Education
Archivists
Appraise, edit, and direct safekeeping of permanent records and historically valuable documents. Participate in research activities based on archival materials.
Median salary (BLS)
$64,550
10th–90th percentile (BLS)
$40k – $111k
Job outlook
+4% (faster than average)
AI exposure
Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $85,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.
Plan a path to Archivists
Education
Typical entry: Master's degree
Plan my path to this →Typical progression
Junior Archivists
Entry / Junior
$39,970
~2 yrs to advance
Archivists
Established
$64,550
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Archivists
Senior
$87,550
Key skills
A typical day
- •Organize archival records and develop classification systems to facilitate access to archival materials.
- •Provide reference services and assistance for users needing archival materials.
- •Prepare archival records, such as document descriptions, to allow easy access to information.
- •Create and maintain accessible, retrievable computer archives and databases, incorporating current advances in electronic information storage technology.
- •Establish and administer policy guidelines concerning public access and use of materials.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Education
Explore all- University of Michigan18% admit · $87,000 grad pay
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill19% admit · $73,000 grad pay
- University of Wisconsin–Madison49% admit · $72,000 grad pay
- Vanderbilt University7% admit · $88,000 grad pay
- University of Virginia19% admit · $85,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.