Historians: Job Description
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and institutional records, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs, interviews, films, electronic media, and unpublished manuscripts, such as personal diaries and letters.
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The Daily Work of Historians Perform?
The core tasks performed by historians span:
- Gather historical data from sources such as archives, court records, diaries, news files, and photographs, as well as from books, pamphlets, and periodicals.
- Organize data, and analyze and interpret its authenticity and relative significance.
- Prepare publications and exhibits, or review those prepared by others, to ensure their historical accuracy.
- Organize information for publication and for other means of dissemination, such as via storage media or the Internet.
- Conduct historical research as a basis for the identification, conservation, and reconstruction of historic places and materials.
- Conserve and preserve manuscripts, records, and other artifacts.
- Present historical accounts in terms of individuals or social, ethnic, political, economic, or geographic groupings.
- Research the history of a particular country or region, or of a specific time period.
What Historians Need to Know
Effective historians rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Historians Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Architectural Historian
- Art Historian
- Collections Specialist
- County Historian
- Dance Historian
- Dramatic Arts Historian
- Field Court Researcher
- Film Historian
Employment and Demand
There are about 67,367 historians working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to decline by -1.5% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Historians Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $89,780 |
| Hourly median | $43.16 |
| 10th percentile | $65,104 |
| 25th percentile | $77,442 |
| 75th percentile | $102,118 |
| 90th percentile | $114,457 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Historians Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $117,960 |
| North Carolina | $101,440 |
| Maryland | $99,300 |
| Washington | $94,760 |
| Virginia | $94,060 |
| Illinois | $92,020 |
| Connecticut | $88,890 |
| Florida | $84,590 |
| Texas | $84,160 |
| Minnesota | $84,160 |
| California | $83,360 |
| Hawaii | $82,550 |
| Oregon | $76,830 |
| Nevada | $75,640 |
| New Jersey | $74,690 |
| Pennsylvania | $72,720 |
| Louisiana | $72,250 |
| Alabama | $71,070 |
| Missouri | $69,580 |
| Kansas | $68,310 |
| Indiana | $60,800 |
| Michigan | $59,520 |
| Georgia | $59,410 |
| Oklahoma | $53,440 |
| South Carolina | $51,980 |
| New York | $51,620 |
| Kentucky | $49,940 |
| Mississippi | $44,800 |
| Utah | $32,000 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for historians shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $88,890 | 2.1% | 1.40 |
| Far Western US | $84,036 | 14.9% | 1.45 |
| Middle Atlantic | $77,911 | 37.3% | 6.34 |
| Southeast | $72,275 | 27.4% | 1.65 |
| Southwest | $71,360 | 5.0% | 0.80 |
| Plains States | $68,945 | 3.3% | 0.97 |
| Great Lakes | $66,446 | 6.2% | 0.70 |
| Rocky Mountains | $32,000 | 3.7% | 2.51 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $115,710 | 420 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $100,610 | 30 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $94,590 | 40 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $87,920 | |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | PA | $85,160 | 30 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $83,360 | 40 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | HI | $82,550 | 60 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $78,550 | 140 |
Which Industries Hire Historians
The bulk of historians work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 600 | $75,070 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 90 | $60,280 |
| Educational Services | 70 | $59,520 |
Historians work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Desktop publishing software: Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Geographic information system: ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Enterprise application integration software: Extensible markup language XML (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Document management software: Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for historians is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
Getting Started in This Career
Most historians positions require a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Sociologists (Primary-Long)
- Anthropologists and Archeologists (Primary-Short)
- Geographers (Primary-Short)
- Social Science Research Assistants (Primary-Long)
- Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
- Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Geography Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Aspiring historians often complete programs in:
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
11 programs across 7 majors
- Historic Preservation
- History and Language/Literature
- Classical & Ancient Studies
- Medieval Studies
- Maritime Studies
- History and Political Science
- Holocaust Studies
History
9 programs across 1 majors
Health Professions and Related Programs
2 programs across 1 majors
Architecture and Related Services
2 programs across 1 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 19-3093.00 (Historians).
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