The Archivist's Paycheck: An In-Depth Guide to Archivist...

[What Does an Archivist Do?](#what-does-an-archivist-do)
[Average Archivist Salary: A Deep Dive](#average-archivist-salary-a-deep-dive)
[Key Factors That Influence an Archivist's Salary](#key-factors-that-influence-salary)
[Job Outlook and Career Growth for Archivists](#job-outlook-and-career-growth)
[How to Become an Archivist: A Step-by-Step Guide](#how-to-get-started-in-this-career)
[Conclusion: Is a Career as an Archivist Right for You?](#conclusion)

Have you ever wondered who guards our collective memory? Who ensures that the pivotal documents, groundbreaking research, and cultural touchstones of our time are not lost to the digital or physical dust of history? The answer is the archivist, a professional dedicated to the preservation and accessibility of our past. This career path is more than a quiet job among old papers; it's a dynamic, technologically evolving field that is crucial for accountability, research, and cultural identity. For those with a passion for history, a meticulous mind, and an eye toward the future, it offers a profoundly rewarding journey.

Financially, the path of an archivist is a stable and respectable one. While you may not reach the echelons of a Wall Street trader, a seasoned archivist can build a comfortable and secure life. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for archivists was $57,110 in May 2023, with top earners commanding salaries well over $100,000. However, this is just a single data point in a much larger and more nuanced picture.

I once had the privilege of touring a university's special collections, guided by the Head Archivist. Watching her handle a 16th-century manuscript with the same care and technological foresight she applied to a server farm of born-digital university records was a revelation. It drove home that this profession isn't about being stuck in the past; it’s about building a bridge from the past to the future. This role reaches its zenith in positions like that of Dr. Colleen Shogan, the 11th Archivist of the United States, who oversees the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)—an institution responsible for everything from the Declaration of Independence to presidential emails. While a direct search for "Colleen Shogan salary" points to a specific federal executive salary, her position serves as the ultimate beacon for what a career in this field can become: a role of immense national importance and leadership.

This guide will demystify the archivist profession. We will explore the day-to-day realities of the job, conduct a deep dive into salary expectations at every level, dissect the factors that can maximize your earning potential, and lay out a clear, actionable roadmap for starting your own journey in this vital field.

What Does an Archivist Do?

At its heart, the role of an archivist is to manage the complete lifecycle of records. These "records" are not just dusty old letters; they can be anything that provides information about a place, institution, or person. This includes paper documents, photographs, maps, films, audio recordings, and, increasingly, complex digital files like emails, databases, websites, and social media data. The archivist’s work ensures that these materials are not only saved but are also understandable and usable for future generations.

The core responsibilities are often summarized by five key functions:

1. Appraisal and Acquisition: Archivists don't—and can't—save everything. A crucial part of their job is appraisal: evaluating records to determine their long-term value. Is this collection historically significant, legally required to be kept, or vital to the organization's mission? Based on this evaluation, they acquire, or "accession," new materials into their repository.

2. Arrangement and Description: Once records are acquired, they are often chaotic. Archivists impose intellectual and physical order on them (arrangement), often following principles like *provenance* (keeping records from the same creator together). They then create detailed descriptions and finding aids (description), which are essentially the maps and guides that researchers use to navigate the collections. This is a highly intellectual task that requires deep subject matter knowledge.

3. Preservation: This is the function most people associate with archives. Archivists are experts in protecting materials from decay. For physical items, this involves controlling temperature and humidity, using acid-free storage materials, and performing conservation treatments. For digital items, it involves a complex set of strategies like format migration, emulation, and ensuring data integrity over decades, combating the ever-present threat of "digital decay" or technological obsolescence.

4. Access and Reference: Archives are not mausoleums; they are living resources. A primary goal is to make collections available to researchers, students, and the public. This involves staffing a reading room, answering remote research queries via email or phone, digitizing collections for online access, and teaching students how to use primary sources.

5. Outreach and Advocacy: Modern archivists are also advocates. They promote their collections through exhibitions, public presentations, social media, and educational programs. They advocate within their parent institutions for the funding and resources necessary to do their work, making a case for the value of preserving history.

