Historians
Also called: Collections Specialist, Historian, Historical Interpreter, ResearcherResearch, analyze, record, and interpret the past as recorded in sources, such as government and institutional records, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs, interviews, films, electronic media, and unpublished manuscripts, such as personal diaries and letters.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 14 of its 21 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 3.0% by 2035. In the most exposed occupations, the squeeze shows up first among early-career workers. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 3.2% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Miscellaneous social scientists and related workers”
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 4.3 hires for every 10 job openings in government, which employs about 62% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.4.3 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $72,490 | $54,040 to $91,560 | 60 |
| California | $97,420 | $73,460 to $129,250 | 210 |
| Connecticut | $66,770 | $62,400 to $103,640 | 40 |
| District of Columbia | $118,290 | $62,380 to $147,220 | 250 |
| Florida | $74,740 | $56,780 to $95,800 | 110 |
| Georgia | $63,840 | $56,570 to $87,820 | 110 |
| Hawaii | $92,520 | $80,300 to $117,350 | 70 |
| Illinois | $89,670 | $83,490 to $89,680 | not published |
| Indiana | $63,770 | $48,730 to $78,540 | 30 |
| Kansas | $72,600 | $56,120 to $96,050 | 40 |
| Kentucky | $63,530 | $49,700 to $79,400 | 50 |
| Louisiana | $80,620 | $65,660 to $82,400 | 60 |
| Maryland | $120,580 | $83,470 to $152,730 | 50 |
| Massachusetts | $121,710 | $104,210 to $121,710 | not published |
| Michigan | $62,920 | $56,600 to $77,460 | 80 |
| Minnesota | $103,040 | $89,160 to $138,670 | 50 |
| Mississippi | $46,010 | $37,860 to $57,390 | 90 |
| Missouri | $64,230 | $52,520 to $88,440 | 50 |
| Nebraska | $70,050 | $64,440 to $104,420 | 30 |
| Nevada | $80,140 | $80,140 to $84,570 | not published |
| New Jersey | $77,080 | $56,570 to $98,950 | 130 |
| New Mexico | $66,790 | $39,900 to $91,170 | 40 |
| New York | $62,960 | $43,920 to $82,010 | 410 |
| North Carolina | $73,440 | $45,530 to $100,420 | 120 |
| Ohio | $60,350 | $58,640 to $60,880 | not published |
| Oklahoma | $50,980 | $43,950 to $76,440 | 50 |
| Oregon | $99,560 | $79,990 to $109,820 | 40 |
| Pennsylvania | $71,970 | $64,500 to $89,750 | 70 |
| South Carolina | $52,120 | $46,810 to $63,130 | 60 |
| Tennessee | $71,080 | $64,050 to $79,700 | 40 |
| Texas | $78,240 | $56,170 to $96,450 | 130 |
| Utah | $33,840 | $33,840 to $37,020 | 80 |
| Virginia | $101,920 | $78,700 to $139,420 | 180 |
| Washington | $99,720 | $81,330 to $116,210 | 30 |
| Wisconsin | $45,810 | $39,990 to $47,370 | 50 |
Nationally: $76,750. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 14 of its 21 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Gather historical data from sources such as archives, court records, diaries, news files, and photographs, as well as from books, pamphlets, and periodicals. | Not published |
| AI alone | Organize information for publication and for other means of dissemination, such as via storage media or the Internet. | Not published |
| AI + software | Organize data, and analyze and interpret its authenticity and relative significance. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Present historical accounts in terms of individuals or social, ethnic, political, economic, or geographic groupings. | Not published |
| AI + software | Conduct historical research, and publish or present findings and theories. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Determine which topics to research, or pursue research topics specified by clients or employers. | Not published |
See all 21 tasks
| AI + software | Research the history of a particular country or region, or of a specific time period. | 0.02% |
| Not much | Conserve and preserve manuscripts, records, and other artifacts. | Not published |
| AI + software | Conduct historical research as a basis for the identification, conservation, and reconstruction of historic places and materials. | Not published |
| AI alone | Prepare publications and exhibits, or review those prepared by others, to ensure their historical accuracy. | Not published |
| Not much | Interview people to gather information about historical events and to record oral histories. | Not published |
| Not much | Advise or consult with individuals and institutions regarding issues such as the historical authenticity of materials or the customs of a specific historical period. | Not published |
| AI alone | Recommend actions related to historical art, such as which items to add to a collection or which items to display in an exhibit. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Research and prepare manuscripts in support of public programming and the development of exhibits at historic sites, museums, libraries, and archives. | Not published |
