytical, research, and writing skills gained during a graduate program in history. They may work in academic positions, for museums, or for libraries and archives.
Salary: $63,680
Curators help museums office by determining which content to display in exhibits and what the museum should acquire. They also design exhibitions, create support documents and data, and oversee museum operations.
Salary: $54,570
Archivists organize and preserve documents, books, manuscripts, and other items of historical significance. They piece of work for libraries, athenaeum, regime agencies, and private organizations. Condign an archivist may require additional education or an archiving certification.
Salary: $53,950
Source: BLS
Doctoral Degree in History
Graduate students who earn a doctoral degree in history typically pursue careers in academia. A doctoral program includes coursework in a specialized field, comprehensive examinations, and a dissertation.
About doctoral programs in history take at least v years to complete. Afterwards graduation, historians can employ for teaching positions at colleges and universities. Professors contribute to their field through scholarship and teaching, and tenured professors can go on to serve as department chairs, deans, and provosts.
Graduates can too pursue nonacademic careers in a public history, museum, or government setting.
What Can You lot Practice With a Doctorate in History?
College and academy professors teach undergraduate and graduate courses in their field. In history, nearly professors teach 2-iv classes each term. They also appoint in community services and assist mentor students. About professor positions crave a doctorate.
Salary: $75,170
Department chairs are professors who take on additional administrative responsibilities in exchange for a college salary and fewer pedagogy obligations. Department chairs must concur tenure, and they must continue their research while serving the department. They play a role in hiring and promotion decisions, lead department meetings, and correspond the department at meetings with the dean.
Salary: $85,250
Provosts are academic administrators at the highest levels of a college or university. Their office includes managing the establishment's educational programs, advocating for pupil affairs, and allocating funds to departments within the institution. Historians with a doctorate tin motility into administration after working as a professor.
Bacon: $149,020
Sources: BLS and PayScale
How to Accelerate Your Career in History
Pursuing additional education through volunteer work or certification programs can help yous to specialize in a specific historical area, which may qualify yous for career advancement opportunities and increase your earning potential. Additionally, some careers may crave a specific license or advanced degree for entry or advocacy.
The following sections explore continuing education options in history. Before investing in further education, research your target career to decide whether an advanced certificate or caste is necessary to accomplish your professional goals.
Certifications and/or Licensure
Depending on their office, some history professionals may need to earn a license. For example, teaching careers in public schools require a state-issued teaching license. Other fields may not require a license, but earning a certificate can demonstrate to potential employers you lot take advanced preparation, skills, and knowledge.
Relevant professional person certifications include the certified interpretive guide credential, offered by the National Association for Estimation, and the certified genealogist credential, awarded by the Board for Certification of Genealogists. Make certain that the credentials you pursue align with your career goals.
Continuing Didactics
You lot can authorize for entry-level positions in history with an undergraduate degree, simply yous typically need to earn a master'south to advance into upper-level positions. However, even if yous practise not want to pursue an advanced degree, there are still ways to hone your skills and continue your education.
For example, Coursera offers access to dozens of free history courses from top colleges and universities. You can as well pursue history fellowships, which are funded opportunities to pursue inquiry or residencies in your field.
History careers tend to be competitive, so adding credentials to your repertoire may provide a competitive edge.
Next Steps
It is important to go along your knowledge, skills, and agreement of current history tools precipitous. The list below describes a few ways to advance your career in history.
- Professional Organizations
Membership benefits from joining a professional organization ofttimes include access to manufacture publications, online learning opportunities, conferences, blogs, and discounts. - Networking
Networking allows you to collaborate and find new opportunities. Professional organizations, museums, and libraries offering networking events for history professionals. - Online Courses
Taking online history courses allows you to advance your knowledge and pursue areas of study that involvement you or align with your field. Several websites provide admission to free online courses, and some may let you to add certificates to your resume if you lot pay a small fee. - Advanced Caste
Continuing your education may allow you to specialize your career, earn a competitive advantage, and increase your earning potential.
How to Switch Your Career to History
Changing careers may seem daunting, but it is possible. You may need to invest time and money in a new degree or document or gain feel to qualify for positions, just the ability to pursue a new career may be worth it.
Begin by researching the career you want to pursue to decide which credentials you lot need. Many history careers crave a master's degree, but if you already hold a bachelor's degree, you may qualify for several graduate programs.
Other positions value experience. If your professional feel includes research, writing, or the humanities, you likely already have many of the skills needed to launch a history career.
Where Can You Work every bit a History Professional?
