The 15 Best Jobs For People Who Like History

Unlike others, you’ve always been attracted to the non-fiction section in the library. More specifically, it seems your thirst for knowledge about history can never be quenched.

That must be why you’ve been called a “history buff” in the past.

The only problem is it’s not always easy to find a job that immerses you in your passion. After all, no retail position will suffice when you’re brimming with historical facts. You need a job that fits your interests.

Fortunately, there are plenty of careers that revolve around history. From teaching jobs to becoming a real-life Indiana Jones, many of these jobs also offer benefits, high salaries, and other great perks.

So, let’s dive in and discover the top 15 best jobs for people who like history.

Detailed List of the 15 Best Jobs for People Who Like History

Lawyer

Average Salary: $121,347 per year
Jobs Available: 4,544
Job Growth Rate: 6%

As it turns out, one of the highest-paying jobs out there is a great choice if you’re into history.

That’s because these professionals are often doing library research, investigating evidence, developing legal documents, and effectively counseling clients. To operate effectively as a lawyer, you’ll need to know about the history of the U.S. court system.

Luckily, lawyers are rewarded for their efforts and expertise by making an average of $58.34 per hour.

The only downside to pursuing a career as a lawyer is the education and certification requirements. It takes the average person seven years of full-time study at an accredited law school after high school to become one, plus bar exams to achieve a license to practice law.

Though, if you like history, you might enjoy all the schooling and research.

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Filmmaker

Average Salary: $79,437 per year
Jobs Available: 9,335
Job Growth Rate: 5%

There’s nothing like the feeling of accomplishment when you release a film you made. And that accomplishment is justified, as not many people know how much work goes into filmmaking. Researching, leading, and developing movie productions are all tasks filmmakers are responsible for.

This job is great for anyone who loves history because you can make films about historical topics. Anything from a documentary about ancient Egypt to a series about the Cold War. Plus, making a film about a historical topic means you’ll have plenty of time to do your obligated research.

Overall, the average filmmaker earns $34.13 per hour. However, this job does require at least some level of formal college education. The vast majority (72.8%) of those currently working in the field needed a bachelor’s degree to start their career.

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Geographer

Average Salary: $71,372 per year
Jobs Available: 5,492
Job Growth Rate: 3%

Being a geographer is all about studying the land and what’s on it. That includes research into landforms, climates, soils, plants, animals, and human activity. More importantly, you’ll also need to understand different regions’ social characteristics, economic activities, and political organization.

This intense amount of research, combined with the potential for learning about history from all over the globe, makes this a great field for people who like history.

Overall, the average geographer makes around $34.31 per hour. Bachelor’s degrees are also the most common degree needed to start working, with 78.5% of those in the field having one as their highest level of education. However, some geographers (15.7%) have a master’s degree.

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History Professor

Average Salary: $69,334 per year
Current Jobs Available: 25,509
Job Growth Rate: 11%

History is in the title of this high-paying career, and it’s a perfect match for anyone who wants to share their historical knowledge with others. In general, history professors research topics and develop lesson plans to teach college students.

If it wasn’t obvious, this job is great for history buffs because you’ll be able to fully immerse yourself in your passion. Many professors also spend their time writing books, which will open the doors for even more research.

Overall, history professors earn an average of $33.33 per hour. Education is vital for this role, as you can’t teach others without first learning yourself! 45% of those currently teaching needed a bachelor’s degree to get started, while 39.4% needed a master’s degree.

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Political Researcher

Average Salary: $62,058 per year
Jobs Available: 5,449
Job Growth Rate: 5%

Political researchers study the origin, development, and operation of political systems. After all, modern politics is rooted in human history. Where would we be without Babylon’s original code of laws or the democracy of the ancient Greeks?

That’s why this job is great for people who like history, as you’ll spend your time studying the anthropology of politics. After all, who doesn’t want to know where communism and capitalism sprung up from.

Of course, earning an average of $31.20 per hour comes with costs. Most actuaries need at least a four-year degree to start working, with a whopping 70% of those currently working in the field entering with a bachelor’s degree. Master’s degrees are also common, with 19% of employees having one.

