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Historians

Employment Prospects

Employers

A large percentage of historians are employed by colleges and universities, while others teach at the middle- or high-school level. Historians work in archives, historical societies, libraries, museums, nonprofit foundations, research councils, and large corporations. Others work for local, state, and the federal government. Historians who are employed by the federal government often work at the National Archives and the Departments of Defense, Interior, and State. Some historians work in politics or journalism or serve as consultants to radio, television, or film producers.

Starting Out

Historians who are interested in becoming teachers enter the field after completing at least a master's degree in history. At this time, they may apply for an instructor's position at a college or university or they may seek employment as a history teacher at a middle school or high school.

Historians who are interested in non-academic positions may learn about job leads through internships, professors, or from the career services office of their college or university. The American Historical Association also offers job listings on its Web site (https://careers.historians.org/jobseekers). Many historians earn a doctorate before applying for nonteaching positions.