Download Historians : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor

Historians : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Historians
Summary
Historians may engage with the public through
educational programs and presentations.
Quick Facts: Historians
2012 Median Pay
$52,480 per year
$25.23 per hour
Entry-Level Education
Master’s degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation
None
On-the-job Training
None
Number of Jobs, 2012
3,800
Job Outlook, 2012-22
6% (Slower than average)
Employment Change, 2012-22
200
What Historians Do
Historians research, analyze, interpret, and present the past by studying a variety of historical documents and sources.
Work Environment
Historians work in government agencies, museums, archives, historical societies, research organizations, nonprofits, and consulting
firms. Some must travel to carry out research. Most work full time.
How to Become a Historian
Although most historian positions require a master’s degree, some research positions require a doctoral degree. Candidates with a
bachelor’s degree may qualify for some entry-level positions, but most will not be traditional historian jobs.
Pay
The median annual wage for historians was $52,480 in May 2012.
Job Outlook
Employment of historians is projected to grow 6 percent from 2012 to 2022, slower than the average for all occupations. Competition
for jobs should be very strong because there are a small number of positions relative to the number of people seeking jobs in the field.
Similar Occupations
Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of historians with similar occupations.
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Historians : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about historians by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and
occupations.
What Historians Do
Historians often study and preserve archival materials.
Historians research, analyze, interpret, and present the past by studying a variety of historical documents and sources.
Duties
Historians typically do the following:
Gather historical data from various sources, including archives, books, and artifacts
Analyze and interpret historical information to determine its authenticity and significance
Trace historical developments in a particular field
Engage with the public through educational programs and presentations
Archive or preserve materials and artifacts in museums, visitor centers, and historic sites
Provide advice or guidance on historical topics and preservation issues
Write reports, articles, and books on findings and theories
Historians conduct research and analysis for governments, businesses, nonprofits, historical associations, and other organizations. They
use a variety of sources in their work, including government and institutional records, newspapers, photographs, interviews, films, and
unpublished manuscripts (such as personal diaries and letters). They also may process, catalog, and archive these documents and
artifacts.
Many historians present and interpret history in order to shape or build upon public knowledge of past events. They often trace and
build a historical profile of a particular person, area, idea, organization, or event. Once their research is complete, they present their
findings through articles, books, reports, exhibits, websites, and educational programs.
In government, some historians conduct research to provide historical context for current policy issues. For example, they may research
the history of Social Security as background for a new bill or upcoming funding debate. Many write about the history of a particular
government agency, activity, or program, such as a military operation or the space program.
In historical associations, historians preserve artifacts and explain the historical significance of a wide variety of subjects, such as
historic buildings, religious groups, and battlegrounds.
Historians who work for businesses may examine historical evidence for legal cases and regulatory matters.
Many people with an educational background in history become high school teachers or postsecondary teachers.
Work Environment
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Historians : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Historians may spend much of their time researching
and writing reports.
Historians held about 3,800 jobs in 2012, of which 58 percent were in government. Historians also worked in museums, archives,
historical societies, research organizations, and nonprofits. Some worked as consultants for these organizations while being employed
by consulting firms, and some worked as independent consultants.
The industries that employed the most historians in 2012 were as follows:
State and local government, excluding education and hospitals
36%
Federal government, excluding postal service
22
Professional, scientific, and technical services
20
Work Schedules
Most historians work full time during regular business hours. Some, including those who are self-employed, work independently and
are able to set their own schedules. Historians who work in museums or other institutions open to the public may work evenings or
weekends. Some historians travel to conduct practical work in different environments, which may involve collecting artifacts, going to
sources, conducting interviews, or visiting an area to better understand its culture and environment.
How to Become a Historian
Historians may use primary sources,
such as letters and photographs, in
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Historians : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
their research.
Although most historian positions require a master’s degree, some research positions require a doctoral degree. Candidates with a
bachelor’s degree may qualify for some entry-level positions, but most will not be traditional historian jobs.
Education
Historians need a master’s degree or Ph.D. for most positions. Many historians have a master’s degree in history or public history.
Others complete degrees in related fields, such as museum studies, historical preservation, or archival management. Many programs
require an internship or other onsite work experience as a part of the degree program.
Research positions, including many jobs within the federal government, typically require a Ph.D. Students in history Ph.D. programs
usually concentrate in a specific area of history. Possible specializations include a particular country or region, period, or field, such as
social, political, or cultural history.
Candidates with a bachelor’s degree in history may qualify for entry-level positions at museums, historical associations, or other small
organizations. However, most bachelor’s degree holders usually work outside of traditional historian jobs—for example, jobs in
education, communications, law, business, publishing, or journalism.
Many people with an educational background in history become high school teachers or postsecondary teachers.
Other Experience
Many historians benefit from previous history work, internships, or field experience when they look for positions outside of colleges
and universities. Most master’s programs in public history and similar fields require an internship as part of the curriculum.
Internships offer an opportunity for students to learn practical skills, such as handling and preserving artifacts and creating exhibits.
They also give students an opportunity to apply their academic knowledge in a hands-on setting.
Those without internship experience can benefit from volunteering or working in an entry-level position to gain similar practical
experience. Positions are often available at local museums, historical societies, government agencies, or nonprofit and other
organizations.
