Historians Salary
In Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA, historians earn $61,640 at the median, or about $29.63 an hour. The range runs from $55K at the entry level to $97K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.06), that's roughly $61,603 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,820/month, about 44.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $62K get you in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell’s Regional Price Parity (100.06). 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 historians
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What this looks like in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
Pay for historians in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $77K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,820/month, which is 44.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.06) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for historianss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for historians in metros near Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $46K | $47K |
| Montgomery | $76K | $85K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
Entry-level historians (10th percentile) start around $55K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $97K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Historians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Historians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $122K | +59% | N/A |
| Maryland | $121K | +57% | 50 |
| District of Columbia | $118K | +54% | 250 |
| Minnesota | $103K | +34% | 50 |
| Virginia | $102K | +33% | 180 |
| Washington | $100K | +30% | 30 |
| Oregon | $100K | +30% | 40 |
| California | $97K | +27% | 210 |
| Hawaii | $93K | +21% | 70 |
| Illinois | $90K | +17% | N/A |
| Louisiana | $81K | +5% | 60 |
| Nevada | $80K | +4% | N/A |
| Texas | $78K | +2% | 130 |
| New Jersey | $77K | +0% | 130 |
| Florida | $75K | -3% | 110 |
| North Carolina | $73K | -4% | 120 |
| Kansas | $73K | -5% | 40 |
| Alabama | $72K | -6% | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $72K | -6% | 70 |
| Tennessee | $71K | -7% | 40 |
| Nebraska | $70K | -9% | 30 |
| New Mexico | $67K | -13% | 40 |
| Connecticut | $67K | -13% | 40 |
| Missouri | $64K | -16% | 50 |
| Georgia | $64K | -17% | 110 |
| Indiana | $64K | -17% | 30 |
| Kentucky | $64K | -17% | 50 |
| New York | $63K | -18% | 410 |
| Michigan | $63K | -18% | 80 |
| Ohio | $60K | -21% | N/A |
| South Carolina | $52K | -32% | 60 |
| Oklahoma | $51K | -34% | 50 |
| Mississippi | $46K | -40% | 90 |
| Wisconsin | $46K | -40% | 50 |
| Utah | $34K | -56% | 80 |
Showing 1–10 of 35 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track historians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a historian afford a 2BR apartment alone in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 44.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,820/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 historians in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new historians typically earn — is $55K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,324/month. At HUD’s $1,820/month FMR, rent would take 55% 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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $62K here vs. $77K nationally.
How does Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell compare to the national average for historians?
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — below the national median.
How much do historians make in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?
The median is $61,640 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $55,400, and experienced historians can clear $97,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,053/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,820/month, which eats 44.9% 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 historians salary go in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell has a Regional Price Parity of 100.06 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median historians salary is worth about $61,603 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.