What Can You Do with a BA in History? Best Careers for History Majors

Understanding happenings throughout time helps explain where we are now and where we may be in the future. Developing a historical perspective also improves our ability to think critically while, at the same time, boosting our creativity when solving problems. These are just a few of the benefits of earning a Bachelor of Arts or BA in history. But what are the options for careers for history majors? Here are a few to consider.

Historian

Historians research and interpret historical documents, other artifacts, and data. These individuals help determine the significance and authenticity of historical objects and other sources of past information. Historians can work for the government, private businesses, non-profit organizations, historical associations, and more.

Working in this role generally means that you need to go beyond a BA in history and earn your master's. If you decide that this is the right career path for you, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that historians earn a median of $63,940 per year. Work for the federal government and you could make more, or closer to $101,910 per year.

Museum curator

Another potential career for history majors is a museum curator. As a curator, you would likely be responsible for acquiring and sometimes even cleaning collections of artifacts, then deciding how to display them in an exhibit. Curators also design and conduct tours and workshops, educating the public about the items on display and the history surrounding them.

You can typically work as a curator with a BA in history. The median annual pay for someone in this role is $60,110 per year, according to the BLS.

Archivist

Earn your BA in history and you can also follow the archivist career path. Archivists help determine whether historical items are authentic. If they are, the archivist will organize, classify, and appraise the items, assigning them a monetary value. Archivists also preserve and safeguard the items they assess, even deciding how much access the public will have to them.

Should you decide to pursue a career as an archivist, the BLS indicates that the median pay is roughly the same as for a curator, or $60,050 per year.

Librarian

If you are a lover of physical books, you can stoke this passion by pursuing a career as a librarian. Librarians are responsible for organizing a variety of books, videos, and other types of media, also choosing which items will be purchased and available for the library’s patrons. In this role, you may also be tasked with teaching courses about the resources your library provides, or for creating programs geared toward certain demographics (such as children).

Working as a librarian typically requires that you take your BA in history one step further and pursue a master’s degree in library science. Librarians working for higher education tend to make the most, earning a median wage of $62,550 annually according to the BLS. The median for librarians employed by lower-level schools and the government make slightly less at $61,640 and $60,130 annually, respectively.

Market research analyst

You can also use your BA in history to work as a market research analyst. Professionals in this role analyze and forecast market trends. Having a historical perspective on a specific market helps you better predict what may happen in the future. As this type of analyst, you can work in a variety of fields, ranging from finance to trades to publishing.

The BLS reports that the median pay for a market research analyst is $63,920 per year. Plus, jobs in this role are expected to grow 22 percent between 2020 and 2030, which is almost three times faster than for all occupations combined.

Paralegal

There are even careers for history majors that will combine your love of the past with a love for the law. One such career to consider is a paralegal. A paralegal researches cases, finding related or relevant laws and legal proceedings—oftentimes for lawyers or judges. Paralegals may also be asked to secure affidavits to be used in court or to file legal paperwork.

The median pay for a paralegal is $56,230 per year, according to the BLS.  Those working for the federal government tend to make more, with a median of $69,680 annually. This is followed by those working in finance and insurance ($64,740) or for local government ($58,300).

History teacher

Do you want to pass your passion for history on to others? That’s exactly what you can do as a teacher. In this role, you can use your BA in history to help educate students of all levels and from various age groups as to what happened long ago, explaining how this affects the future. You can also use your creativity to find new, fun ways to get this information across.

The BLS reports that the median wage for high school teachers is $61,820 per year, while the median for university and college-level teachers is $86,460 annually. Both of these career options may require that you earn your degree in education, specializing or majoring in history.

Interested in One of These Careers for History Majors?

If one of these careers sounds appealing to you, Saint Leo University offers a BA in history. This 39-hour major covers topics such as United States history, western civilization throughout time, and the history of ideas.

Together, these courses are designed to help you think more critically. They also promote your ability to solve the problems we as a society face with more creative solutions—all while preparing you for any one of these careers for history majors.

To learn more about Saint Leo’s BA in history program, you can complete our convenient online information request form or call us directly at (800) 334-5532. We look forward to helping you reach your academic goals.