A historian who works outside the university, researching and presenting history for government agencies, parks, museums and communities. BLS does not publish separate figures for historians; it counts them within historian (SOC 19-3093), whose median pay is $76,750 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.
- SOC 19-3093
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Public Historian in four numbers
- Median pay
- $76,750a year, or $36.90/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $43KTop 10% $132K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.0%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 3003,800 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 20253.8K
- Projected 20353.9K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 3.8K Projected 2035 3.9K - Typical education
- Master'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school9.4%
- High school0.8%
- Some college8.2%
- Bachelor's10.2%
- Master's64.5%
- Doctorate6.5%
Highest education held by historians Segment Value Less than high school 9.4% High school 0.8% Some college 8.2% Bachelor's 10.2% Master's 64.5% Doctorate 6.5%
Also advertised as: Park Historian, Agency Historian, Federal Historian, Historical Consultant, Community Historian.
Pay
How much do Historians make?
Every public historian in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$76,750
Middle half earn $57,290 to $99,990
- 10th
- $42,730
- 25th
- $57,290
- 75th
- $99,990
- 90th
- $131,810
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $42,730 |
| 25th | $57,290 |
| Median | $76,750 |
| 75th | $99,990 |
| 90th | $131,810 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $76,750
- Median hourly wage
- $36.90/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $81,240
- People employed
- 3,450
Versus all US occupations
At $76,750, Historians earn 51% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $25,770 a year.
Versus life, physical, and social science occupations
Inside the Life, Physical, and Social Science group, where the middle occupation pays $82,220, this is 7% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $131,810 or more while the bottom 10% earn $42,730, a gap of 3.1×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 53% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Massachusetts pays the most at $121,710, and still leads at $115,085 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Historians the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Massachusetts | $121,710 | $115,085 | N/A |
| 2Maryland | $120,580 | $114,883 | 50 |
| 3District of Columbia | $118,290 | $107,633 | 250 |
| 4Minnesota | $103,040 | $104,481 | 50 |
| 5Virginia | $101,920 | $100,807 | 180 |
| 6Washington | $99,720 | $93,185 | 30 |
| 7Oregon | $99,560 | $96,323 | 40 |
| 8California | $97,420 | $87,988 | 210 |
| 9Hawaii | $92,520 | $84,147 | 70 |
| 10Illinois | $89,670 | $89,708 | N/A |
Job outlook
Is Public Historian a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.0% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Historians | +3% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Historians to change 3.0% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 100 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 300 openings are projected each year, 7.9% of the 3,800 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Public Historian
Most public historians hold a master's degree in public history or history, and some agency positions require a PhD. Public history programs combine research training with internships and practical work in archives, digital history, oral history and historic preservation.
The National Council on Public History is the main professional association and publishes guides to graduate programs and careers. Federal historian positions follow the Office of Personnel Management's History series (0170) qualification standards, and many are listed on USAJOBS. Internships with the National Park Service, state historic preservation offices and museums are a common first step.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Master's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Considerable preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as historians.
- Master's Degree64.5%
- Bachelor's Degree10.2%
- Less than a High School Diploma9.4%
- Some College Courses8.2%
- Doctoral Degree6.5%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | 64.5% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 10.2% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 9.4% |
| Some College Courses | 8.2% |
| Doctoral Degree | 6.5% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Public Historian do?
Public historians bring historical research to the public and to decision makers. They work for the National Park Service, military history offices, state historical societies, museums, historic sites and consulting firms. Their projects include writing histories of agencies and places, preparing National Register of Historic Places nominations, developing walking tours and podcasts, and researching for documentaries and exhibits.
The job also involves working with communities. Public historians collect oral histories, partner with descendant communities on how difficult histories are told, and help local governments decide how to commemorate events and people. Some testify as expert witnesses or research land claims, environmental histories and legal cases.
Day-to-day tasks
- Research history using archives, records and oral histories
- Write agency histories, site reports and historic context studies
- Prepare National Register of Historic Places nominations
- Develop public programs, tours, podcasts and exhibits
- Conduct and archive oral history interviews
- Work with communities on commemoration and interpretation
- Provide expert historical research for legal and policy questions
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Public historians work in government offices, parks, museums and consulting firms. Much of the work is research in archives and writing at a desk, with fieldwork at historic sites and community meetings. Some travel is common. Schedules are generally regular, with occasional evening or weekend public programs.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes are not usually serious.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.8
- Writing4.1
- Critical Thinking4.1
- Active Listening4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Active Learning4.0
- Learning Strategies3.3
- Monitoring3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.8 |
| Writing | 4.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.1 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Active Learning | 4.0 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.3 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving3.4
- Social Perceptiveness3.1
- Instructing3.1
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Time Management2.9
- Persuasion2.8
- Negotiation2.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.4 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 |
| Instructing | 3.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 2.9 |
| Persuasion | 2.8 |
| Negotiation | 2.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Desktop publishing software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Enterprise application integration software · in demand
- Geographic information system · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web platform development software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Public Historian?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code IAS) built on O*NET's Historian profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Public Historian |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 2 |
| Investigative | 6 |
| Artistic | 4 |
| Social | 4 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Investigative5.5
- Conventional4.7
- Artistic4.2
- Social3.7
- Realistic2.4
- Enterprising2.4
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Public Historian
O*NET related occupations
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
More life, physical, and social science careers
Median annual pay, with historians highlighted
- Industrial-Organizational Psychologist$193,950
- Physicist$172,250
- Medical Scientist, Except Epidemiologists$103,410
- Chemist$91,240
- Environmental Scientist and Specialist, Including Health$82,220
- Public Historian$76,750
- Conservation Scientist$73,010
- Chemical Technician$60,390
- Biological Technician$57,510
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologist | $193,950 |
| Physicist | $172,250 |
| Medical Scientist, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 |
| Chemist | $91,240 |
| Environmental Scientist and Specialist, Including Health | $82,220 |
| Public Historian | $76,750 |
| Conservation Scientist | $73,010 |
| Chemical Technician | $60,390 |
| Biological Technician | $57,510 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Public Historian appears on
Questions
Public Historian: frequently asked questions
How much do Historians make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for historians. It counts them within historian, whose median pay is $76,750 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $57,290 and $99,990, and the top 10% earn $131,810 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Public Historian?
Yes. BLS reports a master's degree as the typical entry-level education for Historians, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as considerable preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 64.5% hold master's degree.
Is Public Historian a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.0% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 300 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Public Historian do?
Public historians bring historical research to the public and to decision makers. A typical task: research history using archives, records and oral histories. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Data base user interface and query software, Desktop publishing software.
Which states pay Historians the most?
The highest state medians for Historians are Massachusetts ($121,710), Maryland ($120,580), District of Columbia ($118,290) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Public Historian?
O*NET scores Historians highest on the Investigative, Conventional and Artistic interest areas, so the work mixes investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are INFJ, INTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.