Education · 1 of 5

The path

A master's degree is the standard ticket, and volunteer hours matter as much as grades.

1. 1

   High school

   Grades 11 and 12

   History, English and any computer class. Volunteer at a local historical society or library to see whether the work suits you.

2. 2

   Bachelor's degree

   4 years

   History, English, American studies or anything that teaches you to read old documents carefully. A second language helps.

3. 3

   Master's degree

   2 years

   Usually a Master of Library and Information Science with an archives concentration, sometimes a master's in history or public history. The Society of American Archivists keeps a directory of archival education programs.

4. 4

   Practicum, internship or assistantship

   During school

   Processing a real collection end to end is what gets you hired. Do this during the master's, not after.

5. 5

   First professional job

   After graduation

   Often a grant-funded processing position. Expect to move for it.