Archivists Salary
The median pay for a archivists in Maryland is $76,440/year ($36.75/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $132K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.76), that's roughly $77,400 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,795/month, about 36% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maryland. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $76K get you in Maryland?
About archivists
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What this looks like in Maryland
Maryland sits well above the national pay line for archivists, local pay runs about 18% higher than the U.S. median of $65K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,795/month, which is 36.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.76) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maryland
Entry-level archivists (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. Top earners bring in $132K or more, a $80K spread from bottom to top.
Archivists salary by metro in Maryland
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $76K | +0% | 230 |
Compare to other states
Track archivists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maryland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a archivist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maryland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 36.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,795/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for archivists in Maryland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new archivists typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,125/month. At HUD’s $1,795/month FMR, rent would take 57% 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 Maryland?
Local pay is 18% above the national median — $76K here vs. $65K nationally.
How does Maryland compare to the national average for archivists?
Maryland pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s +18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.76), the purchasing-power equivalent is $77K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do archivists make in Maryland?
The median is $76,440 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,080, and experienced archivists can clear $131,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in Maryland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,892/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,795/month, which eats 36.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a archivists salary go in Maryland?
Maryland has a Regional Price Parity of 98.76 (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 $77,400 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.