Historians Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for historians in the U.S. is $76,750 ($36.90 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $76,750
- Mean annual wage
- $81,240
- Median hourly wage
- $36.90
- Employment
- 3,450
3,450 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $42,730 | $20.55 |
| 25th percentile | $57,290 | $27.54 |
| Median (50th) | $76,750 | $36.90 |
| 75th percentile | $99,990 | $48.07 |
| 90th percentile | $131,810 | $63.37 |
Highest-paying states for historians
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $121,710 | — |
| Maryland | $120,580 | 50 |
| District of Columbia | $118,290 | 250 |
| Minnesota | $103,040 | 50 |
| Virginia | $101,920 | 180 |
| Washington | $99,720 | 30 |
| Oregon | $99,560 | 40 |
| California | $97,420 | 210 |
| Hawaii | $92,520 | 70 |
| Illinois | $89,670 | — |
Lowest-paying states
- Utah: $33,840 median annual wage
- Wisconsin: $45,810 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $46,010 median annual wage
- Oklahoma: $50,980 median annual wage
- South Carolina: $52,120 median annual wage
About this occupation
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and institutional records, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs, interviews, films, electronic media, and unpublished manuscripts, such as personal diaries and letters.
Typical tasks
- Advise or consult with individuals and institutions regarding issues such as the historical authenticity of materials or the customs of a specific historical period.
- Recommend actions related to historical art, such as which items to add to a collection or which items to display in an exhibit.
- Research and prepare manuscripts in support of public programming and the development of exhibits at historic sites, museums, libraries, and archives.
- Teach and conduct research in colleges, universities, museums, and other research agencies and schools.
- Determine which topics to research, or pursue research topics specified by clients or employers.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Master's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 0.2% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 2.9% |
| Some college, no degree | 4.8% |
| Associate's degree | 2.3% |
| Bachelor's degree | 31.1% |
| Master's degree | 39.2% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 19.4% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.