Historians Salary
In Ohio, historians earn $60,350 at the median, or about $29.01 an hour. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.45), which stretches that salary to about $65,992 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,188/month, or 30% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Ohio. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $60K get you in Ohio?
About historians
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What this looks like in Ohio
Pay for historians in Ohio runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $77K. Rent runs $1,188/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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, Ohio
Entry-level historians (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Historians salary by metro in Ohio
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $59K | -3% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track historians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Ohio numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a historian afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ohio?
Yes — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 28.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,188/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for historians in Ohio?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new historians typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,452/month. At HUD’s $1,188/month FMR, rent would take 34% 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 Ohio?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $60K here vs. $77K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Ohio compare to the national average for historians?
Ohio pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — below the national median.
How much do historians make in Ohio?
The median is $60,350 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $57,540, and experienced historians can clear $99,690. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Ohio?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,131/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,188/month, which eats 28.8% 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 Ohio?
Ohio has a Regional Price Parity of 91.45 (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 $65,992 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.