History majors tin can begin careers in many fields. Historians may find work with government agencies, developers, and museums, helping shape educational programs and exhibitions. Some industries or states may offer more than lucrative opportunities — bacon potential varies depending on demand and toll of living.
Industries
History majors can observe jobs in many areas, including government agencies, businesses, museums, and education settings. The section below describes five industries with high levels of employment for historians.
Professionals in this industry help the federal government operate by providing a variety of public services. Historians typically work with libraries and athenaeum to collect and preserve historical information.
Average Salary: $98,050
This industry involves researching products or processes. History graduates can work as consultants in this field.
Average Salary: $69,830
Careers in this industry focus on preserving and creating exhibitions for historical sites, objects, and natural wonders that provide cultural or educational value. Tasks may include collecting historical data in the field and curating and leading museum programs.
Boilerplate Salary: $60,630
This manufacture involves planning and designing residential, institutional, leisure, commercial, and industrial buildings or structures. Historians in this field work with developers and government agencies to assistance preserve historical structures.
Boilerplate Salary: $75,740
Inside state governments, historians typically work at public libraries or archives to preserve historical documents and artifacts.
Boilerplate Bacon: $56,730
Locations
You can pursue history careers throughout the United states, but some areas offer ameliorate opportunities. For example, in the District of Columbia, Alaska, California, and Maryland, historians earn mean annual wages of over $85,000. Salaries typically correspond with an area'southward demand and cost of living.
Interview With a Professional in History
Beak Svelmoe is professor of history at Saint Mary'southward College in South Curve, Indiana. He grew upward in the Philippines and studied English language literature and creative writing at the University of California. He then got a primary's and doctorate in American history from the University of Notre Dame. He has been education at Saint Mary'due south since 2000.
No. Every bit yous can encounter from my bio, I originally wanted to write poetry and fiction. Simply I grew upwards in a very particular religious setting. My parents were missionaries in the Philippines. Nosotros were very conservative Protestants. I wanted to empathize the customs I grew up in.
Essentially, my interest in history came from a desire to sympathize the community that had shaped me. And then I came to Notre Dame to study American religious history.
A history program is non all that dissimilar from other majors in the humanities. At that place will exist a lot of reading and a lot of writing. Instead of reading literature or philosophy, you'll read works of history.
In some ways history is an excellent foundation for the other humanities disciplines. It provides the historical hooks upon which to hang works of philosophy or literature, each of which was written in a specific time menstruum. Understanding the times will help y'all understand many of the historical causes which produced the work of literature, philosophy, or art.
As with many graduate degrees, job searches are not easy these days. I applied far and wide, from Alaska to Arab republic of egypt, at to the lowest degree 50 applications.
And so I walked across the street and got a job. It merely so happened that Saint Mary's was looking for someone with precisely my academic strengths when I was in my terminal year of grad school. It's that kind of serendipitous lucifer that leads to a job offering.
Over again, like many degrees in the humanities, history is an splendid degree for pursuing virtually any career. Studies have shown that business organization leaders are looking for graduates who know how to think, analyze, and present their ideas in articulate ways. They are looking for skilful writers.
History is a pathway to law school, government piece of work, and careers in museums and libraries. Maybe the clearest path for a history major is to a teaching career, which often means further work in grad schoolhouse. Only a small percentage of our graduates actually become into teaching. Many more choose other careers.
A number of our majors have gone on to get a main'southward in history every bit a stepping stone to whatsoever number of careers.
Very few ability all the way through to go a Ph.D. and teach at the college level. That is a long road, and you have to be certain that is where you want to wind up before embarking on information technology.
A college campus is simply a wonderful identify to come to work every day. My colleagues are wonderful. But the most enjoyable aspect of pedagogy college is going into the classroom and spending fourth dimension with my students.
At a liberal arts higher, we tend to leave our office doors open when nosotros're on campus. Students have the freedom to pop in and out at whatsoever time. The relationships I build with students, many of which continue long afterwards graduation, are the best office of my job.
The most challenging part of my job, and I suspect many academics would echo this thought, is committee work. It takes a lot of committees to run a college. College faculty work closely with the administration on key aspects of college governance. That kind of actress work, while necessary, can take away at times from the more than enjoyable aspects of what we do.
Accept some history classes. Enquire other students which classes y'all should sample, which classes will requite you the all-time look at what studying history is similar. You lot don't demand to settle on a career right out of the gate. Settle into the major, piece of work difficult at the historical craft, and then equally you mature into higher life start thinking about what you want to exercise after college.
Talk to your profs nigh your interests. They can connect you to graduates who are working in your fields of interest. If you're interested in grad schoolhouse, talk to your profs about what that experience is similar.
