Historic Preservation and Conservation graduates earn $49,728 four years out. The middle 50% of earners fall between $35,215 and $62,359. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and how far you advance in the field.
This page covers Historic Preservation and Conservation as a course of study: what it costs, where it is taught, and what graduates go on to earn. It sits inside the wider field of Interdisciplinary Studies and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.
Historic Preservation and Conservation is a focused area of study within Interdisciplinary Studies. Pick this and you can expect to earn around $49,728 four years out, a modest return for a focused credential. You will not have trouble finding it: 80 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 423 students complete it each year, most walking away with a master's. The focus is on writing, analysis, and communication that transfer across industries.
Median Earnings · 1yr
$35,326
Median Earnings · 4yr
$49,728
Colleges Offering
80
Graduates / Year
423
Avg Net Price / yr
$20,548
How Much Do Historic Preservation and Conservation Graduates Earn?
Four years after finishing Historic Preservation and Conservation, a typical graduate earns $49,728, below average for bachelor's degree holders. Half of earners land somewhere between $35,215 and $62,359, so where you end up depends on the job and the employer. Do not judge the field on a starting paycheck alone: pay tends to jump in the first few years, climbing from $35,326 at one year out to $49,728 by year four. Source: College Scorecard.
Starting salaries only. Earnings in this field grow substantially in the first 3 to 5 years.
$49,728
4-Year National Median
Below average for bachelor's degree holders.
$51,229
4-Year Institutional Median
Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size.
Earnings Range
Not every Historic Preservation and Conservation graduate ends up in the same place. Earnings spread out a moderate amount, so know what pushes people to one end or the other. Career path divergence explains most of the range. Law, consulting, and tech-adjacent roles pull the top end up; writing, education, and nonprofit roles tend to sit near the bottom.
$35,21525th pct.
$49,728Median
$62,35975th pct.
Understanding the Cost vs. Return
At median 4-year earnings of $49,728 and an estimated $82,192 four-year net cost, earnings breakeven against a baseline wage takes approximately 4.2 years. Compare specific programs before committing to a high-cost option.
Based on outcomes from 11 schools.
Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.
Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown
Of the 423 students who complete Historic Preservation and Conservation programs each year, the majority (55%) earn a master's degree.
The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
26%55%
Master's55%
Bachelor's26%
Post-Bacc Cert.12%
What Can You Do With a Historic Preservation and Conservation Degree?
This degree does not lock you into one job. Historic Preservation and Conservation graduates show up in 3 different occupations, and Facilities Managers pay the most at $106,660/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.
Critical ThinkingReading ComprehensionActive ListeningJudgment and Decision MakingSpeaking
Day-to-day responsibilities
Plan, direct, or coordinate operations and functionalities of facilities and buildings. May include surrounding grounds or multiple facilities of an organization's campus.
Monitor the facility to ensure that it remains safe, secure, and well-maintained.
Oversee the maintenance and repair of machinery, equipment, and electrical and mechanical systems.
Oversee construction and renovation projects to improve efficiency and to ensure that facilities meet environmental, health, and security standards, and comply with government regulations.
Teach courses pertaining to the culture and development of an area, an ethnic group, or any other group, such as Latin American studies, women's studies, or urban affairs. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as race and ethnic relations, gender studies, and cross-cultural perspectives.
Appraise, edit, and direct safekeeping of permanent records and historically valuable documents. Participate in research activities based on archival materials.
Organize archival records and develop classification systems to facilitate access to archival materials.
Provide reference services and assistance for users needing archival materials.
Prepare archival records, such as document descriptions, to allow easy access to information.
Top Colleges for Historic Preservation and Conservation
Not sure where to study Historic Preservation and Conservation? These 20 colleges graduate the most students in it each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.
Ranked by Historic Preservation and Conservation graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats.
Read our methodology →
Related Interdisciplinary Studies Programs
Historic Preservation and Conservation is not the only path through Interdisciplinary Studies: 38 other specializations sit alongside it. The comparison below ranks them by 4-year median earnings so you can see where this one lands.
Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page
into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Historic Preservation and Conservation program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find
schools that match your profile.
Historic Preservation and Conservation Degree: Pros & Cons
Historic Preservation and Conservation carries financial trade-offs prospective students should weigh carefully. The 2 strengths and 3 concerns below are drawn from College Scorecard earnings, BLS job growth data, and IPEDS completion counts.
PROS
Strong salary growthMedian earnings climb from $35,326 at graduation to $49,728 four years later, a clear sign of career momentum in this field.
Strong hiring volumeRelated occupations generate more than 16,300 job openings per year combined, creating consistent demand for graduates.
CONS
Modest median earningsFour-year median of $49,728 lags STEM and business fields, affecting ROI at higher-cost programs.
Advanced degree often expectedTop roles in this field typically expect a master's degree or higher. A bachelor's may be a starting point rather than a terminal credential for the most competitive positions.
High earnings varianceGap between 25th ($35,215) and 75th ($62,359) percentile is wide. Where you land depends heavily on employer, role, and location.
Historic Preservation and Conservation Degree: Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Historic Preservation and Conservation graduates earn?
$49,728 four years after finishing the program. Half of graduates land between $35,215 and $62,359, so employer, role, and location move that number more than the degree itself. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the starting salary for a Historic Preservation and Conservation degree?
$35,326 in the first year out. That grows to $49,728 by year four, so do not judge this field on the entry-level number alone. Most of the gain shows up once you clear the first few years and move past entry-level roles. Source: College Scorecard.
What jobs can you get with a Historic Preservation and Conservation degree?
Facilities Managers are one path, and it pays a median of $106,660 a year. It is not the only one: the Career Paths section below lists every occupation graduates actually go into, with wages and 10-year growth for each.
How long does a Historic Preservation and Conservation program take?
Four years for the bachelor's, plus one to two more if you continue on to a master's, which many Historic Preservation and Conservation students do. Some schools shorten that with an accelerated 5-year combined program.
How many colleges offer Historic Preservation and Conservation?
80 colleges and universities, so you are not short on options. That range runs from community colleges granting certificates and associate degrees to research universities with full doctoral tracks. Source: IPEDS.
Is a Historic Preservation and Conservation degree worth it?
$49,728 median earnings four years out against $20,548 a year in average net price. That is a slow payback, so cost matters more than usual here: a cheaper school changes the answer. Use the Top Colleges section below to compare specific schools before deciding. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the difference between Historic Preservation and Conservation and Interdisciplinary Studies?
Historic Preservation and Conservation is the narrower of the two: Interdisciplinary Studies covers the full discipline, while this program limits the curriculum to Historic Preservation and Conservation-specific courses, skills, and career tracks. Pick the specialization once you already know this is the direction you want; it gets you a more targeted credential, not a broader one.
What skills do employers look for in Historic Preservation and Conservation graduates?
Coursework alone will not get you hired. Employers hiring Historic Preservation and Conservation graduates consistently look for writing, critical analysis, and cross-cultural communication. Employers value the ability to synthesize complex information clearly, skills that transfer into communications, law, consulting, and content roles. Build those into your coursework and internships now, and the job search later gets easier.
What is the job outlook for Historic Preservation and Conservation graduates?
Outlook is moderate overall: related occupations average +3.6% projected job growth over the next 10 years. Facilities Managers are among the strongest-growth roles at +4.6%. That average hides real differences by role and location, so check the Career Paths section below for the projection on each specific occupation before you count on any single number.
Related Interdisciplinary Studies Programs
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