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Conservationist

Average Salary: $60,660 per year
Jobs Available: 92
Job Growth Rate: 3%

If you care about preserving history as much as you care about learning it, you might want to think about becoming a conservationist. These specialists regularly protect historical sites, artifacts, biological life, and ecosystems.

As someone who loves history, you can feel good knowing that you’re working to protect it every day. Plus, you’ll be able to surround yourself with historical artifacts and places.

And for their efforts, conservationists earn an average of $30.78 per hour. The only downside is that you’ll need a solid education to start working as one, as most in this field have at least a bachelor’s degree.

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Genealogist

Average Salary: $59,331 per year
Jobs Available: 52
Job Growth Rate: 6%

If you’ve ever been intrigued by ancestry and lineage, a career as a genealogist might just be perfect for you. After all, genealogists study family ancestry (kinship, lineage, and history) through genetic tests, oral accounts, and other forms of research.

That’s why this job is great for people who like history because you’ll be able to spend your time diving into historical documents and learning about the past lives of real people.

Luckily, the education requirements are leaner than some other jobs on this list, with 49% of those currently working needing a bachelor’s to start their career and 26% only needing an associate’s degree. That’s great when you consider that the average genealogist earns $27-$35 per hour.

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Archaeologist

Average Salary: $58,944 per year
Jobs Available: 4,908
Job Growth Rate: 10%

Responsible for a huge swath of the historical knowledge we’ve discovered, archaeologists locate, extract and examine historical artifacts, buildings and remains. These items are then cleaned, cataloged, and studied in the lab with the primary objective of understanding cultural history.

While you might not be a real-life Indiana Jones running from boulders, this line of work will surround you with history. You’ll spend your time unearthing incredible objects that were last touched hundreds of years ago. You might even make a new discovery!

Plus, you’ll earn an average of $28.34 unearthing history. The only catch is that you’ll need to dedicate quite a bit of time to education, internships, and archaeology programs. Overall, 74.4% have bachelor’s degrees, and 14.8% have master’s degrees.

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Writer

Average Salary: $57,413 per year
Jobs Available: 29,433
Job Growth Rate: 2%

Writers are versatile experts of the written word who spend their time writing. Whether you want to freelance, blog, or create physical books, becoming a writer is a great to explore history. What’s more, is that you can theoretically write about anything you want, as long as you have a solid audience.

Being a writer allows you to have a flexible work schedule dedicated to research and discovery. If you like history, you’ll be able to learn about new historical facts all the time.

Overall, writers earn a respectable average of $27.60 per hour, with a 3-4 year degree being the most common needed to start working. 73.9% of those currently working in the field got in with a bachelor’s as their highest level of education.

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Journalist

Average Salary: $52,292 per year
Jobs Available: 25,437
Job Growth Rate: -10%

If you’ve ever wondered who breaks the top news stories and articles, look no further. Journalists are expert writers, researchers, and communicators who gather information to report current events and create news articles.

This field is great for anyone who likes history, as you’ll constantly be keeping up-to-date on politics, as well as current and historical events. What’s more, journalists often get to travel for their work, meaning you’ll be able to experience cultures from all over the world.

Overall, the average journalist makes around $25 per hour. Bachelor’s degrees are also the most common degree needed to start working, with 74.5% of those in the field having one as their highest level of education.

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Librarian

Average Salary: $50,211 per year
Jobs Available: 1,277
Job Growth Rate: 6%

If you like reading about history, rather than writing about it, a job as a librarian might be a great fit. These literary professionals work in public libraries, schools, and museums collecting, organizing, and issuing library resources.

As a librarian, you’ll regularly be responsible for organizing books and keeping tabs on inventory. That means you can easily be introduced to tons of historical literature. That said, being paid an average of $24.14 per hour is an even better deal when you have access to so many books.

The only downside to pursuing a librarian career is that you may need a bachelor’s or master’s degree, as 56% of librarians have a bachelor’s and 20% have a master’s.

