Archivists Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for archivistss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $70,640 ≈ $34/hr
National median salary $64,550
Total employment 7,970 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +3.8%
About as fast as average
Annual openings 1,100 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 9,300 → 9,700 (+400)
Typical entry education Master's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- District of Columbia$93,530
- Maryland$86,880
- Massachusetts$81,700
- Connecticut$81,360
- Rhode Island$80,690
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Arizona$48,650
- Kentucky$51,130
- Oklahoma$53,540
- South Carolina$55,220
- Delaware$55,250
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $93,530 | $93,040 | $45 | +32.4% | 200 |
| 2 | Maryland | $86,880 | $76,440 | $42 | +23% | 660 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $81,700 | $78,180 | $39 | +15.7% | 270 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $81,360 | $79,790 | $39 | +15.2% | 160 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $80,690 | $76,990 | $39 | +14.2% | 40 |
| 6 | Washington | $78,620 | $76,490 | $38 | +11.3% | 640 |
| 7 | New York | $78,040 | $73,860 | $38 | +10.5% | 960 |
| 8 | California | $77,160 | $70,530 | $37 | +9.2% | 1,160 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $74,040 | $67,900 | $36 | +4.8% | 70 |
| 10 | Michigan | $69,090 | $63,890 | $33 | -2.2% | 160 |
| 11 | Arkansas | $67,940 | $58,560 | $33 | -3.8% | 40 |
| 12 | Illinois | $67,020 | $59,340 | $32 | -5.1% | 200 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $66,130 | $61,410 | $32 | -6.4% | 50 |
| 14 | Colorado | $64,830 | $59,210 | $31 | -8.2% | 70 |
| 15 | Missouri | $64,790 | $60,020 | $31 | -8.3% | 150 |
| 16 | Georgia | $64,360 | $59,010 | $31 | -8.9% | 150 |
| 17 | Oregon | $63,410 | $61,880 | $30 | -10.2% | 70 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $62,210 | $60,690 | $30 | -11.9% | 360 |
| 19 | Alabama | $62,090 | $57,860 | $30 | -12.1% | 100 |
| 20 | Louisiana | $60,940 | $59,070 | $29 | -13.7% | 50 |
| 21 | Idaho | $60,790 | $58,370 | $29 | -13.9% | 30 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $60,130 | $65,740 | $29 | -14.9% | 90 |
| 23 | Maine | $59,940 | $56,260 | $29 | -15.1% | 60 |
| 24 | Ohio | $59,200 | $58,790 | $28 | -16.2% | 150 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $59,180 | $59,400 | $28 | -16.2% | 220 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $58,890 | $55,370 | $28 | -16.6% | 130 |
| 27 | Florida | $58,800 | $52,100 | $28 | -16.8% | 100 |
| 28 | Utah | $57,610 | $56,660 | $28 | -18.4% | 80 |
| 29 | Indiana | $57,370 | $54,220 | $28 | -18.8% | 70 |
| 30 | Iowa | $56,790 | $59,010 | $27 | -19.6% | 40 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $56,700 | $53,210 | $27 | -19.7% | 110 |
| 32 | Kansas | $55,780 | $49,200 | $27 | -21% | 30 |
| 33 | Texas | $55,360 | $50,160 | $27 | -21.6% | 490 |
| 34 | Delaware | $55,250 | $53,890 | $27 | -21.8% | 50 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $55,220 | $52,810 | $27 | -21.8% | 60 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $53,540 | $51,940 | $26 | -24.2% | 80 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $51,130 | $48,810 | $25 | -27.6% | 40 |
| 38 | Arizona | $48,650 | $47,010 | $23 | -31.1% | — |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 43 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $119,190 | $102,880 | 80 |
| 2 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $97,550 | $100,910 | 110 |
| 3 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $84,590 | $88,250 | 670 |
| 4 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $78,530 | $81,510 | 310 |
| 5 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $78,490 | $77,770 | 60 |
| 6 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $78,220 | $82,700 | 230 |
| 7 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $77,990 | $78,350 | 100 |
| 8 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $77,450 | $80,650 | 760 |
| 9 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $76,990 | $81,520 | 40 |
| 10 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $76,440 | $80,960 | 230 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing archivistss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $126,240 | $108,410 | — |
| 2 | Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, & Other Media Networks & Content Providers | $110,990 | $105,000 | 40 |
| 3 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $109,970 | $108,340 | 560 |
| 4 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $109,970 | $108,340 | 560 |
| 5 | Sectors 44 and 45 - Retail Trade | $98,190 | $96,530 | 160 |
| 6 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $96,680 | $91,840 | 200 |
| 7 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $96,680 | $91,840 | 200 |
| 8 | Sector 55 - Management of Companies and Enterprises | $96,680 | $91,840 | 200 |
| 9 | Broadcasting and Content Providers | $91,990 | $91,830 | 70 |
| 10 | Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers | $91,030 | $98,430 | 70 |
| 11 | Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers | $79,160 | $90,260 | — |
| 12 | Other Miscellaneous Retailers | $79,160 | $90,260 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do archivists make in the U.S.?
The median archivists salary in the United States is $64,550 per year (mean $70,640), and about 80% earn between $39,970 and $110,550.
How much do archivists make per hour?
Roughly $34 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $70,640 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays archivists the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for archivists at $93,530 per year (median $93,040).
What is the job outlook for archivists?
Employment is projected to change +3.8% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 1,100 openings per year.
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Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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