Also called: Biography Writer, Historical Writer
Researches and writes the life stories of famous and forgotten people.
A biographer spends years reading letters and diaries in archives, interviews people who knew the subject, and writes a book that brings a life to the page.
Book income varies widely; many also teach or write articles.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in history, English, or journalism.
Ways in: 4-year college, Self-taught. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: History, English, Journalism.
Growing slowly (about 0% over 10 years). BLS 2025-35 projection band for SOC 27-3043: Little or no change.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI speeds archive research and drafts, and floods the market with quick books; deep research and storytelling stand out.
Classes: AP US History, AP English Language, Creative writing.
Official data: O*NET occupation 27-3043.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.