The Average Salary of a Historian

A quintessential rendition of the historian and scholar

Historians are professional researchers and interpreters of the past. For those who wish to pursue history as a career, the pay scale is fairly consistent throughout different industries, but there are fluctuations based on employer, geographical location, and other factors.

Museums

Estimates for historians in museum positions range from about $31,000 to $51,000 or so, according to the website PayScale. The pay rate for those involved with historical preservation projects is very similar. Rates could increase based upon a person's expertise and the demands of a specific exhibition, collection or preservation project.

Government Work

Historians and other academics have opportunities to work with the government. These positions could involve being advisers to policymakers as well as instructors for the military. The pay rate for these jobs is slightly higher than museum or preservation work and tops out at around $64,000 on average.

Academia

Averages for university pay can be somewhat misleading. While the average may rest somewhere between $33,000 and $55,000, this does not really reflect varying professorial tiers. The average pay for an assistant professor will always be lower than an associate professor, while full-tenured professors can average much higher than $55,000. Academic pay rates depend on the institution and the individual's qualifications and career accomplishments as well as how that institution pays humanities scholars more generally.

References

• Payscale: Salary Snapshot for a Historian Job
• StateUniversity: Historian Job Description