The Complete Guide to Becoming A History Teacher, Postsecondary
What you'll really do, earn, and need to know before committing to a life in the college classroom
by Alumigogo Books
non-fiction
The honest, concrete guide to becoming a college history teacher - what it really takes, what it really pays, and whether it's worth it for you.
About this book
So you love history. You can lose yourself in a book about the French Revolution or the civil rights movement, and you've imagined yourself standing in front of a lecture hall sharing that passion. But before you spend six to ten years pursuing a PhD and enter a job market where 40% of history PhDs end up in non-tenure-track positions, you need the real picture. This guide delivers it - no fluff, no 'follow your passion' platitudes, just the concrete reality of the job: the classes you'll teach, the research you'll be expected to produce, the pay at each stage, and the actual odds of landing a tenure-track position.
Reader Reviews
Emily Thompson
★★★★★I bought this because I'm a sophomore trying to decide between a history major and something 'more practical'. The chapter on what the job actually involves was eye-opening - I had no idea how much of the work is committee meetings and writing, not just teaching. I wish it had gone deeper on the non-academic alternatives, but it gave me a solid reality check.
Sarah Taylor
★★★★★As someone who's been out of school for a decade and thinking about a mid-life switch to teaching, I appreciated the actual numbers on adjunct pay and the job market. It's not the rosy picture my undergrad professors painted. The book is honest, maybe a little too pessimistic at times, but I'd rather know now than after six years of grad school.
Ryan Nguyen
★★★★★Finally a career guide that treats me like an adult. The pay tables are realistic - I checked them against the AAUP data and they align. The day-in-the-life chapter convinced me that the admin work is manageable if you're prepared for it. I'm graduating with my history BA next year and this book helped me decide to apply to MA programs rather than straight to a PhD.
Carol Perez
★★★★★The self-assessment checklist in chapter two was the most useful part for me. It made me realize I love the material but hate the idea of spending 40 hours a week reading student writing. That's not something you hear from your professors or the career center. I'm now looking into museum work instead, and this book helped me make that call before I wasted money on applications.
Edward Johnson
★★★★★Solid, practical guide. The chapter on landing your first job had real specifics - the sample syllabus, what search committee members actually ask, the fact that you need to apply for 50-100 positions. It's dry in places but that's the point. If you want a book that tells you the truth about this career, this is it.
Donna Lee
★★★★★I'm a high school history teacher considering a move to community college teaching. The education chapter was so helpful - I'd assumed I needed a PhD for everything, but the guide clearly explains how a master's degree can be enough for two-year schools. The salary chapter was brutally honest about the adjunct trap, but it also showed me which regions and institution types actually pay a living wage.
Andrew Sanchez
★★★★★Reading this before starting my PhD applications was a gift to my future self. The job market numbers in chapter four are sobering - I knew it was competitive but not that bad. The book doesn't sugarcoat, but it also gives you a realistic path if you're willing to be flexible on location and institution type. I'm still applying, but with my eyes open and a backup plan in place.