### A Day in the Life: University Archivist

To make this tangible, let's imagine a day for an archivist at a mid-sized university:

9:00 AM - 10:30 AM: Start the day by answering reference emails. A genealogist is asking for information on an alumnus from the 1920s, and a history professor needs to schedule a class visit to view materials related to student protests in the 1960s.
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM: Head to the processing room. Continue arranging a recently acquired collection of a prominent former professor's papers. This involves sorting through boxes, organizing files into a logical series, and creating a preliminary inventory in an archival management software.
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: Lunch.
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM: Staff the reading room. Assist an undergraduate student who is using the university's yearbooks for a project on campus fashion changes over time. Retrieve requested boxes from the climate-controlled stacks and monitor their use.
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM: Meet with the university's IT department. The topic is the long-term preservation strategy for the Board of Trustees' digital meeting minutes. They discuss server space, file format stability, and metadata requirements.
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM: Work on a grant proposal for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The goal is to secure funding to digitize the university’s entire collection of early 20th-century photographs and make them available online, requiring a detailed budget and project plan.

While this is one example, the work can vary dramatically. A corporate archivist might spend their day managing brand assets and historical marketing materials for the legal team. A government archivist, working in a vast system like NARA, might specialize in a single type of record, such as electronic naval records or presidential audiovisual materials. And at the very top, the Archivist of the United States, Dr. Colleen Shogan, is less involved in hands-on processing and more focused on setting national archival policy, managing a multi-million dollar budget, testifying before Congress, and leading an agency of thousands of employees.

Average Archivist Salary: A Deep Dive

Understanding the salary landscape is essential for anyone considering a career as an archivist. While driven by passion, professionals deserve compensation that reflects their advanced education and specialized skills. The financial picture for an archivist is one of steady, reliable growth, though it varies significantly based on factors we will explore in the next section.

### National Averages and Ranges

To establish a baseline, we turn to the most authoritative sources. It's important to note that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) groups Archivists with Curators and Museum Workers under the code 25-4011 (Archivists) and 25-4010 (Curators, and Museum Technicians and Conservators). While related, their salary data is often presented together, which can slightly influence the numbers.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS): The May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report provides the most comprehensive federal data.
Median Annual Wage: $57,110. This means half of all archivists earned more than this amount, and half earned less.
Mean Annual Wage: $62,310. This is the average salary.
Salary Range: The BLS data shows a wide spectrum of earnings:
Lowest 10%: Earned less than $37,790
Lowest 25% (Entry-Level): Earned less than $45,710
Median (Mid-Career): $57,110
Highest 25% (Senior-Level): Earned more than $75,540
Highest 10% (Director/Top-Level): Earned more than $99,250

Reputable salary aggregators, which use self-reported data and job postings, often provide more granular insights that align with the BLS framework.

Salary.com (as of late 2023/early 2024): Reports a tighter median salary for a role specifically titled "Archivist" at $63,941, with a typical range falling between $52,192 and $75,984. This often reflects corporate or well-funded institutional roles.
Payscale (as of late 2023/early 2024): Shows a broader range, indicating an average base salary of around $55,000, with the full range spanning from $46,000 to $81,000 before bonuses or benefits.
Glassdoor (as of late 2023/early 2024): Places the total pay for an archivist in the United States at an average of $66,000 per year, with a likely range between $52,000 and $84,000.

These sources paint a consistent picture: an entry-level archivist can expect to start in the $45,000 to $55,000 range, with a mid-career professional earning between $55,000 and $75,000. Senior-level and management positions regularly surpass $80,000 and can break the six-figure mark.

### Salary by Experience Level

Salary progression is directly tied to the accumulation of experience and responsibility. A career is a ladder, and each rung brings increased earning potential.

| ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

| Entry-Level (0-3 years) | Archival Technician, Project Archivist, Processing Archivist | $45,000 - $58,000 | Often starts with fixed-term, grant-funded project positions. Focus is on hands-on processing and description. |

| Mid-Career (4-9 years) | Archivist, Digital Archivist, Reference Archivist | $58,000 - $75,000 | Master's degree is standard. Involves more autonomy, specialization (e.g., digital), and supervisory duties. |

| Senior-Level (10-15+ years) | Senior Archivist, Head of Special Collections, Supervising Archivist | $75,000 - $95,000+ | Manages departments, budgets, and staff. Sets collection policy and strategy. Requires extensive experience. |

| Director/Executive (15+ years) | University Archivist, Director of Archives, Chief Records Officer | $90,000 - $150,000+ | Top-level leadership. Responsible for the entire archival program. High-profile roles can earn significantly more. |

### Deconstructing the Compensation Package

The base salary is only one part of the total compensation story. The value of a job offer can be significantly enhanced by other financial components, which are particularly strong in government and university settings.

