Best Historian programs in New York, ranked by enrollment
Research, 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and institutional records, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs, interviews, films, electronic media, and unpublished manuscripts, such.
89 schools in New York run programs that feed this job, graduating 2,096 people a year. The job pays a median of $62,960 in New York across about 410 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in New York that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
15 programs in New York that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in New York (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own New York page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | History, Generalmain feeder CIP 54.0101In New York → | 1,837 | 87.6% | 83 | $31,217 | $24,000 |
| 2 | CIP 30.1201In New York → | 41 | 2.0% | 5 | $35,326 | $22,812 |
| 3 | History, Othermain feeder CIP 54.0199In New York → | 36 | 1.7% | 4 | $31,217 | $24,000 |
| 4 | CIP 51.3204In New York → | 34 | 1.6% | 3 | $99,851 | $21,475 |
| 5 | Public/Applied Historymain feeder CIP 54.0105In New York → | 29 | 1.4% | 5 | $31,217 | $24,000 |
| 6 | Medieval and Renaissance Studiesmain feeder CIP 30.1301In New York → | 25 | 1.2% | 6 | — | — |
| 7 | Military Historymain feeder CIP 54.0108In New York → | 20 | 1.0% | 1 | $31,217 | $24,000 |
| 8 | Architectural History and Criticism, Generalmain feeder CIP 04.0801In New York → | 17 | 0.8% | 3 | $30,189 | $25,000 |
| 9 | CIP 30.2201In New York → | 16 | 0.8% | 5 | $32,054 | $24,000 |
| 10 | Maritime Studiesmain feeder CIP 30.2901In New York → | 10 | 0.5% | 1 | $32,325 | $23,478 |
| 11 | American History (United States)main feeder CIP 54.0102In New York → | 10 | 0.5% | 1 | $31,217 | $24,000 |
| 12 | Holocaust and Related Studiesmain feeder CIP 30.2101In New York → | 9 | 0.4% | 1 | — | — |
| 13 | CIP 30.2202In New York → | 8 | 0.4% | 2 | $32,054 | $24,000 |
| 14 | CIP 30.4601In New York → | 3 | 0.1% | 1 | — | — |
| 15 | CIP 54.0104In New York → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $31,217 | $24,000 |
Top 25 schools in New York
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 35 of the 89 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 6 feeder programs | 235 | History, General | $53,828 | 96% | $15,315 | 4% |
| 2 | New York University New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 111 | History, General | $39,636 | 88% | $29,023 | 9% |
| 3 | Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY Public · 1 feeder programs | 86 | History, General | $36,426 | 76% | — | 49% |
| 4 | University at Albany Albany, NY Public · 1 feeder programs | 81 | History, General | $32,174 | 61% | — | 69% |
| 5 | Binghamton University Vestal, NY Public · 2 feeder programs | 78 | History, General | $24,498 | 82% | — | 39% |
| 6 | University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY Public · 2 feeder programs | 74 | History, General | $28,857 | 75% | — | 74% |
| 7 | Fordham University Bronx, NY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 66 | History, General | $20,075 | 82% | $38,931 | 59% |
| 8 | CUNY City College New York, NY Public · 1 feeder programs | 53 | History, General | $30,290 | 57% | — | 60% |
| 9 | Cornell University Ithaca, NY Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 50 | History, General | $44,706 | 95% | $17,613 | 9% |
| 10 | Empire State University Saratoga Springs, NY Public · 2 feeder programs | 49 | History, General | — | 41% | — | — |
| 11 | Syracuse University Syracuse, NY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 49 | History, General | $34,610 | 84% | $28,851 | 46% |
| 12 | United States Military Academy West Point, NY Public · 3 feeder programs | 48 | Military History | — | 87% | — | 12% |
| 13 | Barnard College New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 47 | History, General | $48,092 | 93% | $24,675 | 9% |
| 14 | CUNY Hunter College New York, NY Public · 1 feeder programs | 42 | History, General | $28,790 | 57% | — | 54% |
| 15 | College of Staten Island CUNY Staten Island, NY Public · 2 feeder programs | 40 | History, General | — | 34% | — | 92% |
| 16 | CUNY Graduate School and University Center New York, NY Public · 2 feeder programs | 40 | History, General | — | — | — | 68% |
| 17 | CUNY Queens College Queens, NY Public · 1 feeder programs | 38 | History, General | $27,769 | 53% | — | 64% |
| 18 | State University of New York at New Paltz New Paltz, NY Public · 1 feeder programs | 37 | History, General | $20,124 | 72% | — | 62% |
| 19 | Colgate University Hamilton, NY Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 33 | History, General | — | 91% | $22,903 | 14% |
| 20 | St. John's University - New York Queens, NY Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 33 | History, General | — | 66% | $27,359 | 83% |
