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Role hub · Archivists

Archivist: what the job is, what it pays, and how to get hired.

The work, the skills that matter, the tools in demand and the pay range, from U.S. government data, plus every TryHired page for the role.

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Updated Nov 2, 2026 · Data: BLS OEWS May 2025 · O*NET 31.0
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Median percentile pay

Half of archivists earn more than this and half earn less.

Annual
$64,550
Hourly
$31.03
Source
BLS May 2025
Quick answer

Archivists appraise, edit, and direct safekeeping of permanent records and historically valuable documents. The median pay is $64,550 a year ($31.03 an hour) (BLS, May 2025). The most commonly reported education requirement is a master's degree (84% of workers surveyed by O*NET).

Median pay
$64,550
BLS May 2025
Employed in the U.S.
7,970
BLS May 2025
Preparation
Job Zone 5 of 5
extensive preparation
Most common education
Master's Degree
84% of workers
Key facts

Archivists at a glance

  • Archivists in the United States earned a median annual wage of $64,550 in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025

  • In its 2025–35 employment projections, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a master's degree as the typical entry-level education for archivists in the United States.

    Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35

  • BLS projects employment of archivists in the United States to grow 3.4% from 2025 to 2035, with about 1,100 openings a year on average, including replacement openings.

    Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35

  • BLS estimated that 7,970 people were employed as archivists in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.

    Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025

Explore the role

Every page for Archivists

SalaryArchivist salary

Pay by percentile, state and metro, with a negotiation script.

Open →How to becomeArchivist how to become

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The work

What archivists do day to day

Data Core tasks rated most important by workers in the role (O*NET).

  1. Organize archival records and develop classification systems to facilitate access to archival materials.
  2. Provide reference services and assistance for users needing archival materials.
  3. Prepare archival records, such as document descriptions, to allow easy access to information.
  4. Create and maintain accessible, retrievable computer archives and databases, incorporating current advances in electronic information storage technology.
  5. Establish and administer policy guidelines concerning public access and use of materials.
  6. Direct activities of workers who assist in arranging, cataloguing, exhibiting, and maintaining collections of valuable materials.
  7. Preserve records, documents, and objects, copying records to film, videotape, audiotape, disk, or computer formats as necessary.
  8. Research and record the origins and historical significance of archival materials.
Where this career works

Industries that employ it

Data Share of all archivist jobs in each industry, 2025 (BLS Employment Matrix).

  1. Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals23.1% of all jobs in this occupation · +0.8% projected change here 2025–35 · mean wage $78,230
  2. Educational services; state, local, and private18.8% of all jobs in this occupation · +2.6% projected change here 2025–35 · mean wage $66,320
  3. Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations14.0% of all jobs in this occupation · +2.4% projected change here 2025–35 · mean wage $59,250
  4. Museums, historical sites, and similar institutions11.9% of all jobs in this occupation · +8.2% projected change here 2025–35 · mean wage $57,800
  5. Professional, scientific, and technical services7.8% of all jobs in this occupation · +7.4% projected change here 2025–35 · mean wage $77,190
  6. Web search portals, libraries, archives, and other information services4.1% of all jobs in this occupation · +13.9% projected change here 2025–35 · mean wage $67,450

Sources: BLS 2025–35 National Employment Matrix (share of the occupation's jobs, projected change) and BLS OEWS May 2025 industry estimates (mean wage). Different industry estimates are not a pay forecast for any person.

Skills that matter

Ranked by importance to the job

Data O*NET importance ratings. The first three are core.

Reading ComprehensioncoreActive ListeningcoreWritingcoreSpeakingCritical ThinkingActive LearningComplex Problem SolvingService OrientationJudgment and Decision Making

Knowledge areas: History and Archeology, English Language, Customer and Personal Service, Computers and Electronics, Administration and Management, Administrative.

Tools and technology

Software archivists use

Data Examples reported for the role; employer demand flags from O*NET.

  • Adobe Creative Cloud softwareGraphics or photo imaging softwareHot technology
  • Adobe IllustratorGraphics or photo imaging softwareHot technology
  • Adobe InDesignDesktop publishing softwareHot technology
  • Adobe PhotoshopGraphics or photo imaging softwareHot technology
  • Extensible markup language XMLEnterprise application integration softwareHot technology
  • Adobe Premiere ProVideo creation and editing software
  • Apple Final Cut ProVideo creation and editing software
  • Corel Paint Shop ProGraphics or photo imaging software
  • Esri ArcGISGeographic information system
  • Geographic information system GIS systemsGeographic information system
  • Microsoft ExcelSpreadsheet softwareIn demand
  • Microsoft Office softwareOffice suite softwareIn demand

Also called: Accessioning Archivist, Digital Archivist, Film Archivist, Museum Archivist, Records Manager.

Method

How this page is built

Tasks, skills, tools, education and related roles come from O*NET 31.0. Pay and employment come from the BLS OEWS May 2025 national estimates. The skill-match score is our calculation: Skill match is the cosine similarity of the two occupations' skill profiles: for each of 35 O*NET skills (10 essential, 25 transferable) we multiply importance by level and subtract the average across all occupations, then compare the direction of the two profiles. 100 means identical shape; 0 means unrelated or opposite (negative values are shown as 0). Only occupations that O*NET itself lists as related are compared.

What this page can't tell you
  • How a specific employer defines the job.
  • Pay for self-employed workers (OEWS covers employees).
  • Your own chances: data describes the occupation, not you.
Sources
  1. O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).

How TryHired builds this data: sources, methods and downloads. Spotted an error? Report a correction.