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A bachelor’s in military history is the standard undergraduate credential in this field. Common titles include BA in Military History, MA in Military History, history BA with a military-history concentration. Typical length is about 120 semester hours. In IPEDS 2024, 9 institutions reported bachelor’s-or-higher completions in the CIP codes used for this guide, and 8 of those institutions reported offering distance-education programs (IPEDS 2024). Of those, 7 reported bachelor’s completions.
Historian is a small occupation. Most graduates teach, write, work in museums and archives, or use the degree as a writing-and-research credential for government and defense analysis jobs that do not require this CIP.
Yes. In IPEDS 2024, 9 institutions reported bachelor’s-or-higher completions in the CIP codes used for this guide, and 8 of those institutions reported offering distance-education programs (IPEDS 2024).
Typical coursework includes U.S. and world military history, historiography, research methods, war and society, and a thesis or research capstone.
Historians: The national median annual wage was $76,750, with the 10th percentile at $42,730 and the 90th at $131,810 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 3,400 in 2024, projected to grow 2.2 percent through 2034, with 300 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). Individual outcomes vary.
Certificates cover a tool. The bachelor’s is what most employers treat as the degree. If the job posting lists a bachelor’s as required, a certificate will not substitute.
There is no programmatic accreditor for military history. Institutional accreditation is the check that matters. Museum and archive jobs may want an additional master’s in library science or museum studies.
Data verified: September 7, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.