How much does a history professor make?
a year · about $40 an hour
A typical history professor in the United States makes $83,820 a year, about $40 an hour, about 1.6× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They prepare lessons, give lectures, and lead discussions about topics such as ancient or postwar history. They answer students’ questions, grade essays and exams, and may research history or write scholarly articles.
Did you know? A history class might have just a few students—or several hundred, sometimes with graduate teaching assistants helping.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $48,410 and $162,160How do you become one?
In the United States, study history in college, then usually earn a Ph.D.; four-year colleges typically expect a doctorate, while some community colleges accept a master’s degree. Graduate students may gain teaching experience as assistants.
School needed: Graduate degree or long training
Good for people who like helping and teaching and figuring things out
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., pay can differ with experience, advanced degrees, rank, and location. Four-year colleges and universities often pay differently from community colleges, and full-time or part-time work can also affect earnings.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in California ($127,170), lowest in North Carolina ($75,070).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
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Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $48,410 | $83,820 | $162,160 | about 19,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| California | $127,170 | about 1,000 |
| Massachusetts | $104,900 | about 780 |
| New York | $100,400 | about 2,000 |
| New Jersey | $99,900 | about 780 |
| Pennsylvania | $98,850 | about 960 |
Official definition: Teach courses in human history and historiography. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
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/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/25-1125.00
- www.historians.org/resource/careers-for-students-of-history-historians-in-classr
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY