Why a history degree is still worth it
And how to make sure it works for you
“Has the Decline in History Major Hit Bottom?” an article published by the American Historical Association wonders. “The Dangerous Decline of the Historical Profession,” declares The New York Times. It’s not hard to find articles like these discussing the decline in undergraduate history majors and job opportunities in the academy for history Ph.Ds. To be sure, the numbers are troubling. As a percentage of all diplomas awarded, less than 1.2% of graduating undergraduate students received history degrees in 2019, compared with 5.7 percent in 1967.1 Meanwhile, there were 16% fewer tenure track jobs for recent Ph.D. graduates in 2022 than there were in pre-COVID years. leaving many graduates having to settle for adjunct teaching positions which lack job protections and typically involve getting paid by the course.2 All of this combined creates an unsettling picture of the future of academic history, and no doubt is causing some potential students to reevaluate what they want to major in while at college. What if the number of history majors keeps decreasing? Why get an undergraduate degree or a Ph.D. if there won’t be any stable professor jobs when you graduate after spending countless hours and thousands of dollars in tuition?
Ironically, the concerns and financial challenges in the academic history field are occurring at a time when history has arguably never been more present in the public consciousness, and historical research has never been easier. Thanks to the internet, both professional historians and history lovers have access to thousands of primary and secondary sources that were previously inaccessible if you didn’t live near a repository. Platforms like ArchivesGrid and WorldCat provide new ways to track and identify the locations of relevant sources and collections. The internet has transformed genealogy, with popular sites like Ancestry.com allowing people to trace their family’s histories from the comfort of their homes. Historical content is also popular on social media with major institutions like the Smithsonian as well as passionate individuals sharing content that focuses on history. While the picture is uneven, according to the American Association for State and Local History visitation at historic sites and history museums has rebounded strongly from COVID.3 And finally, for better or worse, debates about history, how we remember the past, and what students learn about history in school continue to take place on the public stage.
All of this suggests that there are many passionate history lovers out there, some of whom are getting ready to either apply for college or pick a major. But while they love history, they’ve also probably heard the refrain, “Major in history? What are you going to do with that degree?”
I encountered that question myself. As my high school’s resident history buff, it wasn’t surprising to anyone that I planned to major in history, but I still got the question, and to some extent, I asked it myself. Was the history major a good use of my time? Would it be worth it? Now over ten years later I can say that the answer is a definite yes. My history degree has allowed me to work on some incredible projects, travel around the country, meet lifelong friends, and engage in many professional and personal development opportunities. If I were to leave the history field tomorrow, it would still have been worth it.
“But Scott,” you might be saying, “you work in the history field. Of course, it paid off for you. What about everyone else?” To be sure, I can draw a clear line between my degree to my job, but a history major can be a valuable tool even if you don’t go into the professional history field. When done right a history degree provides experiences and skills that are useful for many careers and for simply living in the modern age. That said, I think it is important to consider what you want to get out of the history degree, and what courses you should take in pursuit of it.
The Value of a History Major
The websites for various history programs will often have a “Why major in history?” section. The best versions of these highlight the skills a student acquires and the various career options for history graduates (more on that below). Research, writing, and critical thinking are often listed, and for good reason. All three are versatile skills that serve students well in both work and life. Especially in the Internet Age, where we have access to countless pages of content, the ability to analyze information, prioritize sources, and understand what is trustworthy and what isn’t is a key skill to both understanding the world and being a productive citizen.
Of course, a prospective history student is going to wonder about both the skills they will learn and their future employment prospects. “Will I have a job when I graduate?” is a fair question to ask. Given the high cost of college and the four years typically required to earn an undergraduate history degree, students deserve to know whether the investments they’ll make in time and money will pay off. “You don’t study the humanities to earn money” is easy to say when one has a stable job or enough money to not worry about working, but dismissive attitudes like that are unlikely to convince a prospective student, particularly one who is faced with the possibility of taking on student loans. Beyond the data I’ve seen, I cannot speak to the job prospects for students looking to go into academia, but I can provide some insight on jobs in the applied history field as well as how history majors fare in the wider job world.
Careers in the Field
The popular perception is that you can do only one of two things with a history degree, teach K-12 or go to graduate school for a Ph.D. For that reason, anyone who wants a history degree and who doesn’t want to go into teaching might look at the job opportunities in the academy with understandable horror. However, that’s only part of the story and leaves out all of the jobs in the public/applied history field. From museums and historic sites, to consulting firms, to historian positions in the federal government, many jobs involve conducting research and communicating historical findings. Educator at a historic site? Applied history. Costumed history interpreter? Applied history. Park ranger giving tours about the past? Applied history. Researcher gathering resources for a law firm to aid a case? Applied history. All of these are positions that require the skills that a history degree provides, and many require a history degree in order to be considered by a hiring manager. Crucially, these are jobs that fall outside of the numbers collected by the AHA. Job opportunities absolutely exist in the applied history field, and in greater abundance than they do in the academy.
