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| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 13 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 12 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 14 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 14 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 14 | 0.00% |
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $54,859 | $26.37 | --0.9% |
| 2024 | $55,363 | $26.62 | +4.2% |
| 2023 | $53,155 | $25.56 | +3.4% |
| 2022 | $51,399 | $24.71 | +7.3% |
| 2021 | $47,913 | $23.03 | --1.2% |
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | 739,795 | 6 | 1% |
| 2 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 19 | 0% |
| 3 | New York | 19,849,399 | 18 | 0% |
| 4 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 12 | 0% |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 9 | 0% |
| 6 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 9 | 0% |
| 7 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 8 | 0% |
| 8 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 8 | 0% |
| 9 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 8 | 0% |
| 10 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 7 | 0% |
| 11 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 6 | 0% |
| 12 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 5 | 0% |
| 13 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 4 | 0% |
| 14 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 3 | 0% |
| 15 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 0 | 0% |
| 16 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 0 | 0% |
| 17 | Vermont | 623,657 | 0 | 0% |
| 18 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 0 | 0% |
| 19 | Delaware | 961,939 | 0 | 0% |
| 20 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 0 | 0% |
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moline | 1 | 2% | $53,376 |
Adelphi University
The University of Findlay
Miami University
Prairie View A & M University
Washington State University
Utah State University
Indiana University Bloomington
Montclair State University
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Spelman College
University of Akron
California State University - San Bernardino
Pepperdine University
San Jose State University
Siena College
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Allegheny College
Tyler Fisher DPhil: Historians think carefully about periodization and patterns across time. One period, spanning the mid-twentieth century to the early twenty-first century, has been called the 'Information Age.' Are we still in the Information Age, or has it given way to something discernibly different? I would encourage students of History to recognize that, beyond an age of Information, we are entering an age of Curation. That is, we now have access to more information than ever before, but we need students equipped to curate that information — to evaluate, select, edit, mediate, and package data, and to clarify complexities. Students of History are highly competent curators.
Tyler Fisher DPhil: It's something of a cliché, but know your worth. When negotiating an initial offer, ask for more — knowing that you are well prepared to make a highly positive impact in your field. The worst they can say is 'no.'
Erica Johnson PhD: Cultural competency will continue to be important in the field in the coming years. Working in history requires one to be able to navigate a diversity of histories. You need to be able to navigate multiple narratives of the past. This is a reflection of the diversity of society. You need to be able to communicate with colleagues from various backgrounds as well as engage an even more diverse public. Historians do not simply operate behind the scenes researching and writing. To be successful, you must have strong interpersonal skills and an open mind. You need to practice and get more comfortable engaging with others, both one-on-one and speaking before groups.
Dr. Deanne Stephens Ph.D.: In beginning a career in the history field of teaching, salary is always a point of concern, as universities, colleges, and community colleges have various starting points. To maximize a salary if a person is interested in becoming a professor or instructor of history, some advantages can help the negotiation process. First, a publication or contract in hand is a plus in seeking a better salary at a university or college. Also, any teaching record is advantageous at all levels of teaching. These classes should include experiences outside of Graduate Assistantships if possible. A candidate should also engage in professional organizations and conferences to list on a Curriculum Vitae. The acceptance of a proposal to a professional conference equates to the ability to research, analyze, and compose information about a specific topic. These are skills that schools desire because it normally means success in a history career.
Prof. Maria Zaccarini: I would recommend that students begin to get real practical experience in the area they wish to embark on. A student in my history class volunteered to work in a law office over the summer. Another student interested in museum studies got an internship working at a museum. These experiences boost confidence, skills, and the look of the student’s resume. Students can either volunteer or intern, and in all cases, this provides valuable networking experience. Additionally, students should document all of this on an active LinkedIn page and ask professors and employers for endorsements.
Tristin Kilgallon J.D., LL.M.: Most people who are history majors or work as Historians have an actual interest in history. As a historian, you are able to work in a field that you enjoy an help share this knowledge with the world. For example, if you work in a museum, you may be able to actively study ancient civilizations and through your exhibits you can share actual pieces of lost worlds with your community. As many will never travel to Egypt, Greece or Mexico, this may be as close as they will ever get. That is pretty cool. As to the downside, probably money. Many of this positions are extremely rewarding personally, but may not pay as much as some other lines of work, like maybe being a pharmacist or lawyer.
Tristin Kilgallon J.D., LL.M.: History is a vital field as many of us see value in preserving our history and learning from our collective past. By working as a historian, you are helping people preserve their heritage, learn about other cultures, and use this knowledge of the past to help shape the future. Further, the skills one learns as a history major are applicable to other fields as well. Knowledge of world history may be useful in the business, education or law. Historians generally read a lot and learn to be good writers. These skills are directly transferable to a number of professions, thus training as a Historian can draw interest from employers in a number of fields.
