Historians Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for historians is $76,750, or $36.90 per hour. About 3,450 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $121,710 in Massachusetts to $33,840 in Utah.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 35 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $121,710 | $58.51 | — | — |
| 2 | Maryland | $120,580 | $57.97 | 50 | 0.74 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $118,290 | $56.87 | 250 | 16.30 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $103,040 | $49.54 | 50 | 0.73 |
| 5 | Virginia | $101,920 | $49.00 | 180 | 1.99 |
| 6 | Washington | $99,720 | $47.94 | 30 | 0.41 |
| 7 | Oregon | $99,560 | $47.87 | 40 | 0.88 |
| 8 | California | $97,420 | $46.84 | 210 | 0.52 |
| 9 | Hawaii | $92,520 | $44.48 | 70 | 4.86 |
| 10 | Illinois | $89,670 | $43.11 | — | — |
| 11 | Louisiana | $80,620 | $38.76 | 60 | 1.37 |
| 12 | Nevada | $80,140 | $38.53 | — | — |
| 13 | Texas | $78,240 | $37.62 | 130 | 0.41 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $77,080 | $37.06 | 130 | 1.39 |
| 15 | Florida | $74,740 | $35.93 | 110 | 0.52 |
| 16 | North Carolina | $73,440 | $35.31 | 120 | 1.05 |
| 17 | Kansas | $72,600 | $34.90 | 40 | 1.15 |
| 18 | Alabama | $72,490 | $34.85 | 60 | 1.20 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $71,970 | $34.60 | 70 | 0.53 |
| 20 | Tennessee | $71,080 | $34.17 | 40 | 0.56 |
| 21 | Nebraska | $70,050 | $33.68 | 30 | 1.53 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $66,790 | $32.11 | 40 | 2.16 |
| 23 | Connecticut | $66,770 | $32.10 | 40 | 1.03 |
| 24 | Missouri | $64,230 | $30.88 | 50 | 0.71 |
| 25 | Georgia | $63,840 | $30.69 | 110 | 1.05 |
| 26 | Indiana | $63,770 | $30.66 | 30 | 0.49 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $63,530 | $30.54 | 50 | 1.06 |
| 28 | New York | $62,960 | $30.27 | 410 | 1.90 |
| 29 | Michigan | $62,920 | $30.25 | 80 | 0.82 |
| 30 | Ohio | $60,350 | $29.01 | — | — |
| 31 | South Carolina | $52,120 | $25.06 | 60 | 1.11 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $50,980 | $24.51 | 50 | 1.44 |
| 33 | Mississippi | $46,010 | $22.12 | 90 | 3.37 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $45,810 | $22.03 | 50 | 0.78 |
| 35 | Utah | $33,840 | $16.27 | 80 | 2.20 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do historians make?
The median annual wage for historians in the United States is $76,750, or $36.90 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $42,730, and the top 10% earn $131,810.
How many historians are employed in the U.S.?
About 3,450 people work as historians nationwide.
Which state pays historians the most?
Massachusetts pays the most at a median of $121,710, followed by Maryland ($120,580) and District of Columbia ($118,290).
Which state pays historians the least?
Utah has the lowest median at $33,840.
Where are historians jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is District of Columbia at 16.30×.