Historic Preservation
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Types of Degrees Historic Preservation Majors Are Getting
The following table lists how many historic preservation graduations there were in 2018-2019 for each degree level.
Education Level | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Master’s Degree | 226 |
Graduate Certificate | 64 |
Doctor’s Degree | 2 |
What Historic Preservation Majors Need to Know
People with careers related to historic preservation were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.
Knowledge Areas for Historic Preservation Majors
According to O*NET survey takers, a major in historic preservation should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

- History and Archeology - Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
- Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Skills for Historic Preservation Majors
historic preservation majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Abilities for Historic Preservation Majors
Historic Preservation majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
What Can You Do With a Historic Preservation Major?
People with a historic preservation degree often go into the following careers:
Job Title | Job Growth Rate | Median Salary |
---|---|---|
Archivists | 14.7% | $52,240 |
Historians | 6.1% | $61,140 |
Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Historic Preservation?
Racial-Ethnic Diversity
At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of historic preservation majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Asian | 6 |
Black or African American | 7 |
Hispanic or Latino | 14 |
White | 140 |
International Students | 34 |
Other Races/Ethnicities | 25 |
Geographic Diversity
Historic Preservation appeals to people across the globe. About 15.0% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:
- China
- India
- Saudi Arabia
- South Korea
- Taiwan
How Much Do Historic Preservation Majors Make?
Master’s Degree Starting Salary
According to 2017-2018 data from the U.S. Department of Education, students who graduated with a master’s degree in historic preservation have a median salary of $37,700 during the early years of their career. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $36,250 (25th percentile) and $39,150 (75th percentile).

Note that some of these people may have jobs that are not directly related to a historic preservation degree.
Salaries According to BLS
Average salaries range from $56,400 to $66,380 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to historic preservation. This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.
To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.
Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Historic Preservation
Some careers associated with historic preservation require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.
How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to historic preservation have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level | Percentage of Workers |
---|---|
Less than a High School Diploma | 3.2% |
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) | 3.3% |
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) | 5.4% |
Some College Courses | 6.4% |
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 0.2% |
Bachelor’s Degree | 15.6% |
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. | 2.1% |
Master’s Degree | 60.5% |
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. | 3.4% |
Online Historic Preservation Programs
In 2018-2019, 75 schools offered a historic preservation program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.
Degree Level | Colleges Offering Programs | Colleges Offering Online Classes |
---|---|---|
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) | 12 | 0 |
Certificate (1-2 years) | 4 | 0 |
Certificate (2-4 Years) | 2 | 0 |
Associate’s Degree | 6 | 0 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 24 | 2 |
Post-Baccalaureate | 12 | 0 |
Master’s Degree | 41 | 2 |
Post-Master’s | 8 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Research) | 1 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) | 0 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Other) | 0 | 0 |
Is a Degree in Historic Preservation Worth It?
The median salary for a historic preservation grad is $56,400 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.
This is 41% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $330,000 after 20 years!

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Majors Related to Historic Preservation
You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to historic preservation.
Major | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Other Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies | 2,661 |
Nutrition Science | 1,439 |
Sustainability Science | 1,184 |
International Studies | 1,182 |
Computational Science | 763 |
Behavioral Science | 724 |
Museum Studies | 710 |
Gerontology | 645 |
Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution | 630 |
Biological & Physical Science | 611 |
Human Computer Interaction | 562 |
Dispute Resolution | 522 |
Systems Theory | 460 |
Interdisciplinary Studies | 213 |
Mathematics & Computer Science | 189 |
Science, Technology & Society | 187 |
Cognitive Science | 152 |
Multicultural & Diversity Studies | 131 |
Natural Sciences | 94 |
Marine Science | 92 |
Cultural Studies & Analysis | 69 |
Medieval Studies | 49 |
Classical & Ancient Studies | 30 |
Holocaust Studies | 30 |
Maritime Studies | 20 |
Accounting & Computer Science | 10 |
Human Biology | 8 |
Biopsychology | 1 |
References
- College Factual
- College Scorecard
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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