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History teacher (postsecondary): pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$83,820median pay per year, May 2025[1]
  1. $48,410lowest 10% earn less
  2. $63,92025th percentile
  3. $83,820median
  4. $112,09075th percentile
  5. $162,160top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

The median pay for a postsecondary history teacher was $83,820 a year in May 2025[1]. The usual entry path is a doctoral degree, and the number of jobs is projected to stay flat through 2035[2][3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+0%[3]
Openings per year
1,500[6]
Typical entry education
Doctoral or professional degree[2]

How much do history teachers make?

BLS counts college-level history teachers as History Teachers, Postsecondary. In May 2025 their median pay was $83,820 a year[1]. Half earned more and half earned less. The average was higher, at $96,580[7]. For comparison, the median for all occupations in the US was $50,980[5].

The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $48,410 and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $63,920[4]. The top-paid 25% earned more than $112,090, and the top-paid 10% earned more than $162,160[4]. BLS publishes percentile wages as boundaries, not a starting salary[8].

BLS publishes only annual wages for this job, not hourly ones[9]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses that are not tied to production, and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[10]. About 18,790 people held these jobs in May 2025[11].

Pay by state and city

California had the highest median pay among the states with published data, at $127,170[12]. New Hampshire came next at $106,880, followed by Massachusetts at $104,900[12]. Arkansas had the lowest median among those states, at $47,860[12].

Texas had the most jobs at 2,030, then New York at 1,660 and California at 1,450[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA had the highest median at $192,320[14]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA followed at $162,160[14]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs, with 1,470 and a median of $101,170[15].

Show median pay in 44 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
California[12]$127,1701,450
New Hampshire$106,880100
Massachusetts$104,900780
Oregon$104,330260
Connecticut$101,950300
New York$100,4001,660
New Jersey$99,900780
Maine$99,61080
Michigan$99,440370
Pennsylvania$98,850960
Maryland$97,830310
Arizona$97,430150
Minnesota$92,970280
Virginia$85,910760
District of Columbia$85,550180
Illinois$83,940700
Vermont$83,75080
New Mexico$83,700120
Washington$83,250290
Nevada$81,93080
Utah$81,750140
Texas$81,5302,030
Wisconsin$81,380370
Ohio$81,080650
Missouri$80,680360
Indiana$79,450380
Georgia$79,010630
Louisiana$78,990120
Colorado$78,410380
Iowa$77,040150
Montana$75,77040
Wyoming$75,40030
North Carolina$75,070720
Kansas$74,920150
South Carolina$73,670280
Tennessee$72,940450
Florida$70,880320
West Virginia$69,56090
South Dakota$69,22030
Oklahoma$66,910180
Alabama$66,550340
Kentucky$64,600280
Mississippi$63,450210
Nebraska$57,150190
Arkansas$47,860290

How to become a history teacher

The Occupational Outlook Handbook profile used for the training details covers postsecondary teachers as a wider group, so it does not describe history teachers alone[16].

Community colleges may hire people with a master's degree, although some prefer applicants with a Ph.D.[19]. Doctoral programs usually take several years, and many ask for a dissertation of original research[17]. Teaching experience can help, and some teachers get it as graduate teaching assistants[20][21].

Teachers with a doctorate often seek tenure, which protects them from being fired without just cause. Reaching it may take up to 7 years[22].

What history teachers do

O*NET describes the job as teaching courses in human history and historiography. Some teachers mostly teach, and others combine teaching with research[23]. Typical tasks include:

Where they work

For the wider group of postsecondary teachers, the largest employer group in 2025 was state colleges, universities and professional schools, at 41%[25]. Full-time work is common, and so is part-time work. Some part-time teachers teach at several schools, and some hold a full-time job in another field[26].

Classes are generally held during the day, with some evening or weekend courses[27]. Full-time teachers usually need to be on campus to teach and hold office hours, but otherwise can set their own schedules[28]. Schools have breaks between terms. Some teachers use the summer for teaching, and others use it for research or professional development[29].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of postsecondary history teachers to stay about the same from 2025 to 2035, at 0% growth[3]. The projection counts about 23,200 jobs at both ends and includes self-employed workers[3]. For comparison, employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[30]. The OEWS count of 18,790 jobs is a separate measure that covers wage and salary jobs only[11].

Even with flat employment, about 1,500 openings are projected each year on average[6]. These include jobs that open when people retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 3.5% of workers leave the labor force and 3% move to a different occupation[31].

Is it a good fit?

The facts point to a job that pays well above the all-occupation median, with a median of $83,820 against $50,980[1][5]. Entry usually requires a doctoral degree, and those programs usually take several years[2][17]. Pay varies a lot, from $48,410 at the 10th percentile to $162,160 at the 90th[4]. Job growth is projected at 0%, so openings come from turnover rather than new positions[3][6].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[32].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a postsecondary history teacher make a year?
The median pay was $83,820 a year in May 2025, and the average was $96,580[1][7].
How much does a history teacher make an hour?
BLS publishes only annual wages for this job, not hourly wages[9].
What degree do you need to be a college history teacher?
BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry education[2]. Some community colleges may hire people with a master's degree[19].
Are history teacher jobs in demand?
Employment is projected to stay about the same from 2025 to 2035, while all occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[3][30]. About 1,500 openings are projected each year[6].
What is the highest paying state for history teachers?
California, with a median of $127,170 a year[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for History Teachers, Postsecondary in the US was $83,820 per year. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into History Teachers, Postsecondary: education needed for entry: Doctoral or professional degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of History Teachers, Postsecondary is projected to stay about the same 0% from 2025 to 2035, from about 23,200 to 23,200 jobs (a change of +0). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for History Teachers, Postsecondary: 10th percentile $48,410, 25th percentile $63,920, 75th percentile $112,090, 90th percentile $162,160. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 1,500 openings for History Teachers, Postsecondary are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for History Teachers, Postsecondary was $96,580 per year. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS publishes only annual wages for History Teachers, Postsecondary, not hourly wages, because many work fewer than 2,080 hours a year but are paid yearly. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 18,790 people were employed as History Teachers, Postsecondary in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for History Teachers, Postsecondary in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most History Teachers, Postsecondary jobs: Texas 2,030; New York 1,660; California 1,450; Pennsylvania 960; Massachusetts 780. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for History Teachers, Postsecondary (areas with at least 100 jobs): Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $192,320; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $162,160; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $135,420; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $129,120; New Haven, CT $128,760; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $127,780; Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $127,180; Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $106,990. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most History Teachers, Postsecondary jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 1,470 (median $101,170); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 540 (median $105,420); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 480 (median $129,120); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 470 (median $88,360); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 430 (median $83,820); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 430 (median $102,840). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Postsecondary Teachers" covers History Teachers, Postsecondary together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. O*NET description of History Teachers, Postsecondary. O*NET OnLine
  24. O*NET task list for History Teachers, Postsecondary. O*NET OnLine
  25. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of postsecondary teachers in 2025: Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state 41%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  31. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for History Teachers, Postsecondary: 3.5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  32. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database 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. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.