Historic Preservation and Conservation

What Can You Do with a Historic Preservation and Conservation Degree?

A historic preservation and conservation degree can open doors to many different career paths. You could choose to become a curator, an exhibition designer or a historian, as well as lots of other fulfilling and financially rewarding roles within this exciting sector.

However, it is worth mentioning that there are a limited number of schools in the United States that offer degrees in historic preservation and conservation, meaning that you will need to think carefully about where you are going to study and what specific career you want to obtain once qualified.

Within the below guide, you will discover whether a historic preservation and conservation major is the right choice for you, how much you can expect to earn once you graduate and how to choose the right college to ensure maximum success.

Is a historic preservation and conservation degree the right choice for me?

If you are enthusiastic about history and architecture and you are just as good with people as you are knee-deep in research, then a historic preservation and conservation degree could be the ideal further education option for you.

That being said, if you are planning on undertaking a historic preservation and conservation degree, you should be aware that 60.5% of historic preservation workers have a master’s degree and only 15.6% have only a Bachelor’s.

What jobs can I obtain with a degree in historic preservation and conservation?

Although there are different career paths that you can go down with a degree in historic preservation and conservation, there are a few positions that are more lucrative and in-demand than all the others.

Ar chivist

The role of an archivist is to assemble, catalogue and preserve valuable collections of historical information. To succeed in this role, you have to have good analytical and organizational skills, as well as being competent in electronic document management tools.

The average salary of an archivist is $49,850, with an expected job growth of 11% between 2019 and 2029, significantly faster than average.

Historian

An academic career path, as a historian you will study and analyze events from the past without bias. Your main duties will include obtaining historical data from libraries, archives and artifacts, and determining their authenticity and significance.

The average salary for a historian is $63,680, with an expected job growth of 3% between 2019 and 2029.

Historic preservation and conservation graduates can also find work as:

• Historic interior designers
• Site managers
• Building consultants

How do I choose the right college to study for my historic preservation and conservation degree?

Choosing a college to pursue your historic preservation and conservation degree is not as simple as finding a school that offers the specific course material you want to study. You also need to think about your overall college experience and how it will affect your learning journey. Namely, you need to consider what type of campus will enable you to thrive.

If you are not sure what to look for in terms of good quality campuses, then there is a free online service that can help you. CampusReel is an online college review website that offers over 15,000 student-made videos detailing all aspects of campus life at colleges all across the United States.

From dorm room facilities to student societies, sign up to CampusReel for free here and discover everything you need to know about your preferred colleges.