Archivists Salary
The median pay for a archivists in Iowa is $59,010/year ($28.37/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $66,408 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 27.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Iowa. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $59K get you in Iowa?
About archivists
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What this looks like in Iowa
Archivists pay in Iowa tracks closely to the national median, $59K locally vs. $65K nationwide, a 9% difference. Rent runs $1,064/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level archivists (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $52K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track archivists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a archivist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 27.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for archivists in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new archivists typically earn — is $28K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,658/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 64% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is archivist a high-paying job in Iowa?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $59K locally vs. $65K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for archivists?
Iowa pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do archivists make in Iowa?
The median is $59,010 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,630, and experienced archivists can clear $79,290. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,876/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 27.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a archivists salary go in Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median archivists salary is worth about $66,408 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do archivists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.