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Archaeologist salary
Average archaeologist salary
$50,314
Average Archaeologist Salary
The average salary for an archaeologist is approximately $50,314 per year, or around $24 per hour. This figure can fluctuate based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and specific roles within the field.
How Much Does an Archaeologist Make?
Entry-level archaeologists typically earn less, while those with significant experience or specialized skills may see salaries exceeding $70,000. States like California, Texas, and New York often offer higher salaries due to the demand for archaeological work in urban development and environmental assessments.
Where Can an Archaeologist Earn More?
To maximize earning potential, consider pursuing positions in specialized areas such as cultural resource management or academia. Additionally, gaining advanced degrees or certifications can lead to higher-paying roles.
Salary Estimates from Across the Web
- California: $65,000
- New York: $62,000
- Texas: $58,000
By understanding these salary dynamics, aspiring archaeologists can make informed decisions about their career paths.
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Where can an Archaeologist earn more?
Archaeologist salary estimates from across the web
Average archaeologist salary by state
The average archaeologist salary in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average archaeologist salary states are Nebraska, Arkansas, and Hawaii.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for archaeologists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $58,070 | $27.92 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $60,165 | $28.93 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $58,157 | $27.96 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $60,426 | $29.05 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $59,894 | $28.80 |
| 6 | Maine | $55,221 | $26.55 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $58,633 | $28.19 |
| 8 | Nevada | $53,549 | $25.74 |
| 9 | Arizona | $51,576 | $24.80 |
| 10 | New York | $59,618 | $28.66 |
| 11 | Delaware | $58,407 | $28.08 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $59,494 | $28.60 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $51,464 | $24.74 |
| 14 | Maryland | $56,788 | $27.30 |
| 15 | Virginia | $54,927 | $26.41 |
| 16 | Ohio | $50,992 | $24.52 |
| 17 | Vermont | $56,147 | $26.99 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $49,232 | $23.67 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $56,332 | $27.08 |
| 20 | California | $54,188 | $26.05 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $48,145 | $23.15 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $49,466 | $23.78 |
| 23 | Michigan | $51,657 | $24.84 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $50,185 | $24.13 |
| 25 | Oregon | $50,317 | $24.19 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $49,065 | $23.59 |
| 27 | Washington | $49,499 | $23.80 |
| 28 | Montana | $47,199 | $22.69 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $46,735 | $22.47 |
| 30 | Texas | $49,735 | $23.91 |
| 31 | Indiana | $48,142 | $23.15 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $45,413 | $21.83 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $44,998 | $21.63 |
| 34 | Utah | $47,506 | $22.84 |
| 35 | Florida | $48,659 | $23.39 |
| 36 | Minnesota | $48,558 | $23.35 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $46,758 | $22.48 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $47,221 | $22.70 |
| 39 | Iowa | $46,797 | $22.50 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $46,995 | $22.59 |
| 41 | Illinois | $48,421 | $23.28 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $45,249 | $21.75 |
| 43 | Idaho | $47,355 | $22.77 |
| 44 | Alabama | $46,406 | $22.31 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $45,032 | $21.65 |
| 46 | Missouri | $44,907 | $21.59 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $45,518 | $21.88 |
| 48 | Kansas | $44,528 | $21.41 |
| 49 | Georgia | $46,168 | $22.20 |
| 50 | Colorado | $44,886 | $21.58 |
| 51 | Nebraska | $45,176 | $21.72 |
Highest paying cities for archaeologists
The highest-paying cities for archaeologists are Chelmsford, MA, Troy, NY, and Manchester, NH.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chelmsford, MA | $59,517 | $28.61 |
| 2 | Troy, NY | $59,113 | $28.42 |
| 3 | Manchester, NH | $58,626 | $28.19 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $56,414 | $27.12 |
| 5 | Arlington, VA | $56,355 | $27.09 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $56,005 | $26.93 |
| 7 | Las Vegas, NV | $53,432 | $25.69 |
| 8 | Southfield, MI | $51,941 | $24.97 |
| 9 | Phoenix, AZ | $51,808 | $24.91 |
| 10 | Eugene, OR | $50,843 | $24.44 |
| 11 | Raleigh, NC | $50,478 | $24.27 |
| 12 | Albuquerque, NM | $50,249 | $24.16 |
| 13 | Houston, TX | $50,210 | $24.14 |
| 14 | Seattle, WA | $49,797 | $23.94 |
| 15 | Miami, FL | $48,709 | $23.42 |
| 16 | Minneapolis, MN | $48,544 | $23.34 |
| 17 | Ogden, UT | $46,866 | $22.53 |
| 18 | Columbia, SC | $46,822 | $22.51 |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $45,964 | $22.10 |
| 20 | Little Rock, AR | $45,229 | $21.74 |
Archaeologist salary details
An archaeologist's salary ranges from $33,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $75,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an archaeologist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $75,000 | $6,250 | $36 |
| 75th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| Average | $50,314 | $4,193 | $24 |
| 25th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| 10th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
Highest paying archaeologist jobs
The highest paying types of archaeologists are environmental scientist, principal archaeologist, and environmental specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Service Technician | $30,862 | $2,572 | $14.84 | 83,697 |
| Planning Internship | $33,695 | $2,808 | $16.20 | 57,335 |
| Environmental Technician | $39,690 | $3,308 | $19.08 | 43,079 |
| Environmental Scientist | $60,208 | $5,017 | $28.95 | 56,425 |
Top companies hiring archaeologists now:
Which companies pay archaeologists the most?