Tristin Kilgallon J.D., LL.M.: History majors serve in a variety of different jobs, it really just depends on the individual. Some work for museums and help curate collections of artifacts, while others turn to education, law, or business. So basically, what you would do on a daily basis depends on the career path you choose. Someone who puts their degree to work in the field of education may teach a variety of classes on world history, they might coach the Model UN team, and help mentor students who want to pursue a degree in History. They probably attend academic conferences and may even present their own work. If you were to work in the field, you may spend your days at dig sites, hoping to discover remnants of civilizations long past. These digs are sometimes physically demanding, and slow burns, as you must take your time and be careful not to destroy the very history you are trying to preserve. Conversely, your interests may be more recent, so maybe you work for the national Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. In this sort of role you would be preserving the memory of baseball’s history and the legends of the game, whether they played in 1910 or 2023.
Robert Thurston: Be good with people. Develop some skill or ability that is fun, e.g. tennis, playing a musical instrument. Keep up a sense of humor, but never tell offensive jokes. Work hard, obviously. Try to find a mentor at work; ask people about their career paths, if you think you can trust them. Be thoughtful toward everyone, treat all the staff with respect.
T. Moore Ph.D.: People like the ability to develop an eclectic knowledge base, synthesize ideas, and approach issues from diverse perspectives, which are valuable assets for employers needing innovative approaches. However, some people may not enjoy the wide range of disciplines that social scientists need to familiarize themselves with, as it requires outside-the-box thinking and innovative solutions.
Ryan Booth PhD: Technological change seems to be the only constant these days, but someone still has to train and maintain the technology. Interpersonal and soft skills will probably become more critical in the coming years. We live in a very disjointed world. People who can carry on a conversation, find a meaningful connection to another person, and cultivate professional relationships will get ahead.
Rebecca Andersen: I think most people who become historians do so because they have a deep love of their subject matter. They like researching in-depth topics and they enjoy communicating that love to others. I think that many historians might find other aspects of their job difficult—for example, a historian might love the time period or topic that they study but might not like teaching undergraduate classes. A Historian might enjoy working in a museum or archive, but the administration, politics, funding constraints, etc. might make their work environment difficult.
Rebecca Andersen: Historians often work as teachers or professors, relating knowledge about the past to other learners. However, there is a whole other field known as public or applied history. Public historians work in a variety of spaces in which knowledge about the past can be used to serve present needs. You'll find public historians working as archivists, museum curators, and at other cultural institutions like the National Park Service. Other places that you will find historians working include federal or state government positions. On a day-to-day basis historians answer people's questions about the past in ways that help people understand present conditions. This involves a lot of writing and research. People who are historians (received a degree in history) often work in fields completely unrelated to history. You may find a historian who works as an instructional designer, in higher education, marketing, UI, etc. The skills that one learns as a historian (critical thinking, writing, public speaking, researching) have a broad applicability.
Indiana University Bloomington
Classics And Classical Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics
Bill Beck: An undergraduate degree in Classical Studies or Classical Languages prepares students for careers in a wide variety of fields (education, law, the arts, NGOs, and the corporate sector). If you're asking what I would advise these students, I would advise them to follow their interests, to challenge themselves, and to take advantage of opportunities that come their way. If you're interested specifically in graduates who aim to pursue a career in Classical Studies specifically, it would be to follow their interests, to hone their language skills, to explore understudied areas of the discipline, and to look for opportunities to present and publish their research.
Dr. Ezra Rashkow: Follow your passion. Too many students think that the only thing you can do with a history degree is teach history. Instead, I hope that history grads will recognize that a history major is an incredibly flexible degree. According to the American Historical Association (AHA) website, only 18% of graduates go into education work, and this includes those who go on to work in libraries and other training roles outside of the classroom. Popular for history majors are careers in administration, management, and the legal field. Other career paths could be in museums, politics, or journalism. The main thing is that you have to be self-motivated enough to find your own way forward. A history degree is whatever you make of it. And in order to succeed in whatever career path you choose, you will have to do the work - this might mean starting off by interning in the industry of your choosing, volunteering for a politician you're interested in working for, or applying to graduate school to earn a terminal degree. Whatever you are interested in doing, you will have to pursue it vigorously. Nobody else can do that work for you.
Dr. Ezra Rashkow: At Montclair, we've recently launched a digital and public history degree program. This is in response to an awareness that digital literacy is not just the way of the future; it is already very much the way of the present and the past. Students are studying everything from digital archives to oral history recording methods; they are making video presentations, blogs and podcasts; they are learning how to work with historical data and databases; they are learning about the politics of representing history on social media; and more generally, they are gaining critical insights into how history is being used and abused in the present for present purposes. These days, there is an unfortunate society-wide tendency to push students towards pursuing narrow, technical, degrees that appear employable, and universities are therefore facing pressure to transition into becoming vocational schools. In this climate, I hope that in the next few years students will again begin to realize the timeless value of the intellectual training provided by humanities and social sciences degrees in fields like history.
