Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Master's degree
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These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Historians work in a small, specialized field with a national employment level of 3,000 positions. The career offers a national median annual salary of $74,050, indicating solid earning potential for those who qualify. Projected employment growth of 2.2% suggests modest expansion rather than rapid change, and the data show 0 annual openings, highlighting that roles may be limited and competitive. However, certain states and metro areas stand out with notably higher salaries and stronger opportunity scores, such as California, New York, Virginia, and Maryland, as well as metros like New York-Newark-Jersey City and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria. Historians draw on a blend of writing and reading, critical and analytical thinking, and creativity and innovation, supported by skills in science, interpersonal communication, and project management. For people who meet the education expectations and develop these skills, this can be a focused career path with particular strength in select geographic areas.
Historians earn a national median annual salary of $74,050, but pay varies significantly by location. Several states offer higher median salaries, including Virginia at $101,920, Washington at $99,720, and California at $97,420. Maryland stands out with the highest listed median salary of $120,580, although it has a relatively small employment level of 50. Among metro areas, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria offers a median salary of $115,690 with 410 employed, while Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim shows $98,210 and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont offers $88,790. The New York-Newark-Jersey City metro reports a median salary of $80,400. These figures indicate that earning potential can be substantially higher than the national median in certain states and metros, especially in areas like Maryland, Virginia, and the Washington, DC region. Individuals considering this career may wish to factor location into long-term salary planning.
Historians have a relatively small national employment base of 3,000, paired with a projected employment growth rate of 2.2%. This growth rate suggests some expansion over time, but the reported 0 annual openings points to a labor market where positions may not turn over frequently. In practice, this means that opportunities can be limited, and competition for available roles may be strong, especially in desirable locations. The consistent 2.2% growth rate reported across top states and metro areas indicates that this modest growth expectation is shared geographically, rather than being concentrated in only one region. People considering this career should understand that while the field is not shrinking in the projection period, it is also not experiencing rapid expansion. Success is likely to depend on meeting the education expectations, building strong skills, and being strategic about targeting locations with higher opportunity scores and employment levels.
Location plays a major role in historian career opportunities. Among states, California and New York combine relatively higher employment (210 and 410, respectively) with solid opportunity scores of 67.38 and 65.78. Virginia and Maryland stand out for higher median salaries of $101,920 and $120,580, though they have smaller employment levels of 180 and 50. Washington state offers a median salary of $99,720 but only 30 employed, reflecting a very small job market despite a respectable opportunity score of 56.29. At the metro level, New York-Newark-Jersey City leads with an opportunity score of 77.27, a median salary of $80,400, and employment of 180. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria combines a high median salary of $115,690 with the largest listed metro employment at 410 and an opportunity score of 64.47. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim in California provide median salaries of $88,790 and $98,210, respectively, with moderate employment. These differences highlight that both salary and job availability can vary widely by region.
Historians typically need a master’s degree, indicating a significant graduate-level academic commitment. This advanced education supports the development of key skills that are important in this field. Writing and reading, critical and analytical thinking, and speaking and listening are central, aligning with the intensive research and communication work that historians often undertake. Creativity and innovation complement these abilities, enabling historians to approach topics and information in original ways. The skill profile also includes science, customer service, and interpersonal skills, underscoring the importance of working effectively with others and engaging various audiences. Competence with computers and information technology and strength in problem solving and decision making are also important, together with project management skills that help in planning and executing complex work. Individuals considering this career should be prepared for graduate study and for building a broad set of intellectual, communication, and organizational skills that match these expectations.
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