Occupations · Life, Physical, and Social Science

Historians

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and institutional records, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs, interviews, films, electronic media, and unpublished manuscripts, such as personal diaries and letters.

O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 19-3093.00

$74,050median annual wage, May 2024

3,140people employed, United States

▲ 2.2%projected change, 2024→2034

300openings a year, incl. replacements

What it pays

A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage

Pay over time

Median up 77% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.

BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.

Where the jobs are

Metro area	Median wage	Employed
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$115,710	420
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	$78,550	140
Salt Lake City, UT	$32,000	80
Urban Honolulu, HI	$82,550	60
Rochester, NY	$48,620	50
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$59,400	40
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA	$94,590	40
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$83,360	40
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	$54,080	40
Montgomery, AL	$72,550	30
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$100,610	30
Oklahoma City, OK	$48,730	30

BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation

Typical education to enter: Master's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34

What people in this job actually do

Ordered by how important the work is rated.

Gather historical data from sources such as archives, court records, diaries, news files, and photographs, as well as from books, pamphlets, and periodicals.
Organize data, and analyze and interpret its authenticity and relative significance.
Prepare publications and exhibits, or review those prepared by others, to ensure their historical accuracy.
Organize information for publication and for other means of dissemination, such as via storage media or the Internet.
Conduct historical research as a basis for the identification, conservation, and reconstruction of historic places and materials.
Conserve and preserve manuscripts, records, and other artifacts.
Research the history of a particular country or region, or of a specific time period.
Present historical accounts in terms of individuals or social, ethnic, political, economic, or geographic groupings.
Conduct historical research, and publish or present findings and theories.
Determine which topics to research, or pursue research topics specified by clients or employers.
Coordinate activities of workers engaged in cataloging and filing materials.
Recommend actions related to historical art, such as which items to add to a collection or which items to display in an exhibit.

O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale

Skills that matter most

Importance, rated 1 to 5.

Reading Comprehension4.8

Writing4.1

Critical Thinking4.1

Active Learning4.0

Speaking4.0

Active Listening4.0

Learning Strategies3.2

Monitoring3.0

Science2.6

Mathematics2.0

O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale

Software and tools

A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.

Adobe Acrobat●Adobe InDesign●Adobe Photoshop●ESRI ArcGIS software●Extensible markup language XML●IBM SPSS Statistics●Microsoft Access●Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP●Microsoft Excel●Microsoft Office software●Microsoft PowerPoint●Microsoft SharePoint●Microsoft Word●Structured query language SQL●Adobe DreamweaverArchival databasesArchiveGridArchives WikiAudio editing softwareCorel WordPerfect Office SuiteDatabase management systemsDigital image collectionsDigital mapping softwareEmail softwareGeographic information system GIS softwareGeographic information system GIS systemsGoogle Books NGram ViewerGutenberg-e

O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag

What this work is actually like

Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.

5 / 5Extensive preparation — graduate school, and often a licence on top.

O*NET 30.3 Job Zones

Working conditions that stand out

Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable−1.5 below average

Consequence of Error−1.1 below average

Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions−1.1 below average

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets−1.0 below average

Exposed to Hazardous Conditions−1.0 below average

Physical Proximity−0.9 below average

Degree of Automation−0.9 below average

O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2025-08

How people actually get in

Share of workers by the education they hold.

Master's Degree64%

Bachelor's Degree10%

Less than a High School Diploma9%

Some College Courses8%

O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2025-08

What kind of person the work suits

Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.

Investigative5.3

Conventional4.9

Artistic3.7

O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)

Tasks O*NET flags as emerging

Coordinate artifact donations on behalf of a museum.
Create and revise scripts for the tour guides.
Write policies and procedures for archival collection care and research protocols.

O*NET 30.3 emerging tasks

What you take with you

Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.

Complex Problem Solving3.4

Social Perceptiveness3.1

Judgment and Decision Making3.1

Instructing3.1

Coordination3.0

Time Management2.9

Persuasion2.8

Negotiation2.5

O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale

Knowledge the work draws on

History and ArcheologyEnglish LanguageSociology and AnthropologyGeographyAdministrativeEducation and Training

Abilities it leans on

Written ComprehensionWritten ExpressionOral ExpressionNear VisionOral ComprehensionInductive Reasoning

O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale

How this job is advertised

The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.

HistorianResearcherGenealogistArt HistorianOral HistorianFilm HistorianProtohistorianDance HistorianHistoriographerMusic HistorianCounty HistorianHealth HistorianMedical HistorianResearch Historian

O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation

Get this as a personal report

The same sourced evidence, recut for the closest published view of your city, state or industry, as a dated PDF.

Free page vs. the $29 report

The page above is a public national reference: it is the same for every reader. The $29 report uses the location or industry you name, states the exact BLS cut used, and packages five decision-focused sections as a PDF. Choose $49 when you need a broader comparison of industries, places, changes and next moves.

$29Occupation reportPay where you are, conditions, preparation, education, what you carry into another job.$49Professional reportAdds two decades of pay, industries, geography, what changed, adjacent occupations and what to study.$99International offerAdds named employers and their actual rates from visa filings, the seniority pay ladder and the cities that hire.

Compare the three reports

What you learn	$29	$49	$99
What it pays in your city and industry	✓	✓	✓
Working conditions, preparation, education	✓	✓	✓
What you carry into another occupation	✓	✓	✓
What this job is called in postings	✓	✓	✓
How pay changed over the years	brief	✓	✓
Where the industry changes the number	—	✓	✓
Where the work actually is	—	✓	✓
What appeared and disappeared in the job	—	✓	✓
How long it takes to become competent	—	✓	✓
Where to move next and what to learn	—	✓	✓
What to study to get in	—	✓	✓
What the same work pays in Britain	—	—	✓
What the same work pays in Canada	—	—	✓
Who hires, by name, and at what rates	—	—	✓
The money ladder by skill level	—	—	✓
Cities that actually sponsor visas	—	—	✓
Sections in the report	5	12	19
Who it is for	If you are deciding whether this work is worth your time.	If you are in the occupation and deciding where to move next.	If you are aiming for an offer abroad.

EmailNameCity or stateIndustry (optional)

What decision are you making? (optional)

No payment is taken now. We reply with a secure payment link.

What changed since 2015

Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 1 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.

Now listed 15

+Relational database management system RDMS+Wonderware software+LinkedIn+Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software+Adobe Photoshop+Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP+IBM SPSS Statistics+Adobe Dreamweaver+Corel WordPerfect Office Suite+ESRI ArcGIS software+Adobe Acrobat+Microsoft Access+Adobe InDesign+Microsoft SharePoint

No longer listed 6

−Adobe Systems Adobe Dreamweaver−SPSS−Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat−Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign−Corel WordPerfect−Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop software

Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.

O*NET 30.3 related occupations

Also called

HistorianResearcherGenealogistArt HistorianFilm HistorianOral HistorianProtohistorianDance HistorianHistoriographerMusic HistorianHealth HistorianCounty Historian

O*NET 30.3 alternative titles

The same work in Europe

ESCO occupation	ISCO	Match
historian	2633.1	exact
anthropologist	2632.1	close
archaeologist	2632.2	close
genealogist	2633.1.1	broader

Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)

Keep exploring

See labor-market evidence in motion.

Watch short Tamhu stories about pay, growth and how work changes — then return to the source data here.

Watch on YouTube →

Watch this occupation

This job has changed before and it will change again. We'll email you when the data moves — a tool appears, a skill gains weight, the pay distribution shifts. Free, and one click to stop.

Check your inbox — your watch starts only after you confirm.

We send data, not advice. No sharing, no resale. Privacy