However, if you want to get into library work as quickly as possible, you can always apply for a library assistant role. While your starting income will only be around $13 per hour, you’ll be able to get your foot in the door.

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Archivist

Average Salary: $49,632 per year
Jobs Available: 681
Job Growth Rate: 9%

Working for public and private organizations like companies, colleges, libraries, and museums, archivists manage and preserve information and make it easier for others to access or discover it.

Similar to the librarian role, this job is great for history buffs because you’ll be provided access to hundreds, if not thousands, of historical resources.

Plus, the average employee in this field makes a respectable $23.86 per hour. However, keep in mind that education is vital for this field, as 67.4% of those currently working needed a bachelor’s degree to land a job, while 18.4% needed a master’s.

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Park Ranger

Average Salary: $43,777 per year
Jobs Available: 3,518
Job Growth Rate: 3%

Having active days and working in beautiful environments, park rangers preserve and protect America’s wild places, as well as cultural and historical sites. Given that the most stressful thing park rangers have to deal with is filing the occasional incident report, this job will allow you to enjoy history without a heavy workload.

Plus, you’ll make an average of $21.05 per hour doing so. The only drawback is that you’ll likely need some form of relevant education, as 62.3% of part rangers have a bachelor’s degree. You might also find several internship programs you can dive into to acquire the experience you need.

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Museum Curator

Average Salary: $42,455 per year
Jobs Available: 245
Job Growth Rate: 9%

If you’re wondering where some of those artifacts go after archaeologists dig them up, museum curators might just be your answer. These historical experts acquire, store and manage all of those beautiful museum exhibits.

If it wasn’t obvious, this job is great for anyone who likes history because you’ll spend your time surrounded by historical artifacts. What’s more, you’ll be able to use your imagination to envision amazing exhibits for these objects.

Overall, the average hourly rate for museum curators is $20.41, and education is a must for this role. 67.7% of those currently working in the field needed a bachelor’s degree to start their career, while 16.1% needed a master’s.

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History Tutor

Average Salary: $38,185 per year
Jobs Available: 42,851
Job Growth Rate: 4%

If you want to teach like a professor but have a more flexible schedule and customizable teaching structure, you might want to consider becoming a history tutor. Generally speaking, these teachers specialize in helping people who need a little extra help learning history or want to get ahead in their classes.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, this position has seen higher demand due to remote learning requirements. That means you’ll have plenty of clients and be able to enjoy your love of history from home.

Overall, the average history tutor earns a respectable $18.36 per hour. Like any other teaching job, education is also a factor, with the vast majority (70.7%) of those currently working in the field needing a bachelor’s degree to get started.

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How We Decide Which Jobs Are the Best (and What to Look for Yourself)

It’s important to understand which factors make a job great for history buffs (besides the obvious fact that they should be related to history). Some important factors include:

Research. Jobs that allow you to actively seek out material are great for history buffs, as they will allow you to learn about new events, eras, and civilizations. That way, you can continue to learn while you’re working.
Teaching. Teaching others will allow you to share your historical knowledge. It’s the perfect setting to let loose all those interesting facts you’re dying to get out.
Writing. Spending your days writing will enable you to discuss history and share it with others. That’s why many writing jobs may be a great option.

Remember that one of these factors might be more important to you than another, but we focused mainly on jobs that fit one or more of these criteria for this list. That way, you’ll have several different options across a wide range of industries/fields.

The Bottom Line

Even if your friends don’t necessarily understand your love for history, you can take comfort in knowing that there’s a whole world of relevant jobs out there for you to explore. From working in a museum to discovering and conserving historical sites outdoors, you can find a well-paying job that you’ll love.

Of course, while our top 15 list focuses on some of the best salaries you can earn in historical fields, there are also plenty of other related jobs with less significant education requirements. You just have to get out there and dive into the job market!

Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Jack Flynn

Jack Flynn is a writer for Zippia. In his professional career he’s written over 100 research papers, articles and blog posts. Some of his most popular published works include his writing about economic terms and research into job classifications. Jack received his BS from Hampshire College.

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