Historians search for and mark out historical progress in a particular sphere, such as societal, educational or political history. They collect historical information, facts and figures from various sources such as old records, diaries maintained by people in those eras, news files, and pictures, as well as collect data from such sources as books, pamphlets, and periodicals.
Historians also conduct historical research, and publish and present their findings and theories. They systematize data, and examine and deduce its genuineness and relative importance. Based on historians’ research and findings, information and other data are organized for publication and for storing in CD-ROMs or Internet sites.
Most historians delve into the history of a country or area that interests them or of a specific time period. Clients and employers also specify topics for research.
Historians organize publications and exhibits and may also be asked to appraise exhibits organized by others to ensure that they are historically correct and that the information provided is truthful. Biographers also seek the help of historians for information on people whose biography they are compiling. Historians teach and conduct research in institutions of higher education, museums, and other research agencies.
They lecture to a range of groups, organizations, and clubs to endorse and uphold the goals and inform about the activities of historical societies.
Most museums, libraries and federal and private archives depend on historians and seek their help to organize and maintain historical effects and data at their respective sites. Their advice is also sought and they are asked to recommend which items to add to a collection.
The description and analysis of events of the past through writing, teaching, and research is the work of historians. Historians usually specialize in the history of an era, ancient, medieval, or modern or in a specific country or area. They may also specialize in the history of a field such as economics, the labor movement, architecture, or business.
In the United States, many historians specialize in the social or political history of either the United States or modern Europe. The fields of African, Latin American, Asian, and Near Eastern history are becoming popular as well.
Most historians are employed in colleges and universities where they lecture, write, and do research in addition to teaching. Historians are also employed by libraries, museums, research organizations, historical societies, publishing firms, large corporations, and state and local government agencies.
The federal government employs historians primarily in the National Archives, Smithsonian Institution, and the Departments of Defense, Interior, and State.
Archivists collect historical objects and documents, prepare historical exhibits, and edit and classify historical materials for use in research and other activities. They are employed by museums, special libraries, and historical societies.
Places of Employment and Working Conditions
Historians are employed in just about every college and university, and most cities have at least one museum. Those who work for the federal government work mostly in Washington, D.C.
Qualifications, Education, and Training
Anyone interested in this field should have an interest in reading, studying, and research, and he or she should have the ability and desire to write papers and reports. A historian needs analytical skills and should be able to work both independently or as part of a group. High school should include as many social science courses as possible. Summer or part-time jobs in museums or libraries are helpful.
Although a bachelor's degree with a major in history is sufficient for a few entry-level jobs, almost all jobs in this field require advanced degrees. A master's degree is the minimum requirement for college instructors, with a Ph.D. necessary for a professorship and administrative positions.
History curriculums vary, but all provide training in the basic skills of research methods, writing, and speaking, which are needed by historians. Also important are training in archival work and quantitative methods of analysis, including statistical and computer techniques.
Potential and Advancement
Competition will continue to be stiff for all job openings in this field since there will soon be thousands more Ph.D.s in the history field than there will be jobs for them to fill. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there are 3,500 historians in the United States and grow in this field between 2014 and 2024 will be just 2%. Most openings will occur to replace those who retire or leave the field. Those graduating from prestigious universities and those well trained in quantitative methods of historical research will have the best job opportunities.
Historians with a master's degree will find teaching positions in community and junior colleges or high schools, but these jobs may also require state teaching certification.
Those with only a bachelor's degree will find very limited opportunities, but their major in history can be an excellent background for a career in journalism, politics, and other fields or for continuing education in law, business administration, or other related disciplines.
Income
Earnings depend on the qualification and experience of the historian and the kind of job he or she doing. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median historian salary in 2015 was $55,800. Historians employed by private companies normally earn higher salaries. Many professional historians supplement their income through writing, lecturing, or consulting projects. Benefits typically include paid holidays and vacations, insurance, and retirement plans.
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