25 Series · SOC 25-4011

Archivists Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$64,550
Median / year
$110,550
Top 10% earn
+3.8%
Growth '23–'33
7,970
US workers

Archivists earn a median of $64,550 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $64,550, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $39,970 (10th percentile) to $110,550 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 7,970 US workers. District of Columbia pays the most ($93,040), since pay varies by state and metro area.

25 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Archivists earn a median of $64,550, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 56% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Educational Instruction and Library, it ranks #48 of 64 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 3.8% by 2033.

$64,550
Median annual wage
Top 44%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#48 of 64
in Educational Instruction and Library
2.8×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $93,040. Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.

Archivists (SOC 25-4011) pays a national median of $64,550 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $39,970 at the 10th percentile to $110,550 at the 90th, with a mean of $70,640 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 7,970 Americans work in this occupation across 39 reporting states and 43 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +3.8% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,100 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Master's degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.3 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.8 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $93,040, which is +44% above the national figure. The top metro is Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT at $119,190 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 7,970 jobs Median $64,550/yr

Median Salary

$64,550

per year

Median Hourly

$31.03/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$70,640

average

Employment

7,970

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Archivists pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$64,550 Top 44% higher than 56% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 25-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Archivists; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 25 25-series occupations with growth data, Archivists sits on the slower-growing side at +3.8% growth and $64,550 median pay.

Among 25 25-series occupations with growth data, Archivists sits on the slower-growing side at +3.8% growth and $64,550 median pay. Scatter plot of 25 data points. $20000$40000$60000$80000$100000$120000 -5%0%5%10%15%20% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 25 25-series occupations with growth data, Archivists sits on the slower-growing side at +3.8% growth and $64,550 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+3.8%

Slower than average

Annual Openings

1,100

per year (projected)

Typical Education

Master's degree

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
A

Very Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

0.3/100K

Injury Rate

0.8/100

Danger Index

3.4/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Archivists roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Reading Comprehension 4.1
Active Listening 3.9
Writing 3.9
Speaking 3.5
Critical Thinking 3.4
Active Learning 3.4
Complex Problem Solving 3.3
Service Orientation 3.1
Judgment and Decision Making 3.1
Monitoring 3.0

Knowledge Areas

History and Archeology 4.3
English Language 4.0
Customer and Personal Service 3.9
Computers and Electronics 3.8
Administration and Management 3.7
Administrative 3.5
Education and Training 3.4
Law and Government 3.2
Personnel and Human Resources 2.9
Communications and Media 2.9

Key Tasks

  • ▸ 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.
  • ▸ Locate new materials and direct their acquisition and display.
  • ▸ Authenticate and appraise historical documents and archival materials.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$39,970$50,680$64,550$83,020$110,550
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$19.22$24.37$31.03$39.92$53.15
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$39,970

25th Percentile

$50,680

Median

$64,550

75th Percentile

$83,020

90th Percentile

$110,550

Salary by State

Highest Paying States

1. District of Columbia $93,040 2. Connecticut $79,790 3. Massachusetts $78,180 4. Rhode Island $76,990 5. Washington $76,490

Lowest Paying States

35. Puerto Rico $40,900 36. Arizona $47,010 37. Kentucky $48,810 38. Kansas $49,200 39. Texas $50,160
View all 39 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 District of Columbia $93,040 +44% above national
2 Connecticut $79,790 +24% above national
3 Massachusetts $78,180 +21% above national
4 Rhode Island $76,990 +19% above national
5 Washington $76,490 +18% above national
6 Maryland $76,440 +18% above national
7 New York $73,860 +14% above national
8 California $70,530 +9% above national
9 New Jersey $67,900 +5% above national
10 Minnesota $65,740 +2% above national
11 Michigan $63,890 1% below national
12 Oregon $61,880 4% below national
13 New Hampshire $61,410 5% below national
14 Pennsylvania $60,690 6% below national
15 Missouri $60,020 7% below national
16 Wisconsin $59,400 8% below national
17 Illinois $59,340 8% below national
18 Colorado $59,210 8% below national
19 Louisiana $59,070 8% below national
20 Georgia $59,010 9% below national
21 Iowa $59,010 9% below national
22 Ohio $58,790 9% below national
23 Arkansas $58,560 9% below national
24 Idaho $58,370 10% below national
25 Alabama $57,860 10% below national
26 Utah $56,660 12% below national
27 Maine $56,260 13% below national
28 North Carolina $55,370 14% below national
29 Indiana $54,220 16% below national
30 Delaware $53,890 17% below national
31 Tennessee $53,210 18% below national
32 South Carolina $52,810 18% below national
33 Florida $52,100 19% below national
34 Oklahoma $51,940 20% below national
35 Texas $50,160 22% below national
36 Kansas $49,200 24% below national
37 Kentucky $48,810 24% below national
38 Arizona $47,010 27% below national
39 Puerto Rico $40,900 37% below national

