What Can You Do with a History Degree?
If you enjoy learning about events and people of the past and are looking for a versatile degree program, then a History degree could be a great way to build a long-term career. With a degree in History, you will be able to apply your knowledge and skills to a variety of career fields that include business, law, and government work.
List of the Top 40 History Careers & Salaries
There are many different occupations that benefit from professionals with a background in historical events. By using knowledge from the past, those with a History degree are able to apply their skills to help influence the future of our society. In the table below we have put together a list of 40 different careers and their median annual salaries to give you an idea of the options that are available.
| Job Title | Job Summary | Median Salary |
| Information Security Manager | Responsible for maintaining security protocols throughout their organization. | $113,536 |
| Litigation Attorney | Lawyer who specializes in dealing with lawsuits and representing clients in legal cases. | $103,404 |
| Professor, Postsecondary/Higher Education | Instructs students in the academic discipline of history at the postsecondary level. | $69,576 |
| Senior Business Analyst | Complex occupation that involves analyzing data and developing specifications to help their business clients meet productivity standards. | $86,110 |
| Information Technology (IT) Manager | Supervises the computer infrastructure and related areas of concern for their organization. | $79,625 |
| Attorney/Lawyer | Advises clients on the most appropriate course of legal action for their specific case. | $96,491 |
| Litigation Support Supervisor | Consults with case teams and oversees the quality control of all documentation efforts. | $74,160 |
| Administrative Law Judge, Adjudicator, or Hearing Officer | Oversees the legal procedures for local, state, and federal offices and courtrooms. | $81,665 |
| Lobbyist/Political Scientist | Researches proposed legislation and meets with members of legislature to persuade them to support client interests. | $70,000 |
| Executive Director, Non-Profit Organization | Managerial role equivalent to a CEO that is responsible for the daily operations of an organization. | $65,078 |
| Public Relations Manager | Responsible for reaching out to the press and coordinating the initiatives of an organization. | $72,276 |
| Records Manager | Maintains the records and files of the company in which they work for. | $58,623 |
| Public Information Officer | Works for a government agency and is responsible for maintaining positive public relations with citizens. | $58,535 |
| Grants Manager | Works with nonprofits and academic organizations to generate grant funding to support business needs and research. | $60,705 |
| Campaign Manager | Develops, plans, coordinates, and executes large-scale initiatives for political or corporate campaigns. | $68,810 |
| Writer/Author | Works independently or for a business to write, proofread, and edit written works. | $48,691 |
| Grants Administrator | Oversees the grants for their organization and ensures that funds are allocated appropriately. | $62,702 |
| Legislative Assistant | Works with large corporations to help them understand company impact of new and existing laws. | $51,322 |
| Museum Director | Oversees activities in a museum, including acquisition and storage of the institution’s collection. | $50,596 |
| Litigation Paralegal | Organizes and coordinates important documents for the attorney’s use during the litigation process. | $43,437 |
| Stock Broker | Advises the clients of their organization on current and prospective investments. | $69,500 |
| Curator, Museum | In charge of managing the content displayed and acquired by a museum. | $50,482 |
| Curator | Manages and oversees collections at a variety of institutions. | $50,655 |
| Editor | Works to help writers within their specialization refine skills and get projects ready for publishing. | $55,921 |
| Legislative Advocate | Speaks to the government on behalf of their employer and monitors legislative activity that may impact the company. | $60,600 |
| Architectural Historian | Works as the technical advisor and historic preservationist for their organization. | $60,873 |
| Historian | Studies the events, ideas, and people from the past by researching various historical sources. | $50,298 |
| Paralegal | Works with lawyers to perform legal, regulatory, and business-related research. | $50,768 |
| Archivist | Responsible for organizing historical documents that include books and artifacts. | $53,743 |
| School Library Media Specialist | Works within the school setting to develop a curriculum that teaches multimedia and library skills to students. | $44,276 |
| Curator, Art Gallery | Oversees the displays of an art gallery by defining themes and selecting artists. | $49,480 |
| Assistant Branch Manager, Banking | Responsible for training and supervising employees as well as maintaining positive customer relationships. | $45,236 |
| Program Coordinator, Non-Profit Organization | Acts as the face of the organization and collaborates with the various departments of the non-profit. | $46,260 |
| Journalist | Carries out research to create news articles that relate to local or world events. | $44,352 |
| Museum Educator | Works to implement and execute educational programming for children at a museum. | $30,618 |
| Gallery Assistant | Assists the curator and manager of an art gallery to ensure that the works are properly displayed. | $26,478 |
| Curatorial Assistant | Assists a museum curator with acquisitions of collections and development of exhibits. | $40,976 |
| Library Technician | Helps librarians in the daily duties of a library, including assisting patrons in finding what they need. | $32.510 |
| Records Clerk | Responsible for organizing and storing files within their business. | $31,678 |
| Head Teller | Performs a variety of duties at a financial institution, including assisting customers and managing teams. | $32,406 |
*Data provided by Payscale.com
What can you do with a History Degree?
The information in the table above highlights the diverse nature of the field of History. Whether you are interested in preservation and museum work or you want to utilize your skills in the modern corporate world, there are many options available for you to work in fulfilling job roles.
The salaries associated with the above careers range from $30,000 to well over six-figures. Depending on your particular field, you may make more or less than the numbers shown over the course of your career. Naturally, if you continue your education to earn graduate degrees in research, business, or law, you have greater potential to earn top pay within your field.
What is a History Degree?
A History degree prepares students for a work in a variety of industries. Through the course of your degree program, you will delve into the economic, social, and religious past of cultures around the world. Those with a passion for History understand that by examining events from the past, they can apply this knowledge to create a better future for our world.
There are a number of different career paths that you can pursue after earning your History degree. Many History graduates choose to continue their education in order to work in the legal field or teach in a variety of school settings. If you want to jump right into the work force, this degree will give you valuable skills that can be used in business, museum curation, and writing careers.
Throughout the course of your History degree program, you may be able to specialize within a concentration in order to gain in-depth knowledge that can help you with your chosen career path. These concentrations could include:
- European History
- Language
- Teaching and Education
- American History
- Global History
For those that want to continue full-time employment while in school or have family obligations, several top universities now offer online history degree programs to help you juggle your busy schedule! Through these programs, you will be able to work at your own pace while still earning a reputable History degree.
History Career Outlook
When choosing a college major, it is useful to have a general understanding of the career paths that you are interested in for the future. By researching the growth outlook, salaries, and job responsibilities of a variety of History careers, you can then make an informed decision on what occupation best suits your long-term goals.
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics is an excellent resource for obtaining accurate job information. For example, the BLS estimates that careers as a historian will grow 3% between 2019 and 2029, while curators and museum workers will see am 11% increase in new jobs within this timeframe. Both of these career paths have annual salaries well above the national average across all occupations – which is excellent news for new History graduates!
For a diverse and interesting educational journey, a degree in History can open up a world of opportunity for students that have a passion for understanding the history of our world. Whether you hope to teach others about historical events or plan on working your way up the corporate ladder, the options are endless for rewarding ways to utilize your History degree!
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