| 21 | Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 33 | History, General | $38,461 | 91% | $29,107 | 19% |
| 22 | Siena University Loudonville, NY Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 30 | History, General | $29,134 | 75% | $30,138 | 69% |
| 23 | University of Rochester Rochester, NY Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 29 | History, General | $16,253 | 85% | $25,874 | 40% |
| 24 | SUNY Brockport Brockport, NY Public · 1 feeder programs | 28 | History, General | $22,976 | 55% | — | 71% |
| 25 | SUNY College at Geneseo Geneseo, NY Public · 1 feeder programs | 26 | History, General | $28,664 | 71% | — | 66% |
All 89 schools in New York
Every school in New York with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia University in the City of New York | New York | Private not-for-profit | 235 | 6 |
| New York University | New York | Private not-for-profit | 111 | 3 |
| Stony Brook University | Stony Brook | Public | 86 | 1 |
| University at Albany | Albany | Public | 81 | 1 |
| Binghamton University | Vestal | Public | 78 | 2 |
| University at Buffalo | Buffalo | Public | 74 | 2 |
| Fordham University | Bronx | Private not-for-profit | 66 | 3 |
| CUNY City College | New York | Public | 53 | 1 |
| Cornell University | Ithaca | Private not-for-profit | 50 | 4 |
| Empire State University | Saratoga Springs | Public | 49 | 2 |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse | Private not-for-profit | 49 | 3 |
| United States Military Academy | West Point | Public | 48 | 3 |
| Barnard College | New York | Private not-for-profit | 47 | 3 |
| CUNY Hunter College | New York | Public | 42 | 1 |
| College of Staten Island CUNY | Staten Island | Public | 40 | 2 |
What historians earn in New York
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $76,750. New York pays below the national figure.
Concentrated here: New York employs more of this job per worker than the U.S. average.
Metro areas in New York
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Historians page.
How to become a Historian
Job zone 5 of 5 · SVP 8.0 and above- Typical entry education
- Master's degree
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in New York
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 24 majors mapped to Historians20 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 04.0801Architectural History and Criticism, General
- 04.0802Architectural Conservation
- 30.1201Historic Preservation and Conservation, General
- 30.1202Cultural Resource Management and Policy Analysis
- 30.1299Historic Preservation and Conservation, Other
- 30.1301Medieval and Renaissance Studies
- 30.2101Holocaust and Related Studies
- 30.2201Ancient Studies/Civilization
- 30.2202Classical, Ancient Mediterranean, and Near Eastern Studies and Archaeology
- 30.2299Classical and Ancient Studies, Other
- 30.2901Maritime Studies
- 30.4501History and Language/Literature(no graduates reported)
- 30.4601History and Political Science
- 51.3204Medical/Health Humanities
- 51.3205History of Medicine(no graduates reported)
- 54.0101History, General
- 54.0102American History (United States)
- 54.0103European History
- 54.0104History and Philosophy of Science and Technology
- 54.0105Public/Applied History
- 54.0106Asian History(no graduates reported)
- 54.0107Canadian History(no graduates reported)
- 54.0108Military History
- 54.0199History, Other
Common questions
Answers for people weighing historians programs in New York.
What degree do you need to become a Historian?+
Master's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is History, General, which awarded 1,837 degrees in New York in 2024-25, 87.6% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Historian?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 15 programs to this occupation. The largest are History, Historic Preservation and Conservation, Health Professions Education, Medieval and Renaissance Studies, plus 5 more. Together they graduate about 2,096 people a year in New York.
How much do historians earn in New York?+
The median is $62,960 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 18.0% below the U.S. median of $76,750. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for historians growing?+
BLS projects a +2.2% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 300 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in New York?+
89 institutions in New York reported graduates from at least one of the 15 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do historians work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Historian, Researcher, Collections Specialist, Historical Interpreter among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 19-3093.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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