by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying History of Medicine involves the study of A Program That Focuses On The Historical Evolution And Socio-Economic Context Of Medical Theories, Education, Practices, And Technologies; And On The History Of Diseases, Therapeutics, Patients, And Healers. Includes Instruction In The Concepts And Methods Of The Historiography Of Medicine; The History Of Science, Medicine, And Technology; And Of Research Methods In The History Of Medicine. Read on to learn the key facts every history of medicine major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering history of medicine programs.
Our 2026 Best History of Medicine Schools ranking analyzes these 1 schools to determine the best overall colleges for history of medicine students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of history of medicine programs later in this article.
Studies in History of Medicine build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations history of medicine graduates commonly enter.
Skills developed in a history of medicine program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a history of medicine major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
People currently working in careers related to history of medicine tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 66.1% |
| Master’s degree | 32.3% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 0.6% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.5% |
| Some college courses | 0.5% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in history of medicine careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in history of medicine prepares you for a variety of career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to history of medicine.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to history of medicine.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| History Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,269,153 | 10.5% |
| Historians | 66,368 | -1.5% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of history of medicine graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $91,596 |
| 4 years | $89,352 |
| 5 years | $98,782 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for history of medicine graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers history of medicine grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Historians | $89,780 |
| History Teachers, Postsecondary | $38,484 |
With 1 different history of medicine programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased history of medicine school rankings to help you.
Students interested in history of medicine, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Nursing Education | 3,933 |
| Bioethics/Medical Ethics | 757 |
| Medical/Health Humanities | 352 |
| Health Professions Education | 102 |
| Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities, Other | 101 |
| Arts in Medicine/Health | 5 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
