Historians Salary
In Michigan, historians earn $62,920 at the median, or about $30.25 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $86K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.89), which stretches that salary to about $67,015 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,272/month, about 30.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Michigan. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $63K get you in Michigan?
About historians
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What this looks like in Michigan
Pay for historians in Michigan runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $77K. Rent runs $1,272/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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, Michigan
Entry-level historians (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $86K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track historians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Michigan numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a historian afford a 2BR apartment alone in Michigan?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 30.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/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 Michigan?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new historians typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,149/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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 Michigan?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $63K here vs. $77K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Michigan compare to the national average for historians?
Michigan pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — below the national median.
How much do historians make in Michigan?
The median is $62,920 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,480, and experienced historians can clear $86,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Michigan?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,160/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 30.6% 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 Michigan?
Michigan has a Regional Price Parity of 93.89 (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 $67,015 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.