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Archives assistant vs processing archivist

The differences between archives assistants and processing archivists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an archives assistant and a processing archivist. Additionally, a processing archivist has an average salary of $50,427, which is higher than the $36,042 average annual salary of an archives assistant.

The top three skills for an archives assistant include online database, archival materials and archival collections. The most important skills for a processing archivist are DACS, reference services, and marc.

Archives assistant vs processing archivist overview

Archives AssistantProcessing Archivist
Yearly salary$36,042$50,427
Hourly rate$17.33$24.24
Growth rate12%12%
Number of jobs4339,337
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age4444
Years of experience44

Archives assistant vs processing archivist salary

Archives assistants and processing archivists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Archives AssistantProcessing Archivist
Average salary$36,042$50,427
Salary rangeBetween $23,000 And $55,000Between $24,000 And $104,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between archives assistant and processing archivist education

There are a few differences between an archives assistant and a processing archivist in terms of educational background:

Archives AssistantProcessing Archivist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common majorHistoryHistory
Most common collegeHarvard UniversityHarvard University

Archives assistant vs processing archivist demographics

Here are the differences between archives assistants' and processing archivists' demographics:

Archives AssistantProcessing Archivist
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 37.9% Female, 62.1%Male, 46.8% Female, 53.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 5.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.3% Asian, 5.1% White, 77.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 5.2% Asian, 3.5% White, 81.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage13%13%

Differences between archives assistant and processing archivist duties and responsibilities

Archives assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage, evaluate documents as needed, digitizing paper documents for archiving
  • Manage receipt of monographs and serials from cataloging and perform post-cataloging processing.
  • Assist archivists in preserving historical materials, digitizing collections, and data management.
  • Create html playlists of digital media for online access, using Dreamweaver software.
  • Prepare articles for internet publishing and archiving through HTML coding, proofreading and correction of format.
  • Cataloge records utilizing MARC format for bibliographic database.
  • Show more

Processing archivist example responsibilities.

  • Compose the bulk of the finding aid for the collection, in compliance with DACS rules.
  • Create correspondences/completed FDA forms/maintain submission calendars/review submission documents.
  • Create correspondences/completed FDA forms/maintain submission calendars/review submission documents.

Archives assistant vs processing archivist skills

Common archives assistant skills
  • Online Database, 22%
  • Archival Materials, 13%
  • Archival Collections, 9%
  • Adobe Photoshop, 6%
  • Oral Histories, 5%
  • Digitizing, 4%
Common processing archivist skills
  • DACS, 37%
  • Reference Services, 31%
  • Marc, 15%
  • Cataloging, 12%
  • Research Value, 5%

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