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Historian salary
Average historian salary
$57,376
Average Historian Salary
The average salary for historians is $57,376 per year. This figure can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry of employment. For instance, historians working in academia or federal government jobs may earn higher salaries compared to those in non-profit organizations.
Where Can Historians Earn More?
States such as California, New York, and Texas offer the highest average salaries for historians, reflecting the demand for historical expertise in urban settings. In addition, specific sectors such as education, government, and museums tend to provide better compensation.
Industries with Higher Salaries
Historians find opportunities in a variety of fields, including publishing, research, and archival services. Each industry has its pay scale, with education and government often leading in compensation. As you consider a career as a historian, be sure to evaluate not just the salary but also the potential for career advancement and personal fulfillment in this enriching field.
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Where can a Historian earn more?
Historian salary estimates from across the web
Average historian salary by state
The highest-paying states for historians are Alaska, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. The lowest average historian salary states are Kansas, Alabama, and Missouri.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for historians
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $82,429 | $39.63 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $78,231 | $37.61 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $78,307 | $37.65 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $75,620 | $36.36 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $77,607 | $37.31 |
| 6 | Oregon | $71,934 | $34.58 |
| 7 | Vermont | $75,606 | $36.35 |
| 8 | Maine | $75,128 | $36.12 |
| 9 | New York | $73,474 | $35.32 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $69,461 | $33.39 |
| 11 | Washington | $68,137 | $32.76 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $72,444 | $34.83 |
| 13 | Nevada | $67,187 | $32.30 |
| 14 | Michigan | $65,353 | $31.42 |
| 15 | California | $67,411 | $32.41 |
| 16 | Delaware | $67,930 | $32.66 |
| 17 | Idaho | $61,676 | $29.65 |
| 18 | Maryland | $64,632 | $31.07 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $62,248 | $29.93 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $61,764 | $29.69 |
| 21 | Arizona | $61,435 | $29.54 |
| 22 | Ohio | $59,805 | $28.75 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $61,742 | $29.68 |
| 24 | Utah | $59,133 | $28.43 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $57,561 | $27.67 |
| 26 | New Mexico | $58,042 | $27.90 |
| 27 | District of Columbia | $63,151 | $30.36 |
| 28 | Virginia | $58,497 | $28.12 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $57,691 | $27.74 |
| 30 | Indiana | $54,923 | $26.41 |
| 31 | Illinois | $57,189 | $27.49 |
| 32 | Montana | $55,149 | $26.51 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $52,985 | $25.47 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $51,191 | $24.61 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $51,452 | $24.74 |
| 36 | Texas | $53,084 | $25.52 |
| 37 | Iowa | $52,057 | $25.03 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $51,669 | $24.84 |
| 39 | Colorado | $52,930 | $25.45 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $51,135 | $24.58 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $49,992 | $24.03 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $50,009 | $24.04 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $48,927 | $23.52 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $48,996 | $23.56 |
| 45 | Kansas | $48,832 | $23.48 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $48,869 | $23.49 |
| 47 | Missouri | $48,656 | $23.39 |
| 48 | Alabama | $48,802 | $23.46 |
| 49 | Florida | $48,104 | $23.13 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $48,526 | $23.33 |
| 51 | Georgia | $48,193 | $23.17 |
Highest paying cities for historians
The highest-paying cities for historians are Lowell, MA, Portland, ME, and New Haven, CT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lowell, MA | $79,133 | $38.04 |
| 2 | Portland, ME | $76,982 | $37.01 |
| 3 | New Haven, CT | $75,797 | $36.44 |
| 4 | Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ | $73,267 | $35.22 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $73,258 | $35.22 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $73,140 | $35.16 |
| 7 | Reno, NV | $72,337 | $34.78 |
| 8 | Salem, OR | $72,154 | $34.69 |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | $70,097 | $33.70 |
| 10 | Detroit, MI | $65,320 | $31.40 |
| 11 | Olney, MD | $63,899 | $30.72 |
| 12 | Washington, DC | $63,007 | $30.29 |
| 13 | McLean, VA | $62,904 | $30.24 |
| 14 | Milwaukee, WI | $61,938 | $29.78 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $57,770 | $27.77 |
| 16 | Indianapolis, IN | $53,702 | $25.82 |
| 17 | Austin, TX | $53,201 | $25.58 |
| 18 | Denver, CO | $52,741 | $25.36 |
| 19 | Laramie, WY | $52,627 | $25.30 |
| 20 | Tallahassee, FL | $48,894 | $23.51 |
Historian salary details
A historian's salary ranges from $26,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $125,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a historian's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $125,000 | $10,417 | $60 |
| 75th Percentile | $86,000 | $7,167 | $41 |
| Average | $57,376 | $4,781 | $28 |
| 25th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for historians, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Connie Ozawa Ph.D.
