Career Opportunities

An undergraduate degree in history is good preparation for a wide variety of careers, including in public history, law, public administration, education, not-for-profit management or business (including sales, marketing, and administration), as well as for graduate study in history. Students in history who take the appropriate coursework in the sciences also go on successfully to graduate programs in medicine. History undergraduate students would do well to seek leadership roles in school or community organizations, and to gain experience in the fundraising and grant writing techniques which support not-for-profit organizations. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are imperative for most careers related to history, politics or government administration. Part-time and summer jobs, internships and volunteer positions are critical to gaining the experience and skills that employers seek.

Bachelor-Level Job Titles

• Audio-Visual and Multimedia Collections Specialist
• Film and Video Editor
• Library Technician
• Museum Technician and Conservator
• Park Naturalist
• Public Relations Specialist
• Recreation Worker
• Research Assistant
• Secondary School Teacher
• Social and Human Services Assistant
• Staff and Legislative Assistant

Graduate and Professional Level Job Titles

• Archivist
• Attorney
• College Professor
• Museum Director

Professional Associations and Resources

• American Association for State and Local History
• American Historical Association
• Organization of American Historians

This page includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.