How to Become a History Teacher: Requirements & Salary

Q: Do I need a degree in history to teach history?

Not necessarily. Requirements vary by state. Some states require a specific amount of coursework in history or social studies or another demonstration of content competency rather than requiring a bachelor's degree specifically titled history. Requirements are often tied to the particular history or social studies endorsement, so candidates should confirm the rules with their state's educator-licensing agency before choosing a degree or preparation program.

Q: What tests do history teachers have to pass?

Testing requirements depend on the state, certification pathway, and endorsement. Some states require content-knowledge or pedagogy assessments, while others provide exemptions or alternative methods of demonstrating competency. Praxis assessments are used for certain history and social studies credentials in some states but are not a nationwide requirement. Candidates should verify the assessments for their specific credential with their state's educator-licensing agency.

Q: Can I become a history teacher without an education degree?

Often, yes. Many states offer alternative certification pathways for candidates who hold a bachelor's degree outside education and meet applicable subject-matter requirements. Depending on the state, candidates may begin teaching under a provisional or similar credential while completing educator preparation coursework and receiving mentorship, or they may complete a residency-style program before receiving full certification.

Q: Is there strong demand for history teachers?

Overall employment for middle and high school teachers is projected to decline slightly through 2034, but substantial numbers of openings are still expected as existing teachers retire or leave the profession. Projections indicate roughly 40,500 annual openings for middle school teachers and 66,200 for high school teachers, meaning schools will continue hiring even where total employment is not growing. Demand for history and social studies teachers can vary considerably by state and district.

Written by Amanda Castillo, Last Updated: August 17, 2026

Becoming a history teacher generally means earning a bachelor's degree and completing any assessments your state, certification pathway, and endorsement require. Traditional certification usually includes a state-approved teacher preparation program, while alternative and residency pathways can work differently. Requirements vary widely by state, so confirm specifics with your state's educator-licensing agency.

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What It Takes to Become a History Teacher

Nearly every state requires a bachelor's degree to teach public school history, though the pathway to a license from there isn't identical everywhere. States vary in the amount and type of history or social studies coursework or content competency required, usually specified through course credit or endorsement rules rather than a rule that your diploma itself says "history." Traditional certification generally includes a state-approved teacher preparation program covering classroom methods, assessment, and student teaching, but alternative, residency, and provisional pathways can structure that preparation differently.

If your school doesn't offer a history major, a minor plus as many history electives as you can fit works too. Some states license teachers broadly in "social sciences" rather than history specifically, which usually means coursework across U.S. history, world history, government, economics, and geography rather than a single narrow track.

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Licensure Assessments

Complete any assessments required by your state, pathway, and endorsement. That's the honest version, because the specifics vary considerably: some states require content-knowledge tests in history or social studies, some add a pedagogy or performance-based assessment, some offer alternatives or exemptions for certain routes, and some don't require a basic-skills test for licensure at all. Praxis exams are used for some endorsements in some states, but they aren't a default nationwide sequence. Other states use their own assessments or competency options instead. Confirm the assessments tied to your state, pathway, and endorsement with your state's educator-licensing agency before you register for anything.

Alternative Certification and Reciprocity

If you already have a bachelor's degree in something other than education, alternative certification can be a faster way into the classroom. How it works, and what credential you end up with, varies by state: some routes pair coursework with teaching under a mentor, others look more like a residency or provisional license, and the resulting credential isn't always identical to the traditional one. Confirm how your state structures alternative certification, and what it requires, with your state's educator-licensing agency before counting on it.

Reciprocity, meaning your license transferring from one state to another, is never automatic. Each state sets its own reciprocity terms, and some require extra coursework or an additional exam even with an out-of-state license in hand. Contact the educator-licensing agency in the state you're moving to before assuming your credential carries over as-is.

Find Information About Becoming a Teacher In Your State

Each state has different requirements for becoming a certified teacher. To find out specific requirements, click on your state.

History Teacher: Requirements & Salary by Degree Level

The tables and charts below break down the education level obtained as averaged across the U.S.

Arts, Communications, and Humanities Teachers (College Professor)

Degree Level	Percent (%)
Less Than High School Diploma	0.2%
High School Diploma	0.1%
Some College	2.6%
Associate Degree	2.3%
Bachelors Degree	16.0%
Masters Degree	35.6%
Doctorate Degree	43.3%

Data taken from BLS Educational attainment for workers 25 years and older by detailed occupation, 2010-11 (http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_table_111.htm)

Who History Teachers Teach

History teachers mostly work with middle and high school students. Middle school typically covers grades 6-8, and high school runs 9-12, though the exact grade split depends on the district.