MUS and PhD Program Coordinator, Portland State University
Top companies hiring historians now:
Which companies pay historians the most?
Historian salaries at BP America Inc and Human Rights Foundation are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average historian salary at companies like Jacobs Engineering Group and Civil & Environmental Consultants are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BP America Inc | $155,000 | $74.52 |
| 2 | Human Rights Foundation | $95,902 | $46.11 |
| 3 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $81,489 | $39.18 |
| 4 | Civil & Environmental Consultants | $81,380 | $39.13 |
| 5 | National Institute for the Psychotherapies | $76,585 | $36.82 |
| 6 | ICF | $76,568 | $36.81 |
| 7 | National Park Foundation | $72,335 | $34.78 |
| 8 | State Bar of Michigan | $71,188 | $34.23 |
| 9 | HDR | $70,252 | $33.77 |
| 10 | Michael Baker | $69,543 | $33.43 |
| 11 | TRC Companies | $66,522 | $31.98 |
| 12 | The State of Oregon | $66,109 | $31.78 |
| 13 | American University | $63,351 | $30.46 |
| 14 | Tetra Tech | $62,752 | $30.17 |
| 15 | Estée Lauder | $57,940 | $27.86 |
| 16 | B & P Enterprises | $56,914 | $27.36 |
| 17 | Woods Services | $56,789 | $27.30 |
| 18 | RGA Environmental, A Terracon Company | $53,814 | $25.87 |
| 19 | SAI Communications | $51,420 | $24.72 |
| 20 | Serco | $51,160 | $24.60 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Historian salary by industry
The average historian salary varies across industries:
- The average historian salary in the professional industry is $58,094, the highest of any industry.
- The average historian salary in the finance industry is $57,839.
- Historians in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $54,553, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for historians
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | $58,094 | $27.93 |
| 2 | Media | $57,839 | $27.81 |
| 3 | Education | $56,130 | $26.99 |
| 4 | Non Profits | $54,553 | $26.23 |
High paying historian jobs
Historian salary trends
The average historian salary has risen by $9,757 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average historian earned $47,619 annually, but today, they earn $57,376 a year. That works out to a 15% change in pay for historians over the last decade.
Compare historian salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average historian salary over time
Compare historian salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Historian salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $57,400 | $27.58 | -0.9% |
| 2024 | $57,900 | $27.84 | +4.0% |
| 2023 | $55,600 | $26.73 | +3.3% |
| 2022 | $53,800 | $25.84 | +6.8% |
| 2021 | $50,100 | $24.09 | -1.3% |
Recently added historian salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helix Environmental Planning | As-Needed Architectural Historian/Historian | Los Angeles, CA | 06/30/2025 | $50,088 |
| Cushing Terrell | Architectural Historian | Boise, ID | 06/29/2025 | $70,000 |
| ICF | Architectural Historian | Tallahassee, FL | 06/28/2025 | $50,353 |
| ICF | Senior Architectural Historian | Montgomery, AL | 06/28/2025 | $67,020 |
| ICF International, Inc. | Architectural Historian | Atlanta, GA | 06/27/2025 | $50,353 |
| GFT | Architectural Historian | Raleigh, NC | 06/24/2025 | $62,610 |
| Cushing Terrell | Architectural Historian | Denver, CO | 06/23/2025 | $70,000 |
| Cushing Terrell | Architectural Historian | Seattle, WA | 06/23/2025 | $70,000 |
| Cushing Terrell | Architectural Historian | Minneapolis, MN | 06/23/2025 | $70,000 |
| Gannett Fleming | Architectural Historian | Raleigh, NC | 06/21/2025 | $62,610 |
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