A history degree prepares you for work that rewards research, writing and judgment: law, government and policy, teaching, museums and archives, journalism, nonprofits and business roles like research and analysis. Few job postings ask for a history major by name, so graduates do best when they translate their training into tasks and add a practical skill or two before they leave school.
What history actually teaches
You spent four years sorting through incomplete, biased and conflicting evidence and building an argument from it. That is a description of a lot of jobs.
- Research: finding primary sources, judging reliability and knowing what is missing.
- Synthesis: turning piles of material into a clear story.
- Writing: long, organized, evidence-based arguments.
- Context: understanding how institutions, laws and cultures got the way they are.
Careers you can start with a bachelor’s
Research and information
- Research assistant or analyst: at think tanks, consulting groups, nonprofits and government offices.
- Museum or historic site staff: education programs, visitor services and collections support.
- Paralegal: legal research and document work, often before law school.
Public service
- Legislative or government staff: policy research, constituent work and writing.
- Park interpretation and heritage work: leading tours and programs at public sites.
- Public safety: some history graduates move into law enforcement and investigation; see how to become a police officer.
Business, writing and media
- Writer, editor or journalist: research-heavy writing for outlets, organizations and publishers.
- Business or market research analyst: gathering and interpreting information for decisions; data skills help, see how to become a data analyst.
- Sales, recruiting and operations roles: open to strong communicators from any major.
When you need more school
- Teaching: middle or high school history or social studies requires a state credential; see how to become a teacher.
- Law: history is one of the most common majors for law school; see how to become a lawyer.
- Archivist, curator or librarian: usually a master’s degree in history, museum studies or library and information science.
- Professor: a PhD, and the academic job market in history is tight. Talk to recent graduates before you commit years to it.
For duties and job outlook, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook covers most of these careers.
Making the degree more marketable
- Pick a minor or certificate that adds a concrete skill: data, a second language, business, digital media or geographic information systems.
- Get one hands-on experience in your target field: an internship at a museum, a law office, a government office or a nonprofit.
- Turn your best research paper into a writing sample you can send employers.
- Volunteer with a historical society or archive if you are drawn to that world. It is a small field and people remember helpful volunteers.
- Use informational interviews to learn how people in law, policy and museums actually got their jobs.
Is history a useless degree?
It is a degree that does not hand you a job title, which is different from useless. Employers value the research and writing; they just will not do the translation for you. The graduates who struggle most are the ones who wait until senior spring to think about work. If you are still deciding, compare it with political science and English, and read our guide to choosing a major.
If you finish school and feel stuck
- Write down three kinds of work that sound interesting, not perfect. Interesting is enough to start.
- Rewrite your resume with task language: “researched,” “analyzed,” “wrote,” “presented.”
- Apply for research, administrative and coordinator roles in organizations whose mission you care about. Getting inside an organization often leads to better roles.
- Keep one learning project going, such as a data course or a language, so your skills grow while you search.
- Revisit law school, teaching or grad school once you have worked a year. See your first job after college for what to expect early on.
Where a mentor helps
A mentor helps history majors connect their interests to real jobs, plan internships and applications, practice explaining their skills and stay accountable through the job search. Mentors are not admissions counselors or credentialed career counselors; they help you set goals and keep moving week by week. See college transition mentoring and career and education mentoring.
Related
- Guide to college majors
- What can you do with a philosophy degree?
- Career path guides
- Should I go to grad school?
Common questions
What jobs can you get with a history degree?
Common paths include law, teaching, government and policy, museums and archives, journalism, research and business roles that value writing and analysis.
Is history a good major for law school?
Yes, it is one of the most common. Law schools accept any major, and history builds the reading and writing skills law requires.
Do museum jobs require a master’s?
Many curator and archivist positions do. Entry-level education and visitor roles often hire with a bachelor’s and relevant volunteer or internship experience.
How do I explain a history degree in an interview?
Describe tasks: researching unfamiliar topics quickly, judging sources, organizing complex information and writing clear recommendations.
Get started
Majoring in history and want help finding the right path after graduation? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.