Career comparison
History Professor vs. Philosophy and Religion 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. $80,260), while history professors usually get to work faster (6–8 years after a bachelor’s of training). History professors teach college students how the past shaped today and how to study it. Philosophy and religion professors teach students to reason clearly about ethics, knowledge and belief.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| History Professor | Philosophy and Religion Professor | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $83,820 | $80,260 |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $48,410 – $162,160 | $49,140 – $139,580 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | 0.0% (little or no change) | +2.0% (slower than average) |
| Openings per year | 1,500 | 1,800 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 6–8 years after a bachelor’s | 6–8 years after a bachelor’s |
| Key credential | Ph.D. in history | Ph.D. |
| Work setting | Faculty work in classrooms, offices, libraries and archives.. | Faculty work in classrooms, offices and libraries.. |
What each job does
History Professor
- Teach history courses
- Teach primary source analysis
- Research in archives
- Publish articles and books
- Mentor students
Philosophy and Religion Professor
- Teach philosophy or religion courses
- Lead discussions
- Teach applied ethics
- Research and publish
- Mentor students
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working independently, desk work, creative work, and working with people. Both are part of the education & childcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose history professor if…
- I love history
- I like digging through archives
- I like writing
Choose philosophy and religion professor if…
- I love big questions
- I enjoy arguments
- I respect many views
Still torn? Take the History Professor fit quiz and the Philosophy and Religion Professor fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, history professor or philosophy and religion professor?
History Professors earn more at the median: $83,820 versus $80,260 for philosophy and religion professors, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
History Professors typically train faster (6–8 years after a bachelor’s) than philosophy and religion professors (6–8 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects philosophy and religion professors to grow +2.0% from 2025–35, compared with 0.0% for history professors.