Historian salary in the U.S.
Historians in the U.S. earn a median of $76,750 a year ($36.90 an hour), based on BLS data for 3,450 workers.
Pay ranges from $42,730 for the lowest-paid 10% to $131,810 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $81,240, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for historians in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $42,730 | $20.55 |
| 25th percentile | $57,290 | $27.54 |
| Median | $76,750 | $36.90 |
| 75th percentile | $99,990 | $48.07 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $131,810 | $63.37 |
| Average (mean) | $81,240 | $39.06 |
Half of historians earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $6,395.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,197.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,951.92 |
| Weekly | $1,475.96 |
| Hourly | $36.90 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Historian salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $121,710 | n/a |
| Maryland | $120,580 | 50 |
| District of Columbia | $118,290 | 250 |
| Minnesota | $103,040 | 50 |
| Virginia | $101,920 | 180 |
| Washington | $99,720 | 30 |
| Oregon | $99,560 | 40 |
| California | $97,420 | 210 |
| Hawaii | $92,520 | 70 |
| Illinois | $89,670 | n/a |
| Louisiana | $80,620 | 60 |
| Nevada | $80,140 | n/a |
| Texas | $78,240 | 130 |
| New Jersey | $77,080 | 130 |
| Florida | $74,740 | 110 |
| North Carolina | $73,440 | 120 |
| Kansas | $72,600 | 40 |
| Alabama | $72,490 | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $71,970 | 70 |
| Tennessee | $71,080 | 40 |
| Nebraska | $70,050 | 30 |
| New Mexico | $66,790 | 40 |
| Connecticut | $66,770 | 40 |
| Missouri | $64,230 | 50 |
| Georgia | $63,840 | 110 |
| Indiana | $63,770 | 30 |
| Kentucky | $63,530 | 50 |
| New York | $62,960 | 410 |
| Michigan | $62,920 | 80 |
| Ohio | $60,350 | n/a |
| South Carolina | $52,120 | 60 |
| Oklahoma | $50,980 | 50 |
| Mississippi | $46,010 | 90 |
| Wisconsin | $45,810 | 50 |
| Utah | $33,840 | 80 |
Best-paying metro areas for historians
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $121,710 | n/a |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $116,520 | 40 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $115,690 | 410 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $101,900 | 40 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $98,210 | 50 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $97,420 | 40 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $95,470 | 70 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $89,670 | n/a |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $88,790 | 50 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $82,400 | 40 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $81,470 | 40 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $80,400 | 180 |
| Montgomery, AL | $76,400 | 30 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $68,010 | 40 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $61,640 | 60 |
Metro areas with the most historians
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 410 | $115,690 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 180 | $80,400 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 80 | $33,840 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | 70 | $95,470 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 60 | $48,610 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 60 | $61,640 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 50 | $98,210 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 50 | $88,790 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | 40 | $68,010 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 40 | $116,520 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | 40 | $82,400 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 40 | $81,470 |
| Rochester, NY | 40 | $46,630 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 40 | $97,420 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 40 | $101,900 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $100,580 | $48.36 |
| School Psychologist | $95,990 | $46.15 |
| Urban and Regional Planners | $89,320 | $42.94 |
| Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other | $101,110 | $48.61 |
| Psychologists, All Other | $110,840 | $53.29 |
| Economist | $124,720 | $59.96 |
| Anthropologists and Archeologists | $70,770 | $34.02 |
| Survey Researcher | $69,460 | $33.40 |
| Political Scientist | $142,080 | $68.31 |
| Sociologist | $106,030 | $50.98 |
| Geographer | $102,040 | $49.06 |
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologist | $193,950 | $93.24 |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 | $49.72 |
| Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $90,150 | $43.34 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 19-3093. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a historian make in the U.S.?
The median salary for historians in the U.S. is $76,750 a year, or $36.90 an hour. Pay ranges from $42,730 for the lowest-paid 10% to $131,810 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid historians make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of historians in the U.S. earn at least $131,810 a year. The top 25% earn $99,990 or more.
What is the starting pay for historians in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $42,730 a year, and a quarter of historians earn $57,290 or less.
How many historians work in the U.S.?
About 3,450 historians are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.