Bonuses: While less common than in corporate fields, performance bonuses or one-time awards can exist, particularly in the private sector or for successful grant acquisition.
Health and Wellness Benefits: Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance is a standard component of full-time professional archival positions. The quality and cost of these plans can vary dramatically, with federal and state government plans often being particularly robust.
Retirement Plans: This is a major differentiator.
Government/University: Often offer pension plans (defined benefit), which guarantee a certain payout in retirement. They also provide access to tax-advantaged savings plans like a 403(b) or 457(b), often with employer matching.
Corporate/Non-Profit: More commonly offer 401(k) plans (defined contribution), where the final amount depends on market performance. Employer matching is a key benefit to evaluate.
Paid Time Off (PTO): Generous vacation, sick leave, and holiday schedules are characteristic of academic and government jobs, often exceeding what is offered in the private sector.
Professional Development Funding: Many institutions encourage and will pay for archivists to attend conferences (like the annual Society of American Archivists meeting), take workshops, and pursue further certifications. This is a valuable benefit that also enhances future earning potential.
Tuition Assistance: For archivists working at universities, tuition remission for themselves or their family members can be an extremely valuable, life-changing benefit worth tens of thousands of dollars per year.

When evaluating a job offer, it's crucial to look beyond the salary and calculate the total value of the compensation package. A job with a slightly lower salary but a pension, excellent health insurance, and tuition benefits may be far more valuable in the long run.

Key Factors That Influence Salary

The national average provides a starting point, but an individual archivist's salary is determined by a complex interplay of several key factors. Understanding these variables is the single most important tool you have for maximizing your earning potential throughout your career. This is where you can move from being a passive job-taker to an active career strategist.

###

1. Level of Education: The Master's Degree Standard

In the archival profession, education is not just a stepping stone; it is the foundation upon which a career is built. The level and type of your degree have a direct and powerful impact on your eligibility for jobs and your starting salary.

The Master's Degree is the Key:

The universally recognized entry-level qualification for a professional archivist position in the United States is a Master's degree. The most common and respected degrees are:

Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS or MLS): This is the most prevalent degree in the field, typically from a program accredited by the American Library Association (ALA). Top-tier MLIS programs offer a specific concentration, track, or specialization in Archives and Records Management.
Master of Arts (MA) in History with an Archival Concentration: Some professionals enter the field through a history program that has a strong archival studies component. This path can be advantageous for roles in historical societies or subject-specific repositories.
Master of Archival Studies (MAS): While less common in the U.S. than the MLIS, the MAS is a dedicated degree focused exclusively on archival theory and practice.

Impact on Salary: Holding a Master's degree is the price of entry. A candidate with only a Bachelor's degree might find work as an archival assistant or technician, but their salary ceiling will be significantly lower (often topping out in the $40,000s-$50,000s), and their opportunities for advancement will be severely limited. The Master's degree unlocks access to professional-track positions and their corresponding salary bands, effectively boosting starting pay by $10,000-$15,000 or more compared to non-degreed roles.

Advanced Credentials:

Certifications: The Certified Archivist (CA) designation, offered by the Academy of Certified Archivists, is a post-graduate certification that demonstrates a professional's competency and commitment to the field. While it may not always provide an immediate, automatic salary bump, it is highly valued by employers and can be a deciding factor in hiring and promotion, especially for leadership roles. It signals a level of expertise that can be leveraged in salary negotiations.
Doctoral Degrees (Ph.D.): A Ph.D. is generally not required for most archival practice. However, it is essential for tenure-track faculty positions teaching archival studies at a university. It can also be a significant advantage for director-level positions at major research libraries or national institutions, where scholarly leadership is expected. In these very senior roles, a Ph.D. can contribute to a salary that breaks into the low-to-mid six figures.

###

2. Years of Experience: The Upward Trajectory

Experience is the primary driver of salary growth after initial education. The archival field rewards a proven track record of increasing responsibility, project management, and specialized skills.