With that said, there are a couple of caveats. For one many of the jobs available at museums and historic sites require skills that aren’t part of the typical history undergraduate program. Whether development, resource management, or administration, these roles are vital to these institutions’ survival but they don’t typically involve historical research or communications. For many, a long-term stable job in the applied history field is in one of these positions. I’ve seen people start their careers working as a tour guide or front-line position at a museum or historic site and then move on to these other roles, and they are thriving in their new positions. They still get to advance the work of history and support compelling institutions even if they are not the ones researching or presenting historical information to the public.
There is also a fair amount of degree inflation in the field. For anyone who wants to work as a collections manager or curator, a master’s degree is often required or at least strongly recommended. For large sites that have on-site historians, a Ph.D. is often needed to win the role. This isn’t always the case, the firm I work for hired me with just a bachelor’s degree, and many historian positions on the federal government’s hiring site, USAJobs, do not require a master’s degree. Recent pushes by state governments to open up more positions to those without advanced degrees might also lead to job opportunities in the applied history field in the future, but it is impossible to say for sure.
Finally, keep in mind that many entry-level jobs in the field are part-time or term positions, and the starting pay is often fairly low. This is not always the case, but anyone who wants to work in the field should be aware of those limitations before they make a decision. As discussed below, there are other opportunities for history majors to find work and make money.
Careers Outside of the Field
While the applied history field offers opportunities for the history degree holder, I would wager that most history majors work outside of the history field. That’s to be expected. I’ve seen different numbers, but the reports show that many students, regardless of their degree, are working in fields not connected their major. The US Department of Education found that only 44% of workers with bachelor’s degrees said that their jobs were closely related to their major, 24% felt that their jobs were somewhat related to their major, and 22% felt that their jobs were not related to their major at all.4 By contrast, another study featured in The Washington Post found that the number of grads who do have jobs connected to their major is only 27%.5 A history major who doesn’t end up working in a field directly connected to either the academy or the applied history world is the norm, not the exception.
So where do history majors end up working after graduation? Among people I know, some are lawyers, some are analysts and management consultants, and one works in IT security. In contrast to the stereotype of the unemployed humanities graduate, these are all highly-competitive and well-paid positions. A study by the American Historical Association provides additional data. Drawing upon the American Community Survey, the AHA report notes that the three largest career sectors for history graduates are 1) Education, Training, and Library, 2)Management: Business, Science, and Arts, and 3) Legal Occupations.6 History majors find themselves in many fields that offer well-paying careers where they can put their research, critical thinking, and writing skills to good use. For that reason, a history major can be a great investment even if one has no plans to be a teacher or work in the applied history sector.
Recommended Classes
While a history major is absolutely worth it, it is also true that a hiring manager is probably not going to be interested in your research paper about the strained relations between provincial troops and the British Army during the French and Indian War.7 Having a command of content is important, but employers are interested in the skills you have. Taking classes that allow you to practice and hone those skills will pay dividends once you start interviewing for jobs. If you can find time in your schedule, I’d recommend taking classes that deal with the following topics as well.
Digital history research. With the rise of social media and the recent rise of AI text and video, the question of how we gather, analyze, and understand the trustworthiness of historical materials found on the web is paramount in many industries.
Digital history interpretation and communication. From social media to digital exhibits, effectively communicating historical information on the web and gaining visitor interest and engagement is a task that many museums and historical sites are very anxious about. The tools they use, including social media platforms, webpage content platforms, and digital design strategies are useful and relevant to many industries and organizations.
Data and statistics. Analyzing and understanding quantitative historical data, including the strengths and weaknesses of individual datasets, is a skill that cuts across industries and fields. Take it from someone who isn’t exactly a fan of math, these classes can be really engaging and valuable. Bonus points if they offer the chance to hone your understanding of Excel and other data computation platforms.
Historians craft/theories of history. A class on the various frameworks/theories/structures for how people study the past and how the approaches have changed over time is a useful tool for understanding and interpreting the works of other historians.
Classes with different assignment types. While it’s important to know how to write a good research paper, your professional career will probably involve more in the way of memos, research briefs, and white papers. Getting comfortable with those formats will give you a leg up when it comes to your early days in the working world. Besides, practicing how to condense historical research into a readable format without sacrificing nuance and accuracy is a valuable skill in and of itself.
Public history/museum studies. Before taking the plunge on a graduate degree in history, public history, or museum studies try to take some undergraduate courses on these topics if your school offers them. Some people love conducting oral histories, others are fascinated by collections management, while still others are born to be archivists. If you can try out a specialization to make sure it is the right fit before committing to a graduate degree, you’ll be doing your wallet (and your sanity) a favor.
Internships. An internship, whether in the applied history field or outside it, is a good way to get experience in a professional environment, build your network, and test out potential career paths. Work with your professors or your school’s career center to identify opportunities. Before committing, do your research. Try and make sure that the internship will give you valuable experiences, and definitely try and find one that will pay you, provide housing, or both.
