Academics

History majors get jobs in almost every conceivable field, including law, business, tech, community outreach, teaching and more. In a fast-changing world, the skills you build will be relevant to jobs that may not even exist yet. History majors succeed because they work well on teams, learn quickly and solve problems, have excellent communication skills, and an aptitude for sorting and condensing information. The skills you gain in our undergraduate program are highly transferrable across a range of industries and professions. 

98% of surveyed 2023-2024 University of Illinois history graduates secured a first destination, which means they’ve gotten jobs, are heading to graduate school, or are volunteering full time (that's higher than the campus average!). 

What can I do with a history degree?

Student looking off into distance

The possibilities are endless!

  • Law-lawyer, human rights officer, criminal justice analyst, paralegal
  • Business-CEO, management consultant, research analyst
  • Politics-campaign manager, FBI/CIA, legislative aide, policy analyst
  • Education-teacher, administrator, advisor, counselor
  • Fundraising-advancement officer, development director, stewardship and donor relations manager
  • Libraries-archivist, research librarian, outreach librarian, library director
  • Communication and Media-journalist, producer, publicist, editor
  • Marketing-marketing manager, social media manager, advertising manager, digital marketing manager
  • Human Resources-recruiter, labor relations specialist, human resources director, employee relations manager
  • Museums-Curator, Exhibitions and Collection Manager, Grant Writer, Programs Manager

Our alumni have also worked in technology, non-profit management, entertainment, publishing, and more! 

95.5% of history majors age 25-65 are employed in a professional field and students graduating from Illinois with a history degree report average mid-career earnings of $78,758. 

Read alumni stories

What skills do you gain from a degree in history?

woman reading

The skills you gain with a degree in history are highly transferrable across a range of industries and professions.

  • Critical and analytical thinking
  • Ability to learn quickly and solve problems
  • Creative and engaged storytelling
  • Experience conducting thorough research
  • Aptitude for sorting and condensing information
  • Clear, concise, and compelling communication
  • An understanding of the connections between social, political, and economic events between local, national, and international communities
  • An understanding of the intersections between race, gender, and class

Explore our undergraduate program

Resources

The University of Illinois and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offer a variety of career counseling services that you can take advantage of as a student.
Career Center LAS Career Services Paul M. Lisnek LAS Hub

Graduate School Preparation

Student tossing graduation cap in the air

A  bachelor's degree in history provides an excellent foundation for graduate school. Our graduates are well prepared to pursue advanced degrees in history, musuem studies, library science, business, education, public policy, journalism, law, and medicine.

The ability to analyze and sort information, conduct research, and think critically are crucial skills you will gain as a history major that will prepare you to succeed in graduate school. 

42% of surveyed 2023-2024 University of Illinois history graduates pursued further education after graduation.

MA/MS Degree in History and Information Science

PhD in History

Internships for history students

students collaborating

Internships are an essential way for history students to explore career paths and hone their skills. We have developed relationships across campus with professionals who want to work with history students. Our interns have contributed to exhibits and collections at the Spurlock Museum, visitor services and collections at the Champaign County History Museum, and more. 

Learn more about internship opportunities

 

Famous History Majors

Theodore Roosevelt 

W.E.B. DuBois

Elena Kagan

Samantha Power

Clemson Smith Muñiz 

Steve Carell

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Annie Proulx

More famous history majors

Charles J. Shields

Alumni Spotlight: Charles J. Shields (1979)

Charles J. Shields (BA, English, '75; MA, History, '79) is the author of 20 nonfiction books for young readers, and biographies of Harper Lee, John Williams, Kurt Vonnegut, and Lorraine Hansberry. He recently retired after a successful 25 year career as a writer where he combined his interest in literature with the research skills he gained as a historian.