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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

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: Master's degree

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$64,100–$230,700

Time to qualify

6.3 yr

Renewal

$20/yr

  1. 1

    Bachelor's degree

    Degree

    Four years at public in-state rates — average published tuition & fees ≈ $11,610/yr, plus books. Private and out-of-state run higher; grant aid lowers most students' actual net price.

    $40,000–$150,000 · 4 years source

  2. 2

    Master's degree

    Degree

    Typically two years; average graduate tuition ≈ $20,000/yr at public universities (NCES).

    $24,000–$80,000 · 2 years source

  3. 3

    State teaching certification

    License

    Approved educator-prep program, pedagogy & subject exams, background check, and a state application.

    $100–$700 · 3 months · varies by state · renews every 5 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Archivists" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Archivists

    Entry / Junior

    $39,970

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Archivists

    Established

    $64,550

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. 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

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.