Classes on your favorite topics. While the mileage these classes will get you down the line will vary, it’s still worth it to pursue your interests. Take classes that interest you, and do good work to create some final products that you can be proud of (and submit as writing samples on future job applications).
Double Majors are Your Friend
If you’re reading this and still a bit worried about going for a history major, that’s understandable. Ultimately, I majored in history, but, to hedge my bets in the working world, I also double majored in government. Double majors (or a major and a minor) are a great way to learn new skills, take in different schools of thought, and expand your horizons. While each school will have its own rules, most places probably won’t stop you from adding a second major in finance, marketing, economics, international relations, or computer science to go alongside your history degree.
Based on personal experience, I’d argue that the ability to pair your history major with another skill set is a very valuable tool. An internship at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park was my introduction to the field of applied history, but while my (then in-progress) history degree helped me get a foot in the door, I don’t think it alone put me over the top. Based on conversations I had once I started the internship, it seems that the acting classes I was taking in school and my theater experience (which I always jokingly described as my unofficial third major) are what put my application above the others. Given that the position involved storytelling, communicating with groups of twenty to forty people, and wearing 19th-century period clothing, it was clear that the skills I learned through theater would be major assets to the internship. If I didn’t have those skills, I might not have won the job, and I wouldn’t be writing this article today.
For those looking for a job in the applied history field, being passionate about the past isn’t enough to land a job. The successful candidate will be able to show the skills they bring to the table in addition to their research and writing abilities, anything that will make them stand out compared with other history majors. Do they know how to do data analysis? Do they understand GIS? Or web design? What do they know about project management or strategic planning? Not every one of these skills will be relevant to every job, but they provide a sense of the universe of abilities that employers might be looking for. Double-majoring is a great way to start developing your skills, while also giving yourself more tools to further your study of the past.
Learning the Past in the Present
Far from the stereotype, an undergraduate history major can be a valuable investment, regardless of whether you end up working in the history field or not. The key is to be strategic in your class choices, be open to new experiences, and also accept that your future career path might take you away from the study of the past and that’s okay. For a history major who finds themselves missing the historian’s craft, there are multiple ways to scratch that history itch, whether it’s volunteering at a historic site, serving on the board of a museum, or conducting personal research at a local library. Every day volunteer tour guides, archivists, researchers, and oral historians make a difference in the study and interpretation of history at countless small institutions around the world. For any history major who gets a job outside of the field and strikes it rich, there are also plenty of history-focused institutions that will happily accept your donations.
While the decline in undergraduate history majors is a challenge for the field, I do not believe it is an insurmountable one. People are still interested in history and are still eager to delve into the process of exploring the past. The challenge is to show them the pathways that exist from degree to employment. To some extent, history graduates, including those who work outside of the history field, need to be willing to share their career paths and mentor younger students.8 History Departments, meanwhile, need to communicate how their courses will set students up for success and make sure that their curriculums meet the needs of all their students, not just those who want a career in the academy. Several departments appear to already be doing this, and I’m excited to see how the history curriculum offered in U.S. colleges and universities continues to grow and evolve. Majoring in history is still worth it, and as long as that remains true, the history major isn’t history yet. With proper care, it can endure for many years to come provided that history departments work to meet the needs of the present and future, and not just the past.
Robert B. Townsend, “Has the Decline in History Majors Hit Bottom? Data from 2018-2019 Show Lowest Numbers Since 1980,” American Historical Association, February 23, 2021. https://www.historians.org/research-and-publications/perspectives-on-history/march-2021/has-the-decline-in-history-majors-hit-bottom-data-from-2018%e2%80%9319-show-lowest-number-since-1980
Daniel Bessner, “The Dangerous Decline of the Historical Profession,” The New York Times, January 14, 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/14/opinion/american-history-college-university-academia.html#:~:text=In%20the%202018%2D19%20academic,awarded%20since%20the%20late%201980s.%E2%80%9D
W. Maclane Hull and John Garrison Marks, “2023 National Visitation Report: An Analysis of Visitation Trends at History Organizations in the United States,” AASLH, 2023, pg. 1-2, http://download.aaslh.org/2023_AASLH_National_Visitation_Report.pdf
Haude Huo, Jeremy Redford, “College Majors and Careers: Job Relatedness and Compensation of 1992-93 and 2007-08 Bachelor’s Degree Recipients 4 Years After Graduation,” U.S. Department of Education, March 2019, https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2018/2018163.pdf
Brad Plumber, “Only 27 Percent of College Grads Have a Job Related to Their Major,” The Washington Post, May 20, 2013. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2013/05/20/only-27-percent-of-college-grads-have-a-job-related-to-their-major/
Paul Sturtevant, “History is Not a Useless Major: Fighting Myths with Data,” The American Historical Association, April 2017, https://history.ua.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/History-Is-Not-a-Useless-Major_-Fighting-Myths-with-Data-_-AHA.pdf
Their loss, I got an A on that paper, so it had to have had some insights. Right?
If you are a prospective student or are currently majoring in history and want to chat more feel free to reach out!