Career comparison
Historian vs. History Professor
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
History professors earn more at the median ($83,820 vs. $76,750), while historians usually get to work faster (2 years after a bachelor’s of training). Historians research and interpret the past for governments, museums and the public. History professors teach college students how the past shaped today and how to study it.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Historian | History Professor | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $76,750 ($36.90/hr) | $83,820 |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $42,730 – $131,810 | $48,410 – $162,160 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +3.0% (about as fast as average) | 0.0% (little or no change) |
| Openings per year | 300 | 1,500 |
| Typical entry education | Master's degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 2 years after a bachelor’s | 6–8 years after a bachelor’s |
| Key credential | Master’s in history | Ph.D. in history |
| Work setting | Historians work in offices, archives, museums and historic sites.. | Faculty work in classrooms, offices, libraries and archives.. |
What each job does
Historian
- Research archives
- Conduct oral histories
- Write reports
- Develop exhibits
- Preserve records
History Professor
- Teach history courses
- Teach primary source analysis
- Research in archives
- Publish articles and books
- Mentor students
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working independently, desk work, creative work, and high-pay. They sit in different fields, science, engineering & lab and education & childcare, but share transferable skills such as curiosity and storytelling.
Which should you choose?
Choose historian if…
- I love history
- I like archives
- I write well
Choose history professor if…
- I love history
- I like digging through archives
- I like writing
Still torn? Take the Historian fit quiz and the History Professor fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, historian or history professor?
History Professors earn more at the median: $83,820 versus $76,750 for historians, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Historians typically train faster (2 years after a bachelor’s) than history professors (6–8 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects historians to grow +3.0% from 2025–35, compared with 0.0% for history professors.