What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Historians in the U.S. earn more than $76,750 a year — the middle 80% land between $42,730 and $131,810. About 3,450 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Historians”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Professionals earn about ₹38,298 a month on average — around ₹4.6 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$76,750typical pay / year
3,450people in this work
$131,810+top 10% earn
₹4.6 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Keeping the record3
Write research papers, articles, or books
+Draft a 6,000-word research article arguing how the 19th-century canal works shaped local land tenure,…
Write research papers, articles, or books
+Draft a 6,000-word research article arguing how the 19th-century canal works shaped local land tenure, include archival citations, counter-arguments to prevailing interpretations, and a complete bibliography for peer review by next Wednesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Officejob descriptionsO*NET
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Advise on historical authenticity and accuracy
+Write a two-page advisory for the conservation team explaining which window profiles, paint colours, and…
Advise on historical authenticity and accuracy
+Write a two-page advisory for the conservation team explaining which window profiles, paint colours, and joinery details are period-accurate for the 1870 schoolhouse and which later alterations to reverse, with photographic references and a recommended three-month work sequence.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Officejob descriptionsO*NET
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Organize and maintain historical collections
+Inventory the storage room collections, update accession numbers and condition reports for 120 objects,…
Organize and maintain historical collections
+Inventory the storage room collections, update accession numbers and condition reports for 120 objects, relabel unstable boxes, produce a sortable catalogue with location codes, and submit the updated holdings file to the registrar by Thursday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft SharePointjob descriptionsO*NET
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Analysing3
Evaluate the reliability of historical sources
+Assess the provenance and reliability of the five cited letters about the mill dispute, rate each on…
Evaluate the reliability of historical sources
+Assess the provenance and reliability of the five cited letters about the mill dispute, rate each on authenticity and bias, note gaps needing further archival searches, and recommend which to quote in the grant application by Friday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Officejob descriptionsWikipedia
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Research historical data and evidence
+Trace archival maps and compare land-use records from 1880 to 1950, extract place names, ownership notes and…
Research historical data and evidence
+Trace archival maps and compare land-use records from 1880 to 1950, extract place names, ownership notes and alterations to the landscape, then compile a source list and a short interpretive memo for the conservation committee by Monday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft AccessESCOjob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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Analyze and interpret historical data
+Synthesize chronologies from the collected archival reports, cross-check dates and provenance, produce a…
Analyze and interpret historical data
+Synthesize chronologies from the collected archival reports, cross-check dates and provenance, produce a concise interpretation of site phases with evidential notes, and prepare two presentation slides summarising implications for preservation policy.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointjob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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The daily work12
Do historical research
+Compile a dossier on the old mill site: assemble primary deeds, 19th-century maps, census entries for the…
Do historical research
+Compile a dossier on the old mill site: assemble primary deeds, 19th-century maps, census entries for the miller family, and previous survey reports, check provenance and contradictions, then draft a 1,000-word provenance summary with sources cited and uncertainty noted.
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Research the past in recorded sources
+Trace the site’s documentary history from first mention to 1950: locate parish registers, land tax lists, old…
Research the past in recorded sources
+Trace the site’s documentary history from first mention to 1950: locate parish registers, land tax lists, old maps and photographs, evaluate each source’s reliability, extract dates and occupants into a table, and produce a one-page annotated timeline.
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Trace historical development in a particular field, such as social, cultural, political, or diplomatic history.
+Trace the field’s historical development from 1800 to present: gather primary reports, excavation records,…
Trace historical development in a particular field, such as social, cultural, political, or diplomatic history.
+Trace the field’s historical development from 1800 to present: gather primary reports, excavation records, government correspondence and published analyses, construct a chronological narrative showing major turning points and cite sources for each claim, flagged for review.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OfficeO*NET
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Determine which topics to research, or pursue research topics specified by clients or employers.
+Decide which research topics to pursue this quarter: map community needs, conservation risks, stakeholder…
Determine which topics to research, or pursue research topics specified by clients or employers.
+Decide which research topics to pursue this quarter: map community needs, conservation risks, stakeholder priorities and funding windows, then recommend three focused research questions with brief justification and estimated resource needs for each.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Edit historical society publications.
+Edit the historical society’s spring bulletin: check each article for factual consistency with primary…
Edit historical society publications.
+Edit the historical society’s spring bulletin: check each article for factual consistency with primary sources, correct citations, tighten prose to match house style, and prepare a paginated print-ready draft with image captions verified.
The tools that do the workAdobe InDesignAdobe AcrobatO*NET
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Coordinate activities of workers engaged in cataloging and filing materials.
+Coordinate the cataloguing team for this week: assign batches of accessioned boxes to Ana, Marcus and Li, set…
Coordinate activities of workers engaged in cataloging and filing materials.
+Coordinate the cataloguing team for this week: assign batches of accessioned boxes to Ana, Marcus and Li, set metadata standards to use, schedule daily check-ins, and deliver a reconciled index of entries by Friday noon.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft SharePointO*NET
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Collect detailed information on individuals for use in biographies.
+Collect detailed biographical information on Mary Thompson (d.1938): obtain birth, marriage, employment and…
Collect detailed information on individuals for use in biographies.
+Collect detailed biographical information on Mary Thompson (d.1938): obtain birth, marriage, employment and property records, interview two living relatives, compile a source annotated life chronology and assemble copies of original documents.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OfficeO*NET
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Translate or request translation of reference materials.
+Arrange translation of five archival reports in French and German: identify key paragraphs for translator…
Translate or request translation of reference materials.
+Arrange translation of five archival reports in French and German: identify key paragraphs for translator priority, request certified translations with source scans attached, and set a two-week deadline with cost estimate for approval.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OfficeO*NET
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Present findings at conferences or public events
+Present the site's latest conservation survey, conclusions about structural risk, and three policy…
Present findings at conferences or public events
+Present the site's latest conservation survey, conclusions about structural risk, and three policy recommendations to the County Heritage Forum and the archaeology students on Thursday evening, using the slide set that cites original reports and allows 15 minutes for questions.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointjob descriptions
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Develop educational and outreach programs
+Design a six-week outreach series for local schools and volunteers that teaches site history, basic field…
Develop educational and outreach programs
+Design a six-week outreach series for local schools and volunteers that teaches site history, basic field recording, and responsible visitation, include session plans, learning objectives, budgets per session, and recruit contacts by next Monday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Wordjob descriptions
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Create and interpret timelines and chronological sequences
+Build a layered chronology of the site from earliest records to modern interventions showing dates, source…
Create and interpret timelines and chronological sequences
+Build a layered chronology of the site from earliest records to modern interventions showing dates, source reliability ratings, and uncertain ranges, export a printable timeline for the visitor centre and a digital version for researchers.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISjob descriptions
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Present the past of human societies
+Prepare a public lecture that explains the social life of the site through time, balancing archaeological…
Present the past of human societies
+Prepare a public lecture that explains the social life of the site through time, balancing archaeological evidence, documentary sources, and community memories, and include three short illustrations or reconstructions for the slideshow.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointAdobe PhotoshopESCO
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Says who?
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses