Historians Salary
In Missouri, historians earn $64,230 at the median, or about $30.88 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $105K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.97), which stretches that salary to about $72,193 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,097/month, or 26% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Missouri. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $64K get you in Missouri?
About historians
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What this looks like in Missouri
Pay for historians in Missouri runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $77K. Rent runs $1,097/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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, Missouri
Entry-level historians (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $105K or more, a $67K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track historians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Missouri numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a historian afford a 2BR apartment alone in Missouri?
Yes — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 25.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,097/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for historians in Missouri?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new historians typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,296/month. At HUD’s $1,097/month FMR, rent would take 48% 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 Missouri?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $64K here vs. $77K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Missouri compare to the national average for historians?
Missouri pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — below the national median.
How much do historians make in Missouri?
The median is $64,230 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,270, and experienced historians can clear $105,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Missouri?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,275/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,097/month, which eats 25.7% 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 Missouri?
Missouri has a Regional Price Parity of 88.97 (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 $72,193 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.