Archivists Salary
The median pay for a archivists in Pittsburgh, PA is $60,520/year ($29.1/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $77K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.67), which stretches that salary to about $63,927 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,299/month, about 32.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $61K get you in Pittsburgh?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Pittsburgh’s Regional Price Parity (94.67). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About archivists
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Pittsburgh
Archivists pay in Pittsburgh tracks closely to the national median, $61K locally vs. $65K nationwide, a 6% difference. Rent runs $1,299/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.67 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for archivists in metros near Pittsburgh, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $61K | $59K |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $70K | $71K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $77K | $69K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $76K | $73K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pittsburgh, PA
Entry-level archivists (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $77K or more, a $36K spread from bottom to top.
Archivists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Archivists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $93K | +44% | 200 |
| Connecticut | $80K | +24% | 160 |
| Massachusetts | $78K | +21% | 270 |
| Rhode Island | $77K | +19% | 40 |
| Washington | $76K | +18% | 640 |
| Maryland | $76K | +18% | 660 |
| New York | $74K | +14% | 960 |
| California | $71K | +9% | 1,160 |
| New Jersey | $68K | +5% | 70 |
| Minnesota | $66K | +2% | 90 |
| Michigan | $64K | -1% | 160 |
| Oregon | $62K | -4% | 70 |
| New Hampshire | $61K | -5% | 50 |
| Pennsylvania | $61K | -6% | 360 |
| Missouri | $60K | -7% | 150 |
| Wisconsin | $59K | -8% | 220 |
| Illinois | $59K | -8% | 200 |
| Colorado | $59K | -8% | 70 |
| Louisiana | $59K | -8% | 50 |
| Georgia | $59K | -9% | 150 |
| Iowa | $59K | -9% | 40 |
| Ohio | $59K | -9% | 150 |
| Arkansas | $59K | -9% | 40 |
| Idaho | $58K | -10% | 30 |
| Alabama | $58K | -10% | 100 |
| Utah | $57K | -12% | 80 |
| Maine | $56K | -13% | 60 |
| North Carolina | $55K | -14% | 130 |
| Indiana | $54K | -16% | 70 |
| Delaware | $54K | -17% | 50 |
| Tennessee | $53K | -18% | 110 |
| South Carolina | $53K | -18% | 60 |
| Florida | $52K | -19% | 100 |
| Oklahoma | $52K | -20% | 80 |
| Texas | $50K | -22% | 490 |
| Kansas | $49K | -24% | 30 |
| Kentucky | $49K | -24% | 40 |
| Arizona | $47K | -27% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 38 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track archivists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pittsburgh numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a archivist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pittsburgh?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 31.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,299/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for archivists in Pittsburgh?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new archivists typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,462/month. At HUD’s $1,299/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Pittsburgh?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $61K locally vs. $65K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Pittsburgh compare to the national average for archivists?
Pittsburgh pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $64K — below the national median.
How much do archivists make in Pittsburgh, PA?
The median is $60,520 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,040, and experienced archivists can clear $77,490. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Pittsburgh?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,067/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,299/month, which eats 31.9% 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 Pittsburgh?
Pittsburgh has a Regional Price Parity of 94.67 (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 $63,927 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.