How much does an archivist make?
a year · about $31 an hour
A typical archivist in the United States makes $64,550 a year, about $31 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
An archivist may inspect letters or photos, choose what to keep, then label and describe each item so people can find it. They may scan fragile records, update a digital catalog, and help researchers track down documents.
Did you know? At the U.S. National Archives, staff have baked old audio tapes to loosen them long enough to copy the recordings.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $39,970 and $110,550How do you become one?
In the U.S., archivists usually earn a related master’s degree after college. An archive or museum internship or volunteer role helps build practical experience.
School needed: Graduate degree or long training
Good for people who like keeping things organized and figuring things out
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., archivist pay varies with experience, credentials, employer type, and location. Specialized work, such as digital or film archives, can also matter; most archivists work full time.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in District of Columbia ($93,040), lowest in Arizona ($47,010).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $39,970 | $64,550 | $110,550 | about 8,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $93,040 | about 200 |
| Connecticut | $79,790 | about 160 |
| Massachusetts | $78,180 | about 270 |
| Rhode Island | $76,990 | about 40 |
| Washington | $76,490 | about 640 |
Official definition: Appraise, edit, and direct safekeeping of permanent records and historically valuable documents. Participate in research activities based on archival materials.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/curators-museum-technicians-and-c
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/25-4011.00
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes254011.htm
- www2.archivists.org/sites/all/files/Guidelines%20for%20a%20Graduate%20Program%20
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.archives.gov/publications/record/1998/09/from-the-archivist.html
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY