History Teachers, Postsecondary Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for history teachers, postsecondary in the U.S. is $83,820, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $83,820
- Mean annual wage
- $96,580
- Median hourly wage
- —
- Employment
- 18,790
18,790 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $48,410 | — |
| 25th percentile | $63,920 | — |
| Median (50th) | $83,820 | — |
| 75th percentile | $112,090 | — |
| 90th percentile | $162,160 | — |
Highest-paying states for history teachers, postsecondary
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| California | $127,170 | 1,450 |
| New Hampshire | $106,880 | 100 |
| Massachusetts | $104,900 | 780 |
| Oregon | $104,330 | 260 |
| Connecticut | $101,950 | 300 |
| New York | $100,400 | 1,660 |
| New Jersey | $99,900 | 780 |
| Maine | $99,610 | 80 |
| Michigan | $99,440 | 370 |
| Pennsylvania | $98,850 | 960 |
Lowest-paying states
- Arkansas: $47,860 median annual wage
- Nebraska: $57,150 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $63,450 median annual wage
- Kentucky: $64,600 median annual wage
- Alabama: $66,550 median annual wage
About this occupation
Teach courses in human history and historiography. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Typical tasks
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
- Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
- Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Doctoral or professional degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 0.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.7% |
| Some college, no degree | 2.0% |
| Associate's degree | 1.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 15.1% |
| Master's degree | 30.6% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 48.5% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$36,780
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$63,970
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$72,040
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$64,370
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$41,670
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$38,140
- Self-Enrichment Teachers$46,800
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$65,120
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.