Historians Salary
In Alabama, historians earn $72,490 at the median, or about $34.85 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $123K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $82,039 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,085/month, or 22.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $72K actually covers in Alabama, month by month
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What this looks like in Alabama
Historians pay in Alabama tracks closely to the national median, $72K locally vs. $77K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,085/month, 23.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level historians (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $72K. Top earners bring in $123K or more, a $81K spread from bottom to top.
Historians salary by metro in Alabama
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery | $76K | +5% | 30 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a historian afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
Yes — at the median salary of $72K, rent takes 23.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for historians in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new historians typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,840/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 38% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is historian a high-paying job in Alabama?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $72K locally vs. $77K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for historians?
Alabama pays $72K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $82K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do historians make in Alabama?
The median is $72,490 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,300, and experienced historians can clear $122,930. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $72K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,660/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 23.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a historians salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (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 historians salary is worth about $82,039 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do historians 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.