How to become a Historian
Official title: Historians
Also called: Collections Specialist, County Historian, Historian, Historic Architectural Resources Curator, Historic Interpreter, Historic Preservation Coordinator, Historic Sites Registrar, Historical Interpreter, Research Historian, Researcher
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and institutional records, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs, interviews, films, electronic media, and unpublished manuscripts, such as personal diaries and letters.
Main tasks
- 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.
How to become one
Historians typically need at least a master's degree to enter the occupation. Those with a bachelor's degree in history may qualify for some entry-level positions.
Typical education to start: Master's degree
Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Ways in
- Apprenticeship: Historian.
- College: Arts & Humanities degrees, Offered by 35 universities in the US
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $76,750 a year The middle half earn $57,290 to $99,990.
- About 3,800 people work in this job now, and about 3,900 are projected by 2035. (+3%)
- People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Historian?
Historians typically need at least a master's degree to enter the occupation. Those with a bachelor's degree in history may qualify for some entry-level positions.
How much does a Historian earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $76,750 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $57,290 to $99,990.
Is a Historian a growing career in the US?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 3% by 2035, from about 3,800 to about 3,900 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become a Historian?
Usually. 90% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Will AI change the work of a Historian?
People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.
Sources
- Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.