Important Qualities
Analytical skills. Historians must be able to examine the information and data in historical sources and draw logical conclusions
from them, whether the sources are written documents, visual images, or material artifacts.
Communication skills. Communication skills are important for historians because many give presentations on their historical
specialty to the public. Historians also need communication skills when they interview people to collect oral histories, consult with
clients, or collaborate with colleagues in the workplace.
Problem-solving skills. Historians try to answer questions about the past. They may investigate something unknown about a past
idea, event, or person; decipher historical information; or identify how the past has affected the present.
Research skills. Historians must be able to examine and process information from a large number of historical documents, texts, and
other sources.
Writing skills. Writing skills are essential for historians as they often present their findings in reports, articles, and books.
Pay
Historians
Median annual wages, May 2012
Social scientists and related
workers
Historians
$69,290
$52,480
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Historians : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Total, all occupations
$34,750
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics
The median annual wage for historians was $52,480 in May 2012. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an
occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $27,020, and the top 10 percent
earned more than $97,930.
In May 2012, the median annual wages for historians in the top three industries employing historians were as follows:
Federal government, excluding postal service
$85,640
Professional, scientific, and technical services
State and local government, excluding education
and hospitals
54,200
37,540
Most historians work full time during standard business hours. Some, including those who are self-employed, work independently and
are able to set their own schedules.
Job Outlook
Historians
Percent change in employment, projected 2012-22
Social scientists and related
workers
11%
Total, all occupations
11%
Historians
6%
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
Employment of historians is projected to grow 6 percent from 2012 to 2022, slower than the average for all occupations.
Federal government, which employed nearly one-quarter of all historians in 2012, is expected decline 12 percent over the coming
decade, which will limit overall employment growth for historians.
Historians will experience faster employment growth outside of the federal government in historical societies, research organizations,
and historical consulting firms. However, many types of organizations that employ historians depend on donations or public funding.
Thus, employment growth from 2012 to 2022 will depend largely on the amount of funding available.
Job Prospects
Historians should face very strong competition for most jobs. Because of the popularity of history degree programs, applicants are
expected to outnumber positions available. Those with practical skills or hands-on work experience in a specialized field such as
collections, fundraising, or exhibit design, should have the best job prospects.
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Because historians have broad training and education in writing, analytical research, and critical thinking, they can apply their skills to
many different occupations—for example, as writers and authors, editors, postsecondary teachers, high school teachers, or policy
analysts.
Also, there are many history-related jobs that do not have the title of historian. Workers with a background in history often look for
closely related jobs, working as archivists, curators, and museum workers, social science or humanities researchers, and cultural
resource managers.
Employment projections data for Historians, 2012-22
Change, 2012-22
Occupational Title SOC Code Employment, 2012 Projected Employment, 2022 Percent Numeric Employment by Industry
Historians
19-3093
3,800
4,000
6
200
[XLS]
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
Similar Occupations
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of historians.
OCCUPATION
JOB DUTIES
Anthropologists
and
Archeologists
Anthropologists and archeologists study the
origin, development, and behavior of
humans. They examine the cultures,
languages, archeological remains, and
physical characteristics of people in various
parts of the world.
Master’s degree
$57,420
Archivists,
Curators, and
Museum
Workers
Archivists appraise, edit, and maintain
permanent records and historically
valuable documents. Curators oversee
collections of artwork and historic items,
and may conduct public service activities
for an institution. Museum technicians and
conservators prepare and restore objects
and documents in museum collections and
exhibits.
See How to Become One
$44,410
Economists
Economists study the production and
distribution of resources, goods, and
services by collecting and analyzing data,
researching trends, and evaluating
economic issues.
Master’s degree
$91,860
Editors
Editors plan, review, and revise content for
publication.
Bachelor’s degree
$53,880
Geographers
Geographers study the earth and its land,
features, and inhabitants. They also
examine phenomena such as political or
cultural structures as they relate to
geography. They study the physical and
human geographic characteristics of a
region, ranging in scale from local to
global.
Bachelor’s degree
$74,760
Bachelor’s degree
$55,050
High School
High school teachers help prepare students
for life after graduation. They teach
academic lessons and various skills that
ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
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2012 MEDIAN PAY
Historians : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Teachers
students will need to attend college and to
enter the job market.
Political
Scientists
Political scientists study the origin,
development, and operation of political
systems. They research political ideas and
analyze governments, policies, political
trends, and related issues.
Master’s degree
$102,000
Postsecondary
Teachers
Postsecondary teachers instruct students in
a wide variety of academic and vocational
subjects beyond the high school level. They
also conduct research and publish scholarly
papers and books.
See How to Become One
$68,970
Sociologists
Sociologists study society and social
behavior by examining the groups,
cultures, organizations, social institutions,
and processes that people develop.
Master’s degree
$74,960
Writers and
Authors
Writers and authors develop written
content for advertisements, books,
magazines, movie and television scripts,
songs, and online publications.
Bachelor’s degree
$55,940
Contacts for More Information
For more information about historians, visit
American Historical Association
National Council on Public History
American Association for State and Local History
O*NET
Historians
Suggested citation:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition, Historians,
on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/historians.htm (visited August 12, 2014).
Publish Date: Wednesday, January 8, 2014
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