Archivists Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for archivists is $64,550, or $31.03 per hour. About 7,970 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $93,040 in District of Columbia to $47,010 in Arizona.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 38 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $93,040 | $44.73 | 200 | 5.54 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $79,790 | $38.36 | 160 | 1.89 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $78,180 | $37.59 | 270 | 1.42 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $76,990 | $37.01 | 40 | 1.51 |
| 5 | Washington | $76,490 | $36.77 | 640 | 3.52 |
| 6 | Maryland | $76,440 | $36.75 | 660 | 4.67 |
| 7 | New York | $73,860 | $35.51 | 960 | 1.93 |
| 8 | California | $70,530 | $33.91 | 1,160 | 1.25 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $67,900 | $32.64 | 70 | 0.33 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $65,740 | $31.61 | 90 | 0.61 |
| 11 | Michigan | $63,890 | $30.72 | 160 | 0.71 |
| 12 | Oregon | $61,880 | $29.75 | 70 | 0.73 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $61,410 | $29.52 | 50 | 1.43 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $60,690 | $29.18 | 360 | 1.15 |
| 15 | Missouri | $60,020 | $28.86 | 150 | 0.97 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $59,400 | $28.56 | 220 | 1.47 |
| 17 | Illinois | $59,340 | $28.53 | 200 | 0.64 |
| 18 | Colorado | $59,210 | $28.47 | 70 | 0.48 |
| 19 | Louisiana | $59,070 | $28.40 | 50 | 0.48 |
| 20 | Iowa | $59,010 | $28.37 | 40 | 0.53 |
| 21 | Georgia | $59,010 | $28.37 | 150 | 0.60 |
| 22 | Ohio | $58,790 | $28.26 | 150 | 0.52 |
| 23 | Arkansas | $58,560 | $28.15 | 40 | 0.56 |
| 24 | Idaho | $58,370 | $28.06 | 30 | 0.68 |
| 25 | Alabama | $57,860 | $27.82 | 100 | 0.96 |
| 26 | Utah | $56,660 | $27.24 | 80 | 0.95 |
| 27 | Maine | $56,260 | $27.05 | 60 | 1.81 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $55,370 | $26.62 | 130 | 0.51 |
| 29 | Indiana | $54,220 | $26.07 | 70 | 0.46 |
| 30 | Delaware | $53,890 | $25.91 | 50 | 1.97 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $53,210 | $25.58 | 110 | 0.67 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $52,810 | $25.39 | 60 | 0.49 |
| 33 | Florida | $52,100 | $25.05 | 100 | 0.20 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $51,940 | $24.97 | 80 | 0.89 |
| 35 | Texas | $50,160 | $24.12 | 490 | 0.69 |
| 36 | Kansas | $49,200 | $23.65 | 30 | 0.43 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $48,810 | $23.47 | 40 | 0.40 |
| 38 | Arizona | $47,010 | $22.60 | — | — |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do archivists make?
The median annual wage for archivists in the United States is $64,550, or $31.03 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $39,970, and the top 10% earn $110,550.
How many archivists are employed in the U.S.?
About 7,970 people work as archivists nationwide.
Which state pays archivists the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $93,040, followed by Connecticut ($79,790) and Massachusetts ($78,180).
Which state pays archivists the least?
Arizona has the lowest median at $47,010.
Where are archivists jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is District of Columbia at 5.54×.