What a History Teacher Actually Does

Day to day, a history teacher builds lesson plans, primary-source activities, and assessments meant to move students past memorizing names and dates and into analyzing why things happened. That means choosing which documents, maps, or multimedia actually make an era feel real to a 14-year-old, then grading the essays and document-based questions that come out of it, not just multiple-choice tests.

Plan units and lessons that build toward analysis, not just recall
Select primary sources and supplemental materials for each era or topic
Grade essays, DBQs, and civics or research projects
Adjust instruction for the grade band: broader social-studies coverage in middle school narrows to U.S. history, world history, government, and economics by high school
Communicate with parents on student progress and with the school on state curriculum standards

History teachers usually fall under the "social studies" umbrella at the state and district level, alongside geography, economics, government, and civics. The National Council for the Social Studies frames the goal as helping students become informed, engaged citizens, not just people who can recite a timeline, and that's a fair description of what the job is actually trying to do.

History Teacher Organizations and Associations

National Council for History Education (NCHE): supports engaged teaching and learning across diverse histories
American Historical Association (AHA): professional association for historians across fields, and an advocate for history education
World History Association (WHA): scholars, teachers, and students promoting world history
Organization of American Historians (OAH): scholarship, teaching, and public presentation of American history
Society for History Education (SHE): publishes The History Teacher, focused on classroom technique
National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS): the largest professional association for social studies education

How Much Do History Teachers Make?

History teachers work almost exclusively at the middle and high school level, so their pay follows those two BLS categories rather than a "history teacher" line item of its own.

Occupation	Mean Annual Wage	Job Growth (2024-2034)
Middle School Teachers	$72,030	-2.0%
Secondary (High) School Teachers	$76,320	-1.6%

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, middle school teachers earned a mean annual salary of $72,030 as of May 2025, while high school teachers earned $76,320.

Employment of middle and high school teachers overall is projected to decline slightly, about 2% and 1.6% respectively between 2024 and 2034, according to Projections Central. That's a real number, not something to gloss over, but it doesn't mean the jobs dry up. Projections Central still estimates roughly 40,500 middle school teaching openings and 66,200 high school teaching openings every year, mostly as current teachers retire or move on. A district losing a social studies teacher still has to replace that position, regardless of what the national employment trend is doing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a degree in history to teach history?

States vary in how they structure this. Some specify a certain amount of history or social studies coursework or content competency, often tied to a specific endorsement, rather than requiring the diploma itself to say "history." Check with your state's educator-licensing agency for the exact requirement before you commit to a program.

What tests do history teachers have to pass?

It depends on your state, your certification pathway, and the endorsement you're pursuing. Some states require content-knowledge or pedagogy assessments, some offer exemptions or competency alternatives, and Praxis is used for some endorsements in some states but isn't a nationwide default. Confirm the specific assessments required with your state's educator-licensing agency.

Can I become a history teacher without an education degree?

Often, yes, through alternative certification, though how it works varies by state. Some routes let you start teaching while completing coursework under a mentor. Others look more like a residency or provisional license, and the resulting credential isn't always identical to the traditional one. Confirm the specifics with your state's educator-licensing agency.

Is there strong demand for history teachers?

Employment for middle and high school teachers overall is projected to dip slightly through 2034, not grow, according to Projections Central. Even so, roughly 40,500 middle school and 66,200 high school teaching openings are expected each year, mostly from retirements and turnover, so the hiring need stays real even as the total headcount edges down.

Bachelor's degree required - nearly every state requires one to teach history, though the coursework, content competency, and licensure pathway required vary by state.
Assessments vary by state and pathway - complete whatever content, pedagogy, or performance assessments your state, certification pathway, and endorsement require. Praxis is used for some endorsements in some states but isn't a nationwide default.
Mean pay: $72,030-$76,320 - May 2025 BLS mean annual wages for middle school and high school teachers, respectively.
Openings outpace the decline - employment is projected to dip slightly through 2034, but roughly 40,500 (middle school) and 66,200 (high school) openings are still expected every year.
Alternative certification is an option - career-changers with a bachelor's degree in another field often have a faster path in, though how it works and what credential results vary by state.

Amanda Castillo

Amanda R. Castillo, M.Ed., is an education writer and former K–12 teacher with more than 12 years of classroom and curriculum experience. She has taught elementary and middle school, supported special education inclusion, and guided aspiring educators through degree programs and state certification pathways. Amanda focuses on practical, accurate information about teaching careers, licensure requirements, and professional development.

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2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, Middle School Teachers, and High School Teachers. Job growth projections (2024-2034) are from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, Projections Central. Figures reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed August 2026.

Certification requirements are only half the decision. The other half is finding a program built for how you actually want to study history and teaching together, whether that's a traditional undergraduate track or an alternative route for career-changers who already hold a degree. The sponsored programs listed on this page cover both.