Joshua Nygren PhD: I think the recent past suggests adaptability, information literacy, and critical thinking skills are essential to careers and will only become more important in the next 3-5 years. It has long grown increasingly rare for someone to work for a single employer -- and in some cases even within a single industry -- for their entire career. The range of careers and vocations for which History prepares students is wide rather than narrow. As such, it is well-suited to prepare students for the 21st-century economy. Moreover, the internet and (more recently) the rise of artificial intelligence makes it even more important for the workforce (and the citizenry) to possess information literacy and critical thinking skills.
Nafeesa Muhammad Ph.D.: There is a false belief that historians do not engage in technological or digital endeavors. Within the next few years, as we already see, digital literacy will become a necessity. Being able to navigate online research databases such as JSTOR, Project Muse, and EBCOhost are crucial. Understanding software programs such as SPSS and Qualtrics are now cutting-edge resources used to produce quality historical publications and projects. Public history has had a major shift since the end of the civil rights era. With a forever-changing world that seeks to center the experience of diverse groups of people and cultures, public history, that is history made for and geared towards a public audience will continue to be a mainstay. Museums, exhibits, theatrical performances, etc will all continue to translate complex aspects of history in ways that a general audience can understand.
Nafeesa Muhammad Ph.D.: If one is an undergraduate, begin with history internships or internships in an adjacent field that permit them to employ historical methodologies. Such opportunities can focus on archival, library, public history, or graduate preparatory opportunities. Sometimes these positions come with a stipend. For graduate students, teaching and research assistantships can sometimes offset the cost of living expenses. Since the job market in academia is often tight, budding scholars should cast a wider net beyond applying for tenure-track jobs and seek lesser-known opportunities. As mentioned previously, the CIA and FBI require historians and the skills they have, especially when assessing large amounts of data and making that information comprehensible to a wide audience. Museums and public history institutions can offer competitive salaries for history researchers. Networking through attending conferences and job fairs should always be in one’s repertoire. Job boards via the American Historical Association (AHA) and the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) are also good springboards for ameliorating one’s salary.
Dr. Michael Levin: History graduates have to be savvy about social media and be prepared to wade into the battles going on over the nature of truth versus propaganda on social media.
Dr. Michael Levin: It is necessary to publish articles in the field, but it is getting harder and harder to get published. Advises patience and persistence if someone truly loves History and wants to pursue a career in academia.
Michael Karp: Mirroring my general advice to be patient early on and take opportunities when the arise, history graduates often have solid career earnings. Studies conducted by the American Historical Association have demonstrated that history majors median income is $55,000, which is only a little below business majors who have a median income of $60,000. The success enjoyed by history graduates stems from the fact the degree offers vital skills for today’s workforce. If graduates understand how to sell those skills on the job market—and recognize how they fit into a variety of industries—they can best maximize their earnings and potential jobs.
Megan Kendrick PhD: Salary potential will vary greatly depending on the field of work, but new hires can focus on finding ways to make their contributions to the workplace indispensable to ensure longevity and to open pathways for promotion. I can speak from my own experience in encouraging recent graduates to also consider the intangible rewards of working in fields of education and public history, including creating relationships, sharing powerful stories from the past, and approaching contemporary issues with a deep appreciation for the struggles and innovations human societies have encountered for centuries.
Libra Hilde: Most of our students do not go on to become professional historians, though a handful do. As noted earlier, our students are broadly trained and enter a wide array of professions and fields, so their day to day jobs depend on their particular career path. A student who goes on to do archival or museum work will have a very different daily schedule than a student who goes on to law school and the legal profession.
Dr. Karen Sonnelitter: I think History graduates need to be open to all the ways that their History major has prepared them for a variety of different career paths. Ultimately a history major teaches skills like critical thinking, research, and communication skills that can be applied in a number of different ways and in a lot of different industries.
Dr. Karen Sonnelitter: In general, a History major teaches students to think critically, to communicate effectively, and to research and evaluate information. Each of those skills will continue to be prevalent over the next few years because they are each uniquely human skills.
Missouri University of Science and Technology
History
Dr. John Ketcherside Asst Teaching Professor: Multiple languages, and the ability to leverage social media. These will become more critical to both education and making history accessible to the public.
Guo Wu PhD: Historian is a good profession due to the social demand for historical knowledge and insight. Historians help students learn from history, apply knowledge to real-life careers, and work as curators to make historical research approachable to the public.