How much does an Archivist make?
The median pay for an Archivist in the United States is $64,550 per year — about $31.03 per hour. Entry-level positions start near $39,970, while the most experienced Archivists in the top 10% earn $110,550.
That is $3,160 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Archivist salary range by percentile
Half of all Archivists earn between $50,680 and $83,020 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $39,970 | $19.22 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $50,680 | $24.37 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $64,550 | $31.03 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $83,020 | $39.91 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $110,550 | $53.15 |
Highest-paying states for Archivist
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. District of Columbia leads the country for Archivist pay at $93,040 a year, followed by Connecticut ($79,790) and Massachusetts ($78,180). At the other end, Arizona posts the lowest median at $47,010 — a gap of $46,030 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $93,040 | $44.73 | +44% |
| 2 | Connecticut | $79,790 | $38.36 | +24% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $78,180 | $37.59 | +21% |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $76,990 | $37.01 | +19% |
| 5 | Washington | $76,490 | $36.77 | +18% |
Archivist salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 38 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 8,000 people work as Archivists in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $70,640 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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