Historic Preservation and Conservation: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 6 college programs, at a typical net price.
On these figures the cost and debt outweigh the earnings premium.
What Historic Preservation and Conservation pays
Career outlook for Historic Preservation and Conservation graduates
The job market for the occupations Historic Preservation and Conservation graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, all other | 1,333,700 | +4.5% | $136,550 | Bachelor's degree |
| Postsecondary teachers, all other | 183,400 | +1.8% | $78,490 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Facilities managers | 151,400 | +3.8% | $104,690 | Bachelor's degree |
| Area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary | 14,500 | +2.4% | $84,290 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Archivists | 9,300 | +3.8% | $61,570 | Master's degree |
| Historians | 3,400 | +2.2% | $74,050 | Master's degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Historic Preservation and Conservation vs similar majors
How Historic Preservation and Conservation stacks up against the closest fields in Interdisciplinary Studies on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Historic Preservation and Conservation Interdisciplinary Studies · this major | Human Computer Interaction | Systems Science and Theory | Mathematics and Computer Science | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 29 F | 84 A | 90 A | 92 A |
| ROI verdict | Poor return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $52,707 | $122,421 | $110,759 | $93,003 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $39,555 | $76,324 | $69,716 | $56,140 |
| ROI vs cost | -3% | +806% | +710% | +502% |
| Typical debt | $21,250 | $36,897 | $25,199 | $21,409 |
| Colleges offering it | 6 | 7 | 4 | 2 |
Historic Preservation and Conservation earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Historic Preservation and Conservation
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College of Charleston Charleston, SC | Certificate | $56,946 | — | +58% | Break-even |
| 2 | College of Charleston Charleston, SC | Associate's | $51,884 | $21,500 | +51% | Break-even |
| 3 | Clemson University Clemson, SC | Certificate | $56,730 | — | +32% | Break-even |
| 4 | Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, GA | Certificate | $61,992 | — | -14% | Poor return |
| 5 | University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg, VA | Associate's | $44,563 | $21,000 | -109% | Poor return |
| 6 | Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MI | Certificate | $44,127 | — | -114% | Poor return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.