Archivists pay range in Washington
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $52,110 a year or less, while the top 10% make $132,620 or more. The middle half of archivists in Washington earn between $60,320 and $112,290.
- $52K10th
- $60K25th
- $85KMedian
- $112K75th
- $133K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $88,250 | $7,354 | $42.43 |
| Median | $84,590 | $7,049 | $40.67 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $60,320 | $5,027 | $29.00 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $112,290 | $9,358 | $53.99 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Archivists salary after taxes in Washington
On the average salary of $88,250, a single filer in Washington takes home about $66,381 a year, or $5,532 a month and $2,553 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in WV | $67,761 | $5,647 |
| Working in MD | $66,934 | $5,578 |
| Working in VA | $66,654 | $5,554 |
| Working in DC | $66,381 | $5,532 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Washington a good place for archivists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Washington area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.9), so the average $88,250 buys what about $81,050 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Washington ($71,060). A typical home costs $583,013, or 6.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Archivists salary in nearby metro areas
- Baltimore, MD$80,960
- Richmond, VA$63,740
- Harrisburg, PA$73,140
- Philadelphia, PA$64,270
- Pittsburgh, PA$61,040
- Raleigh, NC$53,700
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
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Archivists salary in Washington: questions
How much do archivists make an hour in Washington?
$42.43 an hour on average, and $40.67 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level archivists salary in Washington?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $52,110 a year and the 25th percentile is $60,320, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the archivists take-home pay in Washington?
About $66,381 a year ($5,532 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $88,250.
Do archivists earn more in Washington than elsewhere?
The average here is 17% more 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (47900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.0%.
- 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 (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 4.15, this job is 4.2 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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