How much does a Archivists make?

The median annual wage for Archivists is $64,550 ($31 per hour). Pay ranges from about $39,970 at the 10th percentile to $110,550 at the 90th percentile.

What is the average salary for a Archivists?

The average (mean) annual salary is $70,640, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.

Which state pays Archivistss the most?

District of Columbia has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $93,040.

Is Archivists a growing occupation?

BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 8.0K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.

What does a Archivists do?

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..

Archivists Salary

Educational Instruction and Library Occupations · 8.0K employed in the U.S.

Median annual

$64,550

Median hourly

$31

Average annual

$70,640

Typical range

$39,970–$110,550

Pay distribution

10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.

10th$39,970

25th$50,680

Median$64,550

75th$83,020

90th$110,550

What this role pays

The median annual salary for Archivists is $64,550 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $31 an hour at a full-time schedule.

Appraise, edit, and direct safekeeping of permanent records and historically valuable documents. Participate in research activities based on archival materials..

Most earn between $39,970 and $110,550 a year. There are roughly 8.0K people employed as archivists in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.

Salary calculator

Convert your pay and see where it lands for Archivists.

Pay amountPay period

Hours / weekWeeks / year

Hourly: $31.03
Daily: $248
Weekly: $1,241
Bi-weekly: $2,483
Monthly: $5,379
Annual: $64,550

$64,550 a year is around the 50th percentile for Archivistss. The median is $64,550.

Archivists — U.S., May 2025
Percentile	Hourly	Annual
10th percentile	$19.20	$39,970
25th percentile	$24.40	$50,680
Median	$31.00	$64,550
75th percentile	$39.90	$83,020
90th percentile	$53.10	$110,550
Average (mean)	$34.00	$70,640
Employment	7,970 people

Key skills

Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Writing
Speaking
Critical Thinking
Active Learning
Complex Problem Solving
Service Orientation
Judgment and Decision Making
Monitoring

Highest-paying states

Median annual wage by state.

1District of Columbia$93,040
2Connecticut$79,790
3Massachusetts$78,180
4Rhode Island$76,990
5Washington$76,490
6Maryland$76,440
7New York$73,860
8California$70,530
9New Jersey$67,900
10Minnesota$65,740
11Michigan$63,890
12Oregon$61,880

Top-paying metro areas

Median annual wage by metro area.

1Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$119,190
2San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$97,550
3Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$84,590
4Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$78,530
5Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$78,490
6Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,220
7Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA$77,990
8New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$77,450
9Providence-Warwick, RI-MA$76,990
10Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD$76,440
11Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$74,540
12San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$74,320

Related job titles

Employers advertise Archivists roles under these titles.

Related occupations

What a Archivists does

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.
Create and maintain accessible, retrievable computer archives and databases, incorporating current advances in electronic information storage technology.
Establish and administer policy guidelines concerning public access and use of materials.
Direct activities of workers who assist in arranging, cataloguing, exhibiting, and maintaining collections of valuable materials.
Preserve records, documents, and objects, copying records to film, videotape, audiotape, disk, or computer formats as necessary.
Research and record the origins and historical significance of archival materials.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Archivists make?: The median annual wage for Archivists is $64,550 ($31 per hour). Pay ranges from about $39,970 at the 10th percentile to $110,550 at the 90th percentile.
What is the average salary for a Archivists?: The average (mean) annual salary is $70,640, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
Which state pays Archivistss the most?: District of Columbia has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $93,040.
Is Archivists a growing occupation?: BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 8.0K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
What does a Archivists do?: 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..