| Not much | Speak to various groups, organizations, and clubs to promote the aims and activities of historical societies. | Not published |
| AI + software | Trace historical development in a particular field, such as social, cultural, political, or diplomatic history. | 0.03% |
| AI + software | Collect detailed information on individuals for use in biographies. | Not published |
| Not much | Coordinate activities of workers engaged in cataloging and filing materials. | Not published |
| Not much | Teach and conduct research in colleges, universities, museums, and other research agencies and schools. | Not published |
| AI alone | Translate or request translation of reference materials. | 0.04% |
| AI alone | Edit historical society publications. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 6 of the 21 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 21 tasks fall under 15 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #1 Gather information from physical or electronic sources
- #9 Edit written materials or documents
- #12 Explain regulations, policies, or procedures
- and 4 more, in the table below
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research historical or social issues | |||
| Present research or technical information | |||
| Gather information from physical or electronic sources | |||
| Inspect characteristics or conditions of materials or products | |||
| Edit written materials or documents | |||
| Explain regulations, policies, or procedures | |||
| Create visual designs or displays | |||
| Interpret language, cultural, or religious information for others |
Show all 15 activities
| Teach academic or vocational subjects | |||
| Advise others on business or operational matters | |||
| Arrange displays or decorations | |||
| Collect data about consumer needs or opinions | |||
| Develop research plans or methodologies | |||
| Collect information about patients or clients | |||
| Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- An explanation or answer51%
- A translation14%
- A document or report9%
- An analysis or summary6%
- Teaching material3%
How they worked with Claude
15% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for historians specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 5,049 moves out
- 1 Chief Executives Very high +3.2% 5%
- 2 Teachers and Instructors, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
- 3 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
- 4 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 4%
- 5 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 4%
Where people moved in from
of 4,327 moves in
- 1 Teachers and Instructors, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
- 2 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 4%
- 3 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 4%
- 4 Office Clerks, General Very high -6.0% 4%
- 5 Registered Nurses High +5.6% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 9% less than high school
- 1% high school
- 8% some college
- 10% bachelor's
- 64% master's
- 7% research doctorate
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 25 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 4% high school
- 5% some college
- 1% associate's
- 40% bachelor's
- 33% master's
- 2% professional degree
- 14% doctorate
Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Miscellaneous social scientists and related workers” · 628 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Miscellaneous social scientists and related workers”
24 programs, such as Architectural History and Criticism, General, Architectural Conservation and Historic Preservation and Conservation, General.
See all
- Architectural History and Criticism, General
- Architectural Conservation
- Historic Preservation and Conservation, General
- Cultural Resource Management and Policy Analysis
- Historic Preservation and Conservation, Other
- Medieval and Renaissance Studies
- Holocaust and Related Studies
- Ancient Studies/Civilization
- Classical, Ancient Mediterranean, and Near Eastern Studies and Archaeology
- Classical and Ancient Studies, Other
- Maritime Studies
- History and Language/Literature
- History and Political Science
- Medical/Health Humanities
- History of Medicine
- History, General
- American History (United States)
- European History
- History and Philosophy of Science and Technology
- Public/Applied History
- Asian History
- Canadian History
- Military History
- History, Other
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
BLS publishes no credential figures for this occupation.
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 1 registered apprenticeship in this occupation (Historian). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Historians” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS · Brynjolfsson, Chandar and Chen, Stanford (Aug 2026)
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/19-3093.00