Archivists Salary
The median pay for a archivists in South Carolina is $52,810/year ($25.39/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $56,681 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,263/month, about 36.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of South Carolina. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $53K get you in South Carolina?
About archivists
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Pay for archivists in South Carolina runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $65K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,263/month, which is 35.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.17 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for archivistss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level archivists (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $53K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track archivists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when South Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a archivist afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $53K, rent takes 35.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,263/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for archivists in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new archivists typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,219/month. At HUD’s $1,263/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 South Carolina?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $53K here vs. $65K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for archivists?
South Carolina pays $53K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — below the national median.
How much do archivists make in South Carolina?
The median is $52,810 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,990, and experienced archivists can clear $79,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $53K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,560/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 35.5% 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 South Carolina?
South Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 93.17 (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 $56,681 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.