by our College Data Analytics TeamFor students interested in studying, preserving and learning from the past, History is an ideal field of study. Most students either major in General History or choose a concentration in an area of interest. This allows you to explore in depth the history of a particular time period, region or subject. Some examples are American History, European History, Military History, Women's History or Modern World History.
Coursework will involve various history classes in your subject of interest. Other classes history majors might take are English, language, philosophy and anthropology. The goal of the major is to discover the truth of the past and apply the lessons learned to improve our present world.
A degree in History involves the study of History. Instructional Programs That Focus On The Study And Interpretation Of Past Events, Institutions, Issues, And Cultures. Continue reading for the key facts every history major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering history programs.
Nationwide, history is a popular field of study, with 30,992 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best History Schools ranking analyzes these 1,367 schools to determine the best overall colleges for history students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of history programs later in this article.
Programs in History develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations history graduates commonly enter.
History majors tend to have great attention for detail and delight in learning obscure facts and dates. Be prepared to memorize vast amounts of information and spend a lot of time reading primary source documents, analyzing artifacts, visiting museums and writing lengthy research papers. Some of your assignments will involve conducting interviews, working on group projects, creating presentations and writing reports.
Some of the critical skills history majors need to succeed are strong reading, writing and analysis skills. Students will read a variety of texts including fiction works, biographies, first-hand accounts and historical journals. They will also visit museums and analyze artifacts from the past. Assignments will involve critically analyzing and researching material to find out the true story of what happened in the past.
The skill set emphasized by a history program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a history major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several history degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 9 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 2,382 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 23,368 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 4,457 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 773 |
People currently working in careers related to history tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 30.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 29.1% |
| Master’s degree | 24.6% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 4.5% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 3.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.6% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.1% |
| Some college courses | 2.0% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.0% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.3% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.3% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in history careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
History is a broad field of study that can lead to a variety of career paths. Many history majors go on to become teachers or college professors. Other career paths are that of historian, curator, museum director, writer or researcher. History is also a common background for students who go on to receive advanced degrees in law. Graduates can easily use their skills for careers in business, politics, or nonprofit work.
Studying history prepares you for many career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to history.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to history.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Curators | 1,554,871 | 4.1% |
| History Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,269,153 | 10.5% |
| Archivists | 1,193,221 | 1.6% |
| Museum Technicians and Conservators | 663,221 | 0.0% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 571,954 | 1.8% |
| Clinical Research Coordinators | 542,888 | 10.4% |
| Managers, All Other | 468,025 | 6.2% |
| Compliance Managers | 310,203 | 13.0% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of history graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $33,609 |
| 4 years | $45,509 |
| 5 years | $52,530 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for history graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers history grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Water Resource Specialists | $179,716 |
| Wind Energy Development Managers | $169,952 |
| Loss Prevention Managers | $165,723 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $132,227 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | $122,567 |
| Compliance Managers | $117,178 |
| Clinical Research Coordinators | $110,931 |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | $99,321 |
With 1,367 different history programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased history school rankings to help you.
Students interested in history, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| History | 30,992 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
