(First off, I know this is irrelevant to the subreddit, but I think you guys could answer more personally) I am 14, and am wondering if going into a career in history will be useful. I say this because I’m not sure of the current job market for history degrees. I love history, and want to pursue it, but I’m not sure if there are many jobs in it. Any help?
Did a history undergrad. There are many paths from a history degree, not all clear and obvious. You are still young at 14, so plenty of time to decide what you want to do. If you enjoy history it would make a good choice to do at degree level.
Repeat after me: undergraduate majors do not lead directly to a career that is the same name and character as the undergraduate major. Not economics, not computer science, not biology, and not history.
You are studying something specific in part to learn how to study something specific, and about the relationship between a specific set of subjects, methods and ideas in relation to more general skills and ideas.
Now it is true that some majors map with greater specificity into some careers. But if you take computer science, often seen as the most "job-related" major, it can lead directly not just to programming work, but to the design of technology or hardware, to managing the use of information technology by others, to generalized forms of problem-solving that relate well to thinking in code, to jobs that take other forms of advanced mathematics, to a whole range of technical and creative work--and of course many CS majors do something that isn't even directly tied to the major.
That's typical with undergraduate degrees. You study something that engages your mind and your heart. It will teach both specific skills and valuable general skills. History may teach you some really valuable specific skills about how to do 'deep' research inside large information spaces like archives, and it will certainly teach you broad skills of critical thinking, writing, presentation and speaking. Those skills are very much in demand in a wide variety of jobs.
If there's something you're drawn to, that you're good at, and that you find satisfying, that is 95% of what you might ask of an undergraduate major, and it's what will lead you towards jobs and make you a convincing person in competing for jobs.
Yes. A degree in History will (most likely) give you skills in: critical reading and analysis of documents, research skills using multiple databases, the ability to formulate an argument and thesis defended by facts and statements, as well as the ability to compare and contrast multiple and often opposing viewpoint on a similar subject.
Like others have noted what you study in undergrad isn’t always the most important thing in the world, and a degree in History can prepare you for many graduate programs, or a career in a history field (teaching, museum, National Park). Like with any other program it is all about the specifics being offered by your institution, but deciding to major in History can certainly be worth it.
Source: myself (history major, coming up on 2+ years working at historic sites)
The comments so far outline an important question: in what country are you planning to live and work after you graduate? Here in the US, teachers are generally not paid well (certainly not what they are worth). I've lived in Silicon Valley for the last 25 years and my experience here is that if you're not in STEM or bio-sciences, you're in for a tough slog.
Not to say there isn't opportunity for history majors, only that you need to research the job market in the area where you intend to work.
That said, if you can make enough money to just live comfortably and history makes you happy, then do that.
Same as lots of the comments above, if you live in the US and plan to work in the US you're unlikely to get a history related job on just an undergrad. I have a history degree and ended up managing video game development and making a board game over the last 13 years. Historiography and looking at multiple view points and how to process and write about those things has been hugely important to my career but the most history I do is looking at old games and documents ;)
As others have said a degree in history can help teach you with critical thinking, vetting sources, reading comprehension, etc. Skills that are usable all over the place. Go after what you're passionate about, be open minded, don't be surprised if 2 years in your mind totally changes. What's important is what you're doing here, ask questions, read, pursue what motivates you. Good luck.
Since no one else has mentioned it, you might want to look into the field of Historic Preservation if you don’t see yourself being a teacher and want to work directly in the field. I think of HP as the more practical side of a history degree.
I’m a HP Planner for a local municipality, I don’t have an HP degree, but my colleagues do. We review historic buildings that come under review for alteration or demolition. There’s a lot of history to it, I do a lot of research on the buildings themselves and the people that lived there.
Additionally, a lot of private development firms will have a couple HP specialists on their employee rosters.
You really really need to understand that history as a work field and history as a hobby are really not the same thing, in the same way that designing a game is not playing a game. Studying for a bachelor in history, you will learn a bunch of cool stuff, but that stuff is a pretext to develop other skills: you will mostly become an adept at writing, at analysing, at organizing (files, thoughts, etc) and at making researches. The deeper you will go into that field, the more those skills will become important.
Those skills are easily transferable to other fields, so do not think too much about the fact that there's not a lot of jobs in that field. Because... let's face it, you probably won't find a decent job in history... those are few and far between. But history will make you a better person and it will refine your intelligence and your critical thinking.
So what are the jobs at least remotely linked to history you might get? Historian: research a field for years and become an expert, hoping that this expertise will land you a job. Journalist: some of the best journalists have history in their background, because it helps them articulate their thoughts and give them a solid general knowledge. Museum/touristic employee: this is what I am, if you want to learn more, please pm! Teacher: pass on the knowledge you have, but be aware that this should NEVER be your plan B; you'll regret it if it's not your plan A, most do.
If your plan is to make money or are desperate for a job, keep history as a hobby. If you simply like to learn a bunch of stuff about history, keep that as a hobby. Otherwise, history has a lot to offer and I highly suggest you to study in that field.
I love studying history. Sometimes I wish I had gone into something more specific, but of course that doesn’t necessarily help on the job market. I am currently getting a teaching degree (I’m in Germany) and it’s more or less the same as getting a master’s degree. It also grants me a 99.99% chance of getting a job while still giving me the chance of just staying at university for a PhD or other professional directions.
Some professions require very specific degrees (doctor, physicist, history professor) but the vast majority of jobs are happy with any degree, or any one of a number related to whether you can write, research, solve, design, create, code, <whatever set of skills you need>.
A degree doesn't qualify you for anything except an opportunity to train for a job that pays you well (or at least treats you well). You need around four years experience in a relevant environment before you can be considered professionally qualified in anything.
Do what you love. You'll do better at it.
Also, you're 14. You should be running round outside and asking strangers to buy you beer, not worrying about what career you will pursue in ten years' time.
My degree in history taught me how to effectively research, how to analyze and cite credible sources, and how to regurgitate that information into essay form, which no one will ever read more than once. These are very useful skills to have, because you can learn to do pretty much anything once you have them. I was otherwise disappointed, because it was hard to find classes on subjects I was actually interested in.
You're right; there are not many jobs in the history field, and the ones that do exist require a graduate degree. Realistically, you could get a single subject teaching credential and teach middle or high school history, but you'll have to endure extra schooling, low pay once you are a teacher, and you'll have to enjoy working with kids.
You don't necessarily have to fall into a history career with a history degree. I have a history degree, but I'm looking at banking and government jobs right now. I wanted a bachelor's degree and history was the only subject I could stand long enough to slog through four years of college. If you feel the same way then absolutely go for it; I'd rather have a "lesser" degree than no degree at all.
History major here - I'm in my last year of undergrad and am also working on my Masters in Teaching (dual-program here). There are tons of things you can do with a history degree - I'm seconding what a lot of other people have said - your undergrad major does not directly link to a specific job. I know a lot of people who majored in history and are in medical school right now (they did pre-reqs for that). You have plenty of time to figure out what you want to major in, and likely you will change your major multiple times before you finally choose one definitively. Don't worry about this stuff now! you're too young - worry about high school and your more immediate future