Historians in Pennsylvania
Thinking about a career as a Historians in Pennsylvania? Here’s what you need to know. 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and institutional records, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs, interviews, films, electronic media, and unpublished manuscripts, such as personal diaries and letters.
What do Historians Make in Pennsylvania?
For a historians working in Pennsylvania, wages run about $72,720 per year (or about $34.96/hour).Pay can range from $58,950 at the 10th percentile to $99,920 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $58,950 | $28.34 |
| 25th percentile | $62,900 | $30.24 |
| Median (50th) | $72,720 | $34.96 |
| 75th percentile | $85,680 | $41.19 |
| 90th percentile | $99,920 | $48.04 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Pennsylvania compared to the national average — is 0.53, suggesting fewer historians per worker than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, historians earn a median of $89,780 per year ($43.16/hour), below the Pennsylvania median.
Employment Outlook
There are roughly 67,367 historians nationwide. In Pennsylvania alone, about 70 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 60 historians.
Top Pennsylvania Metros for Historians
The largest metro-area employers of historians in Pennsylvania.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 30 | $85,160 |
Top States for Historians Employment
The table below shows the states where the most historians work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| New York | 420 |
| District of Columbia | 260 |
| California | 180 |
| Virginia | 180 |
| New Jersey | 90 |
| Utah | 90 |
| Mississippi | 90 |
| Florida | 80 |
| Michigan | 70 |
| Pennsylvania | 70 |
| Georgia | 70 |
| Texas | 70 |
| Hawaii | 60 |
| Oregon | 60 |
| Washington | 60 |
| Maryland | 60 |
| Alabama | 60 |
| South Carolina | 60 |
| Indiana | 50 |
| Connecticut | 50 |
Highest-Paying States for Historians
Where historians earn the most: historians.
| 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 |
Skills
Key historians skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for historians, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Common tasks include:
- 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.
- Conduct historical research, and publish or present findings and theories.
- Determine which topics to research, or pursue research topics specified by clients or employers.
- Recommend actions related to historical art, such as which items to add to a collection or which items to display in an exhibit.
- Research and prepare manuscripts in support of public programming and the development of exhibits at historic sites, museums, libraries, and archives.
Work Activities
- Getting Information
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Working with Computers
- Processing Information
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Analyzing Data or Information
Tools & Technology
Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Adobe Acrobat, Adobe InDesign In-demand technologies: ESRI ArcGIS software
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Related college programs include:
- History
- Historic Preservation
- History and Language/Literature
- Classical & Ancient Studies
- Medieval Studies
- Maritime Studies
- History and Political Science
- Holocaust Studies
- Bioethics/Medical Ethics
- Architectural History
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Careers similar to historians include:
- Sociologists
- Anthropologists and Archeologists
- Geographers
- Social Science Research Assistants
- Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary
- Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary
Also Known As
Architectural Historian, Art Historian, Collections Specialist, County Historian, Dance Historian, Dramatic Arts Historian, Field Court Researcher, Film Historian, Genealogist, Genealogist Researcher, Health Historian, Historian, Historian Developer, Historic Architectural Resources Curator, Historic Interpreter.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 19-3093.00