Archivist salary
From 17 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 25-4011: Archivists
At a glance
- Median up 5% since FY2021. From $55,000 in FY2021 to $57,620 in FY2024 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Archivist H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 17 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Archivist jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 25-4011, Archivists). The median base salary is $60,088, 51% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $56,160 and $78,394.
Is your Archivist offer competitive?
Enter the base salary in your offer. We compare it with certified H-1B filings for Archivist jobs, nationally or in one metro area.
Enter a salary to see where it falls.
Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | – | 0 |
| Level II · Qualified | – | 0 |
| Level III · Experienced | – | 0 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
What a Archivist does
Appraise, edit, and direct safekeeping of permanent records and historically valuable documents. Participate in research activities based on archival materials.
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Direct activities of workers who assist in arranging, cataloguing, exhibiting, and maintaining collections of valuable materials.
Preparation
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
O*NET occupation: Archivists (25-4011.00). This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Archivists), the median annual wage was $64,550 in May 2025, with 7,970 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $60,088, 7% lower.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $54,216 | $39,970 |
| 25th percentile | $56,160 | $50,680 |
| Median | $60,088 | $64,550 |
| 75th percentile | $78,394 | $83,020 |
| 90th percentile | $86,000 | $110,550 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $54,216 |
| 25th | $56,160 |
| 50th (median) | $60,088 |
| 75th | $78,394 |
| 90th | $86,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2021 | $55,000 | $43,680 | $60,946 | 13 |
| FY2022 | $67,500 | $58,500 | $81,208 | 10 |
| FY2023 | $61,127 | $53,560 | $68,181 | 10 |
| FY2024 | $57,620 | $49,866 | $68,708 | 16 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 8 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Archivist make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Archivist jobs is $60,088 (17 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $56,160 and $78,394.
Do H-1B Archivists earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($60,088) is 7% lower than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($64,550, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.