Entry-Level (0-3 years) - Salary Range: $45,000 - $58,000: New graduates often begin their careers as "Project Archivists." These are typically grant-funded, temporary positions (1-3 years) focused on processing a single large collection. While temporary, they are the critical first step for building hands-on skills in arrangement, description, and preservation. Gaining 2-3 years of solid project experience is the springboard to a permanent position.
Mid-Career (4-9 years) - Salary Range: $58,000 - $75,000: After gaining foundational experience, an archivist qualifies for permanent, staff-level roles like "Archivist" or "Reference Archivist." At this stage, professionals operate more independently, may supervise interns or student assistants, and begin to develop a specialization (e.g., digital archives, records management). Salary growth is steady as expertise deepens.
Senior/Management (10+ years) - Salary Range: $75,000 - $150,000+: With a decade or more of experience, archivists can move into leadership.
Senior Archivist / Department Head ($75k - $95k): These roles involve managing complex projects, supervising a team of other archivists, controlling a departmental budget, and setting collection development policies.
Director of Archives / University Archivist ($90k - $120k): At this level, the role becomes primarily administrative. They are responsible for the entire archival program, long-range strategic planning, major fundraising and grant writing, and representing the archives to institutional leadership and the public.
Executive Level (e.g., Archivist of the United States): This represents the absolute peak of the profession. Such a role is a presidential appointment confirmed by the Senate. Compensation is not determined by typical market forces but is set by law within the federal Executive Schedule (ES). The head of a major independent agency like NARA is typically placed at ES Level III. As of 2024, the salary for Executive Schedule Level III is $203,700. This directly addresses the specific "Colleen Shogan salary" query, placing her compensation among the top ranks of federal executives, a reflection of the immense responsibility of the position.

###

3. Geographic Location: The Power of Place

Where you work is one of the most significant factors in determining your salary. Cost of living and the concentration of archival employers create major regional disparities in pay.

Top-Paying Metropolitan Areas:

According to BLS data, the highest salaries for archivists are concentrated in metropolitan areas with a strong federal government presence, major universities, and corporate headquarters.

1. Washington, D.C.-Arlington-Alexandria, VA-MD-WV: This is the epicenter of the archival world in the U.S. and, consequently, the highest-paying region. It is home to the National Archives (NARA), the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, numerous other federal agency archives, and a vast ecosystem of universities and non-profits. The sheer competition for skilled archivists drives salaries up. An archivist here can expect to earn a significant premium over the national average.

2. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA: A hub for major universities (Columbia, NYU), cultural institutions (New York Public Library, museums), and corporate archives (finance, fashion, media). High cost of living translates to higher salaries.

3. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: Home to major universities (UCLA, USC), the Getty Research Institute, and the archives of the massive entertainment industry.

4. Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH: A dense concentration of world-class universities (Harvard, MIT), historical societies, and biotech/tech companies creates strong demand.

Top-Paying States (BLS, May 2023 Annual Mean Wage):

District of Columbia: $89,640
California: $75,760
Maryland: $73,200
Massachusetts: $71,130
Rhode Island: $69,570

Conversely, salaries tend to be lower in rural states and regions with fewer large institutions and a lower cost of living. A position at a small historical society in the Midwest or the South will likely pay considerably less than a similar role at a federal agency in Washington, D.C.

###

4. Company Type & Size: Where You Work Matters

The nature of your employer has a profound impact on salary, benefits, and work culture.

Federal Government: The U.S. Federal Government is the largest single employer of archivists. Salaries are transparently structured on the General Schedule (GS) pay scale. An entry-level archivist with a Master's degree typically starts at the GS-9 level. As of 2024 in the Washington D.C. area, a GS-9, Step 1 salary is $69,107. With experience, one can advance to GS-11, GS-12 ($87,978), GS-13 ($104,604), and beyond into management roles. Federal jobs offer unparalleled job security and exceptional benefits, including a pension plan.
Universities and Colleges: This is the second-largest employment sector. Salaries vary wildly. A well-endowed, private research university (an "R1" institution) will pay significantly more than a small, private liberal arts college or a state university with public funding constraints. The benefits package, especially tuition remission, can be a major factor.
State and Local Government: State archives, city records offices, and public universities also employ many archivists. Pay is generally solid and comes with good benefits and pensions, but it can be subject to state budget politics. Salaries are

The Archivist's Paycheck: An In-Depth Guide to Archivist Salaries, Inspired by NARA's Colleen Shogan

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