Historians Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for historianss 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 $81,240 ≈ $39/hr
National median salary $76,750
Total employment 3,450 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +2.2%
About as fast as average
Annual openings 300 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 3,400 → 3,500 (+100)
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
- Maryland$115,840
- District of Columbia$113,140
- Massachusetts$112,310
- Minnesota$111,290
- Virginia$107,970
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Utah$44,470
- Mississippi$50,110
- Wisconsin$53,030
- Oklahoma$61,060
- South Carolina$61,470
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $115,840 | $120,580 | $56 | +42.6% | 50 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $113,140 | $118,290 | $54 | +39.3% | 250 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $112,310 | $121,710 | $54 | +38.2% | — |
| 4 | Minnesota | $111,290 | $103,040 | $54 | +37% | 50 |
| 5 | Virginia | $107,970 | $101,920 | $52 | +32.9% | 180 |
| 6 | Hawaii | $101,310 | $92,520 | $49 | +24.7% | 70 |
| 7 | California | $100,750 | $97,420 | $48 | +24% | 210 |
| 8 | Oregon | $96,360 | $99,560 | $46 | +18.6% | 40 |
| 9 | Washington | $96,270 | $99,720 | $46 | +18.5% | 30 |
| 10 | Illinois | $90,280 | $89,670 | $43 | +11.1% | — |
| 11 | Nevada | $89,870 | $80,140 | $43 | +10.6% | — |
| 12 | Nebraska | $83,380 | $70,050 | $40 | +2.6% | 30 |
| 13 | Kansas | $79,460 | $72,600 | $38 | -2.2% | 40 |
| 14 | Louisiana | $78,840 | $80,620 | $38 | -3% | 60 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $78,620 | $66,770 | $38 | -3.2% | 40 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $78,220 | $77,080 | $38 | -3.7% | 130 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $78,210 | $71,970 | $38 | -3.7% | 70 |
| 18 | Alabama | $77,820 | $72,490 | $37 | -4.2% | 60 |
| 19 | Texas | $77,250 | $78,240 | $37 | -4.9% | 130 |
| 20 | Florida | $76,700 | $74,740 | $37 | -5.6% | 110 |
| 21 | Georgia | $74,570 | $63,840 | $36 | -8.2% | 110 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $74,300 | $73,440 | $36 | -8.5% | 120 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $72,850 | $66,790 | $35 | -10.3% | 40 |
| 24 | Tennessee | $71,860 | $71,080 | $35 | -11.5% | 40 |
| 25 | Missouri | $70,360 | $64,230 | $34 | -13.4% | 50 |
| 26 | Indiana | $69,780 | $63,770 | $34 | -14.1% | 30 |
| 27 | New York | $68,200 | $62,960 | $33 | -16.1% | 410 |
| 28 | Michigan | $68,190 | $62,920 | $33 | -16.1% | 80 |
| 29 | Ohio | $68,170 | $60,350 | $33 | -16.1% | — |
| 30 | Kentucky | $64,840 | $63,530 | $31 | -20.2% | 50 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $61,470 | $52,120 | $30 | -24.3% | 60 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $61,060 | $50,980 | $29 | -24.8% | 50 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $53,030 | $45,810 | $26 | -34.7% | 50 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $50,110 | $46,010 | $24 | -38.3% | 90 |
| 35 | Utah | $44,470 | $33,840 | $21 | -45.3% | 80 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 20 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $121,710 | $113,270 | — |
| 2 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $116,520 | $113,760 | 40 |
| 3 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $115,690 | $115,390 | 410 |
| 4 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $101,900 | $96,070 | 40 |
| 5 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $98,210 | $99,120 | 50 |
| 6 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $97,420 | $103,980 | 40 |
| 7 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $95,470 | $101,930 | 70 |
| 8 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $89,670 | $86,480 | — |
| 9 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $88,790 | $98,140 | 50 |
| 10 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $82,400 | $78,040 | 40 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing historianss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $116,900 | $119,860 | 720 |
| 2 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $116,900 | $119,810 | 720 |
| 3 | Engineering Services | $91,960 | $89,750 | 50 |
| 4 | Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $83,490 | $78,020 | 180 |
| 5 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $81,060 | $85,780 | 1,920 |
| 6 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $81,060 | $85,780 | 1,920 |
| 7 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $80,810 | $85,190 | 1,990 |
| 8 | Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $80,140 | $85,900 | — |
| 9 | Personal and Laundry Services | $76,750 | $70,820 | — |
| 10 | Other Personal Services | $76,750 | $70,950 | — |
| 11 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $76,750 | $81,240 | 3,450 |
| 12 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $75,030 | $77,920 | 910 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do historians make in the U.S.?
The median historians salary in the United States is $76,750 per year (mean $81,240), and about 80% earn between $42,730 and $131,810.
How much do historians make per hour?
Roughly $39 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $81,240 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays historians the most?
Maryland has the highest average pay for historians at $115,840 per year (median $120,580).
What is the job outlook for historians?
Employment is projected to change +2.2% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 300 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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