How much does a historian make?
a year · about $37 an hour
A typical historian in the United States makes $76,750 a year, about $37 an hour, about 1.5× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
A historian may check old letters, photos, newspapers, and records to see what is trustworthy. Then they write what the evidence shows, help make a museum exhibit, or explain the story to visitors.
Did you know? Some historians in the U.S. government research and write about the history of space missions!
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $42,730 and $131,810How do you become one?
In the U.S., earn a history bachelor’s degree, then usually a master’s in history or a related field; some federal or university research jobs require a Ph.D. Internships teach practical skills such as caring for artifacts and making exhibits.
School needed: Graduate degree or long training
Good for people who like figuring things out and keeping things organized
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, pay can vary with experience and extra schooling, and with whether historians work for federal, state, or local government or research and consulting employers. Location and job responsibilities matter too; most work full time during regular business hours.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Massachusetts ($121,710), lowest in Utah ($33,840).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $42,730 | $76,750 | $131,810 | about 3,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $121,710 | — |
| Maryland | $120,580 | about 50 |
| District of Columbia | $118,290 | about 250 |
| Minnesota | $103,040 | about 50 |
| Virginia | $101,920 | about 180 |
Official definition: Research, analyze, record, and interpret the past as recorded in sources, such as government and institutional records, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs, interviews, films, electronic media, and unpublished manuscripts, such as personal diaries and letters.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/historians.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/details/19-3093.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY