Careers · Explore one path
History Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses in human history and historiography. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Other titles employers use
Adjunct History Instructor · Adjunct Instructor · Assistant Professor · Associate Professor · History Instructor · History Professor · History Teacher · Instructor
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as ancient history, postwar civilizations, and the history of third-world countries.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to helping, analytical and creative work.
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
- Creative
- Making, designing, writing, or performing without one set answer
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Learning Strategies
- Active Listening
- Instructing
Subjects to know
- History and Archeology
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Law and Government
- Geography
Useful strengths
- Oral Expression
- Written Expression
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Comprehension
- Deductive Reasoning
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 2.4 | Largely your own space |
| On your feet | 2.5 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.5 | A regular part of the day |
| Working with your hands | 2.1 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a doctorate or a professional degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A doctorate or professional degree 70%
- A master's degree 30%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Word processing software
- Electronic mail software
- Web platform development software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Presentation software
- Computer based training software
- Information retrieval or search software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 3,400
- Job openings each year
- 270
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 6.3%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 3,400 | 270 | 6.3% |
| New York | 2,540 | 40 | 21.0% |
| Texas | 2,210 | 180 | 8.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 980 | 80 | −1.0% |
| New Jersey | 840 | 70 | 6.3% |
| Florida | 780 | 60 | 8.3% |
| Illinois | 770 | 60 | −1.3% |
| Tennessee | 770 | 70 | 14.9% |
| North Carolina | 760 | 60 | 8.6% |
| Virginia | 760 | 60 | — |
| Georgia | 580 | 50 | 3.6% |
| Ohio | 550 | 40 | −1.8% |
| Alabama | 520 | 40 | 6.1% |
| Colorado | 490 | 40 | 16.7% |
| Michigan | 460 | 40 | — |
| Maryland | 410 | 30 | 10.8% |
| Washington | 410 | 40 | 10.8% |
| Indiana | 400 | 30 | 2.6% |
| Missouri | 350 | 30 | 2.9% |
| Wisconsin | 350 | 30 | 6.1% |
| Connecticut | 330 | 30 | 6.5% |
| Massachusetts | 310 | 30 | 10.7% |
| South Carolina | 310 | 30 | 10.7% |
| Iowa | 280 | 20 | 7.7% |
| Oklahoma | 230 | 20 | — |
| Arkansas | 220 | 20 | — |
| Mississippi | 220 | 20 | 4.8% |
| Minnesota | 210 | 20 | — |
| Oregon | 190 | 20 | 5.6% |
| Utah | 190 | 20 | 18.8% |
| Kentucky | 170 | 10 | 6.3% |
| Louisiana | 160 | 10 | 6.7% |
| New Mexico | 150 | 10 | 7.1% |
| Rhode Island | 150 | 10 | — |
| Arizona | 130 | 10 | 8.3% |
| District of Columbia | 130 | 10 | — |
| Nebraska | 130 | 10 | — |
| Kansas | 120 | 10 | 9.1% |
| Maine | 120 | 10 | −7.7% |
| New Hampshire | 120 | 10 | — |
| Puerto Rico | 80 | 10 | 14.3% |
| West Virginia | 80 | 10 | — |
| Montana | 70 | 10 | — |
| Vermont | 70 | 10 | — |
| Idaho | 60 | 10 | — |
| North Dakota | 40 | 0 | −20.0% |
| South Dakota | 30 | 0 | — |
| Wyoming | 20 | 0 | 100.0% |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
Southern New Hampshire University
- Degrees each year
- 320
- Admit rate
- 96%
- Annual cost after aid
- $37,000
Liberty University
- Degrees each year
- 263
- Admit rate
- 99%
- Annual cost after aid
- $27,000
University of California-Los Angeles
- Degrees each year
- 269
- Admit rate
- 9%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
Harvard University
- Degrees each year
- 161
- Admit rate
- 3%
- Annual cost after aid
- $2,000
University of California-Santa Barbara
- Degrees each year
- 160
- Admit rate
- 28%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
University of Central Florida
- Degrees each year
- 216
- Admit rate
- 40%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Degrees each year
- 180
- Admit rate
- 43%
- Annual cost after aid
- $8,000
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
- Degrees each year
- 169
- Admit rate
- 43%
- Annual cost after aid
- $8,000