by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 68 U.S. colleges awarded 436 degrees and certificates in Historic Preservation. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 78% of graduates. College Factual ranks 9 schools in its 2027 Best Historic Preservation Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $44,600 one year after completing, rising to $59,733 after four years.
Are you fascinated by old buildings? Do you enjoy spending free time touring old properties and houses? A Historic Preservation degree will allow you learn how to protect and restore these beautiful historic buildings and areas.
Major in Historic Preservation in order to learn the practical and theoretical aspects that allow workers to preserve historical sites. This major involves more than simply history and art appreciation. Students will learn economics, real estate development, preservation planning and the laws that surround it. You will have the opportunity to visit structures and research them in order to collect and analyze information.
Some of the classes you will take in a Historic Preservation major include: preservation planning and law, American architecture, historic preservation law, architectural conservation, perspectives on preservation, design, real estate, public relations and policy.
You may have the opportunity to choose a concentration. Several worth mentioning are Historic Preservation and Conservation, and Cultural Resource Management and Policy Analysis.
Studying Historic Preservation involves the study of Historic Preservation And Conservation.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, historic preservation is a popular field of study, with 436 degrees awarded annually. 68 colleges award historic preservation degrees, an average of 6 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 33.
By level, the 436 awards include 8 certificates, 6 associate degrees, 81 bachelor’s degrees, 338 master’s degrees and 3 doctorates.
Women earned 73% of historic preservation degrees and certificates in the latest year (317 of 436). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (289) and Hispanic or Latino (50), and international students earned 31.
College Factual ranks 9 schools in its 2027 Best Historic Preservation Schools ranking, including 3 for bachelor’s degrees and 5 for master’s degrees. It also ranks historic preservation schools within 5 states. In all, 68 colleges offer historic preservation programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Historic Preservation Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common historic preservation credential is the master’s degree: 338 of the 436 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to historic preservation call most for Reading Comprehension, Active Listening and Writing, and for knowledge of English Language, Customer and Personal Service and Administration and Management, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Written Comprehension, Oral Expression and Written Expression.
A passion for history and architecture will lead you to success in this field. Art and architecture require an eye for detail. Research skills will be necessary as you dive into historical data and learn about the culture. Working with people should be natural to you as you help build historical appreciation in your local community.
Critical thinking, writing and research skills are necessary to complete your projects and write reports and papers. You will need to collect data and analyze how buildings reflect on the time period. Memorization will also be helpful as you learn about different places, names, and designs. Strong math and organization skills will lead you to success in both architecture and economics.
You may have the opportunity to study abroad. This will give you the chance to see historical areas and structures of a particular culture. Take advantage of any internship or work opportunities in a historic center, architecture firm or museum.
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How long a historic preservation degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 8 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 6 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 81 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 338 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 3 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to historic preservation, at 52.0%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 52.0% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 21.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 7.2% |
| Doctoral degree | 6.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 3.8% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 2.4% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.2% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.1% |
| Some college courses | 1.7% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.4% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.3% |
| First professional degree | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
13 occupations are related to Historic Preservation, with an average median salary of $105,390; the strongest outlook belongs to Compliance Managers, at 13.0% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Registrar, Digital Archivist, Records Manager and Records Associate.
A Historic Preservation Degree will allow you take many different career paths. You could become a curator, a historian, a preservation researcher or a conservationist. You could also work for a museum as an exhibition designer or a technician. Grads also find work as historic interior designers, site managers, or building consultants. Working for communities and private organizations to restore and maintain historical sites could be another career path for you.
The occupation related to historic preservation with the most projected jobs is Archivists, at 1,193,221.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Archivists | 1,193,221 | 1.6% |
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | 964,215 | -0.1% |
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 718,152 | 6.5% |
| Managers, All Other | 468,025 | 6.2% |
| Security Managers | 360,967 | 0.6% |
| Compliance Managers | 310,203 | 13.0% |
| Facilities Managers | 268,353 | -0.6% |
| Loss Prevention Managers | 265,210 | 2.2% |
Historic Preservation graduates earn a median $44,600 one year after completing their program, $59,733 after four years and $52,542 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $44,600 |
| 4 years | $59,733 |
| 5 years | $52,542 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to historic preservation is Wind Energy Development Managers, with a median salary of $169,952.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Wind Energy Development Managers | $169,952 |
| Loss Prevention Managers | $165,723 |
| Facilities Managers | $157,669 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | $122,567 |
| Compliance Managers | $117,178 |
| Security Managers | $104,128 |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | $99,321 |
| Managers, All Other | $95,684 |
Historic Preservation includes 3 concentrations that together award 436 degrees a year; by graduates, the largest are Historic Preservation and Conservation, General (359), Cultural Resource Management and Policy Analysis (59) and Historic Preservation and Conservation, Other (18). It has 48 similar majors in the Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies field, which together award 149,986 degrees a year; the largest are Biological and Physical Sciences (29,811), Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (29,665) and Data Analytics (17,572). Browse all Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Historic Preservation and Conservation, General | 359 |
| Cultural Resource Management and Policy Analysis | 59 |
| Historic Preservation and Conservation, Other | 18 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 29,811 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 29,665 |
| Data Analytics | 17,572 |
| Data Science | 11,772 |
| MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES | 11,175 |
| Behavioral Sciences | 6,906 |
| International/Globalization Studies | 5,644 |
| Nutrition Sciences | 5,569 |
| Sustainability Studies | 4,567 |
| Cognitive Science | 3,911 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