Kickoff nosing effectually early on the internet. Notice out which schools and programs appeal to you. If yous're thinking near the long haul of a Ph.D. program and eventually teaching at the college level, make sure that you lot are really committed.
When I started grad schoolhouse, I knew I wanted more than anything in life to teach in the higher classroom. I was committed to knocking downwardly every door until I got in somewhere. Information technology's worth it, but these days it is a prize that few obtain.
The study of history will pb y'all to the well-nigh important questions in life. It might not provide piece of cake answers, simply it will definitely guide yous to the right questions, and that is the foundation upon which wisdom is inevitably built.
Resources for History Majors
Once you launch your history career, it is important to stay apprised of industry trends and network with your peers. Joining professional organizations, subscribing to publications, and taking free online courses tin help you accomplish these goals.
American Historical Association: The AHA is the largest professional arrangement in the field. It offers access to publications, industry news, learning tools, and inquiry grants. Members can also attend the association's annual meeting to network with peers and larn from industry experts.
Organization of American Historians: The OAH is a professional association defended to promoting the teaching and study of history. It publishes the Journal of American History, The American Historian, and the OAH Annual Meeting Program. Members also proceeds access to teaching tools, podcasts, and career resource.
National Quango for History Education: NCHE is a professional association serving history educators. Members receive a digital newsletter and discounts for admission to museums and historic sites across the nation. The council besides hosts a two-day conference that offers lectures, networking opportunities, and the latest industry news.
American Association for Land and Local History: AASLH is a national professional system offering resources for any history lover -- professionals, volunteers, students, and enthusiasts. Membership includes a subscription to History News magazine, discounts on online and in-person professional evolution opportunities, and access to an annual meeting.
World History Association: The WHA is a global professional person organization serving scholars, teachers, and students. It hosts an almanac conference at varying locations around the world, giving members the opportunity to travel, network, and learn from manufacture leaders. Members also gain access to history publications and volunteer opportunities.
American Alliance of Museums: AAM is a professional organization for museum professionals, volunteers, and museum-supporting organizations. Membership includes access to an exclusive resources library, discounts on evolution programs, discounts on books, and a subscription to Museum magazine. Members can likewise access peer-to-peer networking opportunities to observe open positions.
Riots, Strikes, and Conspiracies in American History - Massachusetts Institute of Engineering science: This form focuses on a serial of curt-term events that had an affect on American politics, civilization, and social organization. Students learn the roles these events played in shaping American history and current processes.
Introduction to Digital Humanities - Harvard University: This introductory course develops skills in digital research. Coursework covers using current technology to collect, organize, maintain, and search for data. Students also explore the part file types and digital tools play in streamlining the research process.
Roman Architecture - Yale University: This course provides an introduction to the building and technology marvels of Rome and its empire. It emphasizes urban planning and monuments in Rome, Pompeii, and key Italy.
History Today: This magazine publishes the works of today's leading scholars on all periods, regions, and themes of history. History Today provides admission to some costless manufactures, but a subscription gives you unlimited access to the print publication, website, and digital version of the magazine.
Journal of Gimmicky History: This quarterly, peer-reviewed journal publishes articles and book reviews on 20th century history. The journal's content covers social, economical, political, diplomatic, and cultural approaches to history. Yous can subscribe to a impress or digital version.
National Geographic History: This magazine explores history and culture across eras. Subscribers receive six annual issues and access to online videos and featured series.
Smithsonian Mag: This magazine offers proficient articles on world history, U.S. history, and archaeology. A subscription provides 11 issues, admission to online videos, a newsletter, and members-just discounts.
American Historical Review: The AHA publishes this review, which consists of articles written by scholars and manufacture experts. Yous must be a member of the AHA to access this publication.
The Journal of American History: The OAH publishes this journal four times a year. Content includes articles and reviews of books, exhibits, history projects, and movies. Some content may be available for free, but membership gives you full access to print and online materials.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many history careers require at least a principal'south degree. As such, you must invest a considerable amount of time and coin to earn a caste that can lead to your target career. If becoming a historian is your dream job, this investment is likely worth the endeavour.
Careers for a history major vary across industries and specializations. Graduates tin can find rewarding opportunities working with museums, parks, schools, nonprofit organizations, and regime agencies.
Becoming a historian is a adept fit for professionals with a passion for research, writing, and using the past to make informed decisions about current bug.
The BLS projects 3% task growth for historians between 2022 and 2029 — about as fast as the boilerplate position in the U.S. However, the field is small, which means that jobs can exist incredibly competitive.
According to the BLS, historians earn a median annual bacon of $63,680.
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