There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a genealogist. For example, did you know that they make an average of $26.71 an hour? That's $55,550 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 200 job opportunities across the U.S.

What Does a Genealogist Do

There are certain skills that many genealogists have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed communication skills, research skills and problem-solving skills.

How To Become a Genealogist

If you're interested in becoming a genealogist, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 48.7% of genealogists have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 14.1% of genealogists have master's degrees. Even though most genealogists have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Average Salary for a Genealogist

Genealogists in America make an average salary of $55,550 per year or $27 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $99,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $31,000 per year.
Average Genealogist Salary
$55,550 Yearly
$26.71 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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States With The Most Genealogist Jobs

Number Of Genealogist Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1California7$62,531
2Washington3$54,990
3Utah3$51,376
4Alaska2$72,184
5Connecticut2$65,599
6New York2$65,577
7Massachusetts2$64,416
8Maryland2$64,062
9Arizona2$57,946
10Louisiana2$51,819
11Georgia2$49,866
12Florida2$47,905
13Virginia1$61,844
14Oregon1$57,153
15Kentucky1$53,318
16Texas1$53,659
17Idaho1$51,818
18Colorado1$49,370
19Pennsylvania0$64,789
20Rhode Island0$65,192
21Delaware0$64,829
22New Jersey0$65,592
23New Hampshire0$63,196
24Michigan0$61,039
25West Virginia0$59,739
26Ohio0$59,764
27Nevada0$60,433
28Vermont0$61,156
29Maine0$59,621
30Wisconsin0$57,060
31Indiana0$55,421
32North Carolina0$55,637
33New Mexico0$55,443
34Minnesota0$54,739
35North Dakota0$53,634
36Illinois0$55,770
37Iowa0$52,425
38South Carolina0$51,684
39South Dakota0$51,036
40Tennessee0$50,405
41Hawaii0$53,254
42Arkansas0$49,570
43Mississippi0$50,264
44Alabama0$49,613
45Missouri0$50,278
46Nebraska0$50,211
47Oklahoma0$49,821
48Montana0$50,317
49Kansas0$49,605
50Wyoming0$49,180

Genealogist Education

Genealogist Majors

14.7 %
7.4 %

Genealogist Degrees

Bachelors

48.7 %

Associate

25.6 %

Masters

14.1 %

Top Colleges for Genealogists

1. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

2. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

3. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

5. Brown University

Providence, RI • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,466

Enrollment

6,752

6. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

7. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-State Tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

9. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-State Tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

Genealogist diversity

Genealogist Gender Distribution

Female
Female
73%
Male
Male
27%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among genealogists, 73.1% of them are women, while 26.9% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among genealogists is White, which makes up 71.0% of all genealogists.

  • The most common foreign language among genealogists is Spanish at 35.3%.

Online Courses For Genealogist That You May Like

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1. Applied Public History: Places, People, Stories

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This course introduces learners to applied public history: understanding and interpreting the past today, and engaging diverse communities in the practice of making and sharing histories. The course draws on project case studies, expert insights and diverse perspectives to model exciting approaches to researching and sharing the history of places and people. Learners will develop a toolkit to apply in their own practice, by participating in discussion, quizzes, creative activities and mini...

2. Film, Images & Historical Interpretation in the 20th Century: The Camera Never Lies

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This course is a short taster on the topic of the use of Images, Film, and their use in historical interpretation in the 20th century. It is primarily provided for those who have a general interest in history that draws on photojournalism as primary evidence, and films based on historical events. Once you have completed this course we hope you will be equipped to: Appreciate the significance of photographs as historical evidence in the twentieth century. Understand the limitations of the...

3. Photography - Individual & Family Posing - Live Sessions

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Dramatically improve your portraits with these easy relaxed posing techniques. Flatter your subjects & they'll love you!...

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Top Genealogist Employers

Most Common Employers For Genealogist

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1The Research Corporation of the University of Hawai'i$74,923$36.021
2Holland$72,591$34.901
3Hawaii State Federal Credit Union$57,156$27.481
4One Day at a Time$56,785$27.301
5Daughters of the American Revolution$52,150$25.071