Archaeologist salaries at Arcadis and HDR are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average archaeologist salary at companies like AECOM and Stantec are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arcadis | $75,660 | $36.38 |
| 2 | HDR | $72,424 | $34.82 |
| 3 | AECOM | $71,951 | $34.59 |
| 4 | Stantec | $69,523 | $33.42 |
| 5 | Eastern Washington University | $66,135 | $31.80 |
| 6 | Civil & Environmental Consultants | $66,077 | $31.77 |
| 7 | Michael Baker | $65,843 | $31.66 |
| 8 | HNTB | $63,867 | $30.71 |
| 9 | ERM | $63,658 | $30.60 |
| 10 | GEI Consultants | $59,463 | $28.59 |
| 11 | Tetra Tech | $58,916 | $28.32 |
| 12 | ICF | $58,630 | $28.19 |
| 13 | HBK Engineering | $58,158 | $27.96 |
| 14 | Johnson Mirmiran & Thompson Inc | $58,064 | $27.92 |
| 15 | Forest Manufacturing Co | $57,987 | $27.88 |
| 16 | VHB | $56,338 | $27.09 |
| 17 | Bureau of Land Management | $56,127 | $26.98 |
| 18 | Atwell | $55,972 | $26.91 |
| 19 | Wsp USA Buildings Inc. | $55,222 | $26.55 |
| 20 | RGA Environmental, A Terracon Company | $55,088 | $26.48 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Archaeologist salary trends
The average archaeologist salary has risen by $7,654 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average archaeologist earned $42,660 annually, but today, they earn $50,314 a year. That works out to a 5% change in pay for archaeologists over the last decade.
Compare archaeologist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average archaeologist salary over time
Compare archaeologist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Archaeologist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $50,300 | $24.19 | +3.7% |
| 2024 | $48,400 | $23.29 | +2.0% |
| 2023 | $47,500 | $22.83 | +0.2% |
| 2022 | $47,400 | $22.78 | -1.5% |
| 2021 | $48,100 | $23.11 | +3.1% |
Recently added archaeologist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swca Inc. | Staff Level Archaeologist-Emergencies | Pasadena, CA | 06/28/2025 | $50,777 |
| Aecom | Archaeologist II-A Week) | Seattle, WA | 06/26/2025 | $66,784 |
| WSP | Field Archaeologist | Marlton, NJ | 06/26/2025 | $39,500 |
| ICF Jones and Stokes | Archaeologist Southern CA | Los Angeles, CA | 06/26/2025 | $55,148 |
| ICF International, Inc. | Archaeologist Southern CA | Los Angeles, CA | 06/25/2025 | $55,148 |
| Stantec Inc. | Archaeologist | Reno, NV | 06/25/2025 | $67,300 |
| Confederated Tribes and Bands of The Yakama Nation | Archaeologist II | Toppenish, WA | 06/25/2025 | $51,006 |
| Yakama Nation Tribal School | Archaeologist II | Ione, WA | 06/24/2025 | $51,006 |
| Environmental Science Associates | Archaeologist | Seattle, WA | 06/22/2025 | $83,473 |
| Aecom | Archaeologist | Oakland, CA | 06/21/2025 | $70,000 |
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