Archivists pay range in San Diego
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,210 a year or less, while the top 10% make $92,500 or more. The middle half of archivists in San Diego earn between $48,390 and $73,290.
- $46K10th
- $48K25th
- $62KMedian
- $73K75th
- $92K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $67,430 | $5,619 | $32.42 |
| Median | $62,050 | $5,171 | $29.83 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $48,390 | $4,032 | $23.26 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $73,290 | $6,108 | $35.24 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Archivists salary after taxes in San Diego
On the average salary of $67,430, a single filer in San Diego takes home about $53,945 a year, or $4,495 a month and $2,075 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Diego a good place for archivists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Diego area are 12% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.9), so the average $67,430 buys what about $60,266 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in San Diego ($58,690). A typical home costs $946,365, or 14.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Archivists salary in other California cities
San Diego ranks 6th of 7 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($100,910).
- San Jose$100,910
- Oxnard$86,110
- San Francisco$80,480
- Sacramento$77,770
- Los Angeles$76,720
- San Diego$67,430
- Riverside$65,990
Highest-paying cities for archivists
Bridgeport, CT pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($102,880).
- Bridgeport, CT$102,880
- San Jose, CA$100,910
- Washington, DC$88,250
- Oxnard, CA$86,110
- Boston, MA$82,700
Does this match what you are paid?
Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.
Share your pay anonymously
Archivists salary in San Diego: questions
How much do archivists make an hour in San Diego?
$32.42 an hour on average, and $29.83 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level archivists salary in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,210 a year and the 25th percentile is $48,390, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the archivists take-home pay in San Diego?
About $53,945 a year ($4,495 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $67,430. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do archivists earn more in San Diego than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($75,523).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 25-4011; area San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (41740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.4%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.90, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.