Historians Salary
In New York, historians earn $62,960 at the median, or about $30.27 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $108K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.21), that's roughly $64,108 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,917/month, about 46.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New York. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $63K get you in New York?
About historians
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What this looks like in New York
Pay for historians in New York runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $77K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,917/month, which is 46.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.21) 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New York
Entry-level historians (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $108K or more, a $74K spread from bottom to top.
Historians salary by metro in New York
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $80K | +28% | 180 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $68K | +8% | 40 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $49K | -23% | 60 |
| Rochester | $47K | -26% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track historians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New York numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a historian afford a 2BR apartment alone in New York?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 46.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,917/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 New York?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new historians typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,058/month. At HUD’s $1,917/month FMR, rent would take 93% 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 New York?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $63K here vs. $77K nationally.
How does New York compare to the national average for historians?
New York pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $64K — below the national median.
How much do historians make in New York?
The median is $62,960 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,300, and experienced historians can clear $107,970. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in New York?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,147/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,917/month, which eats 46.2% 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 New York?
New York has a Regional Price Parity of 98.21 (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 $64,108 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.