by our College Data Analytics TeamA degree in Historic Preservation & Conservation covers Historic Preservation And Conservation, General. A Program That Focuses On The Design And Implementation Of Plans To Restore And Maintain Historic Buildings, Districts, And Landscapes In A Way That Balances Conservation And Preservation With Commercial And Development Interests. Includes Instruction In Architectural History, Building Conservation, Cultural Resource Management, Economics, Historical Documentation And Preservation, Land-Use And Zoning Codes, Public Policy, Public Relations, Real Estate Law, And Taxation. Continue reading for the important information every historic preservation & conservation major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering historic preservation & conservation programs.
Across the country, historic preservation & conservation is a widely-pursued major, with 376 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Historic Preservation & Conservation Schools ranking analyzes these 41 schools to determine the best overall colleges for historic preservation & conservation students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of historic preservation & conservation programs later in this article.
Coursework for Historic Preservation & Conservation develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations historic preservation & conservation graduates commonly enter.
Skills built by a historic preservation & conservation program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a historic preservation & conservation major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several historic preservation & conservation 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 | 4 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 91 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 270 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 2 |
People currently working in careers related to historic preservation & conservation tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 57.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 18.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 10.2% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 4.0% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 2.1% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.1% |
| Some college courses | 1.9% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 0.2% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in historic preservation & conservation careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying historic preservation & conservation can lead to numerous career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to historic preservation & conservation.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to historic preservation & conservation.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Archivists | 1,193,221 | 1.6% |
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | 964,215 | -0.1% |
| Security Managers | 360,967 | 0.6% |
| Facilities Managers | 268,353 | -0.6% |
| Historians | 66,368 | -1.5% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of historic preservation & conservation graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $44,600 |
| 4 years | $46,364 |
| 5 years | $52,542 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for historic preservation & conservation graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers historic preservation & conservation grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Facilities Managers | $157,669 |
| Security Managers | $104,128 |
| Historians | $89,780 |
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | $68,967 |
| Archivists | $53,759 |
With 41 different historic preservation & conservation programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased historic preservation & conservation school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in historic preservation & conservation, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Cultural Resource Management and Policy Analysis | 59 |
| Historic Preservation and Conservation, Other | 15 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