Salary by Metro Area

Highest Paying Metros

1. Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $119,190 2. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $97,550 3. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $84,590 4. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $78,530 5. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $78,490

Lowest Paying Metros

39. Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $38,260 40. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $48,370 41. San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $48,670 42. Oklahoma City, OK $52,000 43. Raleigh-Cary, NC $52,090
View all 43 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $119,190 +85% above national
2 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $97,550 +51% above national
3 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $84,590 +31% above national
4 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $78,530 +22% above national
5 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $78,490 +22% above national
6 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $78,220 +21% above national
7 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $77,990 +21% above national
8 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $77,450 +20% above national
9 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $76,990 +19% above national
10 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $76,440 +18% above national
11 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $74,540 +15% above national
12 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $74,320 +15% above national
13 Western Washington nonmetropolitan area $73,840 +14% above national
14 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $70,630 +9% above national
15 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $70,450 +9% above national
16 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $66,830 +4% above national
17 Rochester, NY $66,050 +2% above national
18 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $65,700 +2% above national
19 Richmond, VA $65,240 +1% above national
20 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $64,430 same as national
21 St. Louis, MO-IL $63,630 1% below national
22 Montgomery, AL $63,130 2% below national
23 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $63,110 2% below national
24 Madison, WI $63,040 2% below national
25 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $62,050 4% below national
26 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $62,030 4% below national
27 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $61,880 4% below national
28 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $60,900 6% below national
29 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $60,690 6% below national
30 Pittsburgh, PA $60,520 6% below national
31 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $59,950 7% below national
32 Columbus, OH $59,730 7% below national
33 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $59,620 8% below national
34 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $59,440 8% below national
35 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $58,000 10% below national
36 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $57,930 10% below national
37 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $54,590 15% below national
38 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $52,940 18% below national
39 Raleigh-Cary, NC $52,090 19% below national
40 Oklahoma City, OK $52,000 19% below national
41 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $48,670 25% below national
42 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $48,370 25% below national
43 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $38,260 41% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 25 (education) with comparable pay and career paths.

Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors

SOC 25-3011

Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary

SOC 25-1041

Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary

SOC 25-1061

Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary

SOC 25-1031

Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary

SOC 25-1062
Compare Archivists side-by-side with another occupation →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Archivists make? ▼
The median annual salary for Archivists is $64,550 ($31.03/hour). The salary range spans from $39,970 at the 10th percentile to $110,550 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Archivists the most? ▼
District of Columbia pays the highest median salary for Archivists at $93,040/year, which is +44% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Archivists? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Archivists is Master's degree.
How dangerous is being a Archivists? ▼
Archivists has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 0.3 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 0.8 per 100 workers.
Is Archivists a good career? ▼
Employment for Archivists is projected to grow 3.8% from 2024 to 2034, which is slower than average. About 1,100 openings are projected each year.
How does Archivists pay vary by state? ▼
Archivists salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is District of Columbia at $93,040/year, while Texas pays the least at $50,160/year. BLS data covers 39 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Archivists? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Archivists is Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT at $119,190/year. BLS reports wage data for 43 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Archivists pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $83,020/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $93,040/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.