History: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries

Salaries for History graduates vary by role and location. Managers, All Other earn a median of $136,550 annually, while History Teachers, Postsecondary earn around $81,500. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in Delaware average $122,865 compared to $61,463 in Utah. Approximately 1,726,520 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.

Currently 1,353 accredited institutions offer History degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) (542 graduates), Liberty University (488 graduates), and University of California (UCLA), Los Angeles (231 graduates).

Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.

Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 42,780 in 2010 to a peak of 31,645 in 2020, before declining slightly to 28,959 in 2023-24. This represents a 32% decrease overall from 2010.

The field remains specialized with consistent demand, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.

This degree prepares you for roles such as Managers, All Other, History Teachers, Postsecondary, and Historians. Related occupations employ approximately 1,726,520 professionals nationwide.

Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.