Historians pay range in Washington
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $60,160 a year or less, while the top 10% make $161,470 or more. The middle half of historians in Washington earn between $78,720 and $148,700.
- $60K10th
- $79K25th
- $116KMedian
- $149K75th
- $161K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $115,390 | $9,616 | $55.48 |
| Median | $115,690 | $9,641 | $55.62 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $78,720 | $6,560 | $37.85 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $148,700 | $12,392 | $71.49 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Historians salary after taxes in Washington
On the average salary of $115,390, a single filer in Washington takes home about $83,167 a year, or $6,931 a month and $3,199 every two weeks. Taxes take 28% 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 | $85,611 | $7,134 |
| Working in MD | $84,707 | $7,059 |
| Working in VA | $84,186 | $7,016 |
| Working in DC | $83,167 | $6,931 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Washington a good place for historians? 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 $115,390 buys what about $105,975 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Washington ($71,060). A typical home costs $583,013, or 5.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Historians salary in nearby metro areas
- Philadelphia, PA$91,480
- New York, NY$81,980
- Buffalo, NY$60,860
- Rochester, NY$64,740
- Charlotte, NC$60,220
- Albany, NY$60,150
Highest-paying cities for historians
Washington, DC pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($115,390).
- Washington, DC$115,390
- Minneapolis, MN$113,760
- Boston, MA$113,270
- Sacramento, CA$103,980
- Honolulu, HI$101,930
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Historians salary in Washington: questions
How much do historians make an hour in Washington?
$55.48 an hour on average, and $55.62 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level historians salary in Washington?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $60,160 a year and the 25th percentile is $78,720, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the historians take-home pay in Washington?
About $83,167 a year ($6,931 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $115,390.
Do historians earn more in Washington than elsewhere?
The average here is 27% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($91,171).
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 19-3093; area Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (47900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.5%.
- 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 5.95, this job is 6.0 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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