History professors are some of the most popular doctoral positions pursued by students in the United States. Not only do history professors get to teach the fascinating events and developments of history to classes of students, but they also often publish riveting history books on the subject matter they teach. But for history lovers who want to pursue a career in being a history professor, an important question to ask is how much is the average history professor salary in the US?
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How Much Do History Professors Make?
In order to identify where the average history professor salary is highest, BrokeScholar conducted a study on the annual wages of history professors across the country. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the national average history professor salary (referred to as “history teachers, postsecondary” by the BLS) is $88,640. However, the typical history professor salary can vary significantly from state to state. For example, in the highest-paying state for history professors, the average history professor salary is roughly $40,000 higher than the national average. Not only that, the state with the highest average history professor salary is over $72,000 more than in the state with the lowest history professor salary.
Read on to find out where the average history professor salary is highest and where it’s the lowest.
10 States With the Highest History Professor Salaries
Geographically, the states where history professors earn the most money on average tend to be in the Northeast and the West Coast of the US. In 9 states, the average history professor salary is in excess of $100,000 a year. Here’s a look at the 10 states where history professors earn the most money:
1. Connecticut History Professor Salary
Average annual wage: $128,010
Median annual wage: $99,770
2. California History Professor Salary
Average annual wage: $121,470
Median annual wage: $106,950
3. Rhode Island History Professor Salary
Average annual wage: $117,400
Median annual wage: $104,540
4. Massachusetts History Professor Salary
Average annual wage: $112,150
Median annual wage: $101,060
5. New Jersey History Professor Salary
Average annual wage: $110,180
Median annual wage: $100,370
6. Vermont History Professor Salary
Average annual wage: $104,390
Median annual wage: $104,250
7. New York History Professor Salary
Average annual wage: $104,310
Median annual wage: $97,970
8. New Hampshire History Professor Salary
Average annual wage: $103,640
Median annual wage: $100,620
9. Oregon History Professor Salary
Average annual wage: $100,080
Median annual wage: $98,150
*. District of Columbia History Professor Salary
Average annual wage: $95,220
Median annual wage: $82,530
10. Pennsylvania History Professor Salary
Average annual wage: $93,280
Median annual wage: $81,990
Interestingly, in Vermont, the median annual wage of history professors is only $140 less than the average annual wage. In all the other top 10 highest-paying states for history professors, the average annual pay is typically much higher than median annual pay.
10 States With the Lowest History Professor Salaries
Now, looking at the flipside, we focus on the 10 states where the average history professor salary is lowest. Geographically, these states tend to be in the South and parts of the Midwest. The lowest-paying state for history professors has an average history professor salary that’s nearly half of the national average. Here’s a look at the 10 states where history professors earn the least money:
1. Florida History Professor Salary
Average annual wage: $55,690
Median annual wage: $46,060
2. Arkansas History Professor Salary
Average annual wage: $61,780
Median annual wage: $60,300
3. Oklahoma History Professor Salary
Average annual wage: $62,580
Median annual wage: $62,320
4. West Virginia History Professor Salary
Average annual wage: $63,600
Median annual wage: $58,590
5. Mississippi History Professor Salary
Average annual wage: $66,030
Median annual wage: $65,260
6. South Dakota History Professor Salary
Average annual wage: $68,920
Median annual wage: $66,410
7. Alabama History Professor Salary
Average annual wage: $70,770
Median annual wage: $64,820
8. Iowa History Professor Salary
Average annual wage: $70,850
Median annual wage: $73,010
9. Colorado History Professor Salary
Average annual wage: $72,480
Median annual wage: $69,510
10. Hawaii History Professor Salary
Average annual wage: $72,790
Median annual wage: $65,780
Florida takes the cake as the lowest-paying state for history professors, with an average annual wage of $55,690. Interestingly, one of these states have higher median annual wages for history professors than average annual wages — Iowa.
Table of All States and History Professor Salaries
Below you’ll find a table detailing the average history professor salary in every state that there is data available for. The BLS does not have wage data for history professors in three states: Alaska, Delaware, and Wyoming. States are listed in alphabetical order, but their rank in terms of average annual history professor salary is included:
|
Rank |
State |
Average Annual Wage |
Median Annual Wage |
| 41 | Alabama | $70,770 | $64,820 |
| * | Alaska | * | * |
| 21 | Arizona | $82,800 | $77,830 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $61,780 | $60,300 |
| 2 | California | $121,470 | $106,950 |
| 39 | Colorado | $72,480 | $69,510 |
| 1 | Connecticut | $128,010 | $99,770 |
| * | Delaware | * | * |
| * | District of Columbia | $95,220 | $82,530 |
| 47 | Florida | $55,690 | $46,060 |
| 33 | Georgia | $75,890 | $76,170 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $72,790 | $65,780 |
| 34 | Idaho | $75,440 | $71,250 |
| 23 | Illinois | $81,890 | $80,120 |
| 11 | Indiana | $92,260 | $78,350 |
| 40 | Iowa | $70,850 | $73,010 |
| 35 | Kansas | $74,320 | $64,650 |
| 25 | Kentucky | $79,410 | $72,870 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $73,140 | $65,940 |
| 16 | Maine | $86,520 | $80,970 |
| 22 | Maryland | $82,040 | $76,770 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $112,150 | $101,060 |
| 14 | Michigan | $89,460 | $82,870 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $90,430 | $81,470 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $66,030 | $65,260 |
| 24 | Missouri | $81,710 | $74,120 |
| 15 | Montana | $88,800 | $84,830 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $76,690 | $76,870 |
| 12 | Nevada | $91,250 | $81,720 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $103,640 | $100,620 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $110,180 | $100,370 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $76,070 | $69,900 |
| 7 | New York | $104,310 | $97,970 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $77,330 | $68,840 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $78,570 | $62,620 |
| 28 | Ohio | $77,350 | $79,910 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $62,580 | $62,320 |
| 9 | Oregon | $100,080 | $98,150 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $93,280 | $81,990 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $117,400 | $104,540 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $73,840 | $68,900 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $68,920 | $66,410 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $77,480 | $66,150 |
| 17 | Texas | $84,870 | $80,900 |
| 19 | Utah | $83,680 | $77,530 |
| 6 | Vermont | $104,390 | $104,250 |
| 20 | Virginia | $83,160 | $76,310 |
| 30 | Washington | $77,220 | $73,100 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $63,600 | $58,590 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $84,460 | $77,530 |
| * | Wyoming | * | * |
The Bottom Line on the Average History Professor Salary
The disparities in earnings among college history professors across different states are both intriguing and informative. High earning states like Connecticut, California, and Rhode Island tend to host prestigious institutions with greater resources, attracting top talent while also featuring very competitive undergraduate acceptance rates. However, it's essential to recognize that these higher salaries often correlate with higher costs of living and more expensive tuition fees. Thus, the message is clear for aspiring history students; where you choose to study can have a significant impact on both your professors' expertise and your financial considerations.
The analysis underscores the importance of scholarships for students pursuing history or any other field of study. Scholarships can bridge the financial gap and provide opportunities to study under renowned professors in states where earnings are higher. By diligently researching and applying for scholarships, students can access quality education without being hindered by financial constraints. In addition to scholarships, take advantage of student discounts to lower you day-to-day expenses. This ensures that talent and ambition remain the driving forces in education, rather than economic barriers, keeping the path to academic success within reach for all aspiring scholars.
