Archivists: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)

Archivists fall under the Education, Training, and Library category in the U.S. occupational classification. Archivists earn a median salary of $61,570 per year, ranking in the top 45% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +3.8% job growth through 2034, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.

What do archivists earn?

The median annual wage for archivists is $61,570. That puts archivists at #367 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is above the U.S. median for individual workers and reflects a stable, credentialed occupation. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.

Is archivists a growing career?

The 10-year outlook for archivists is +3.8%, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 9K positions in 2024 to 9K in 2034, a net change of 0K. Average growth signals a healthy, resilient occupation that mirrors broader U.S. employment trends. Job availability tends to track regional economic conditions.

What do archivists do every day?

According to O*NET task surveys of working archivists, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.

1. 1.Provide reference services and assistance for users needing archival materials.
2. 2.Prepare archival records, such as document descriptions, to allow easy access to information.
3. 3.Create and maintain accessible, retrievable computer archives and databases, incorporating current advances in electronic information storage technology.
4. 4.Establish and administer policy guidelines concerning public access and use of materials.
5. 5.Locate new materials and direct their acquisition and display.
6. 6.Specialize in an area of history or technology, researching topics or items relevant to collections to determine what should be retained or acquired.
7. 7.Organize archival records and develop classification systems to facilitate access to archival materials.
8. 8.Direct activities of workers who assist in arranging, cataloguing, exhibiting, and maintaining collections of valuable materials.

Top skills for archivists

O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.

What education does my child need to become archivist?

The standard path into archivists begins with a bachelor's degree in a related field, followed by entry-level experience or internships during college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.

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Common questions parents ask about archivists