Historians Salary
In Wisconsin, historians earn $45,810 at the median, or about $22.03 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $85K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.33), which stretches that salary to about $48,564 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,202/month, about 38.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Wisconsin. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $46K get you in Wisconsin?
About historians
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What this looks like in Wisconsin
Pay for historians in Wisconsin runs about 40% below the U.S. median of $77K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,202/month, which is 38.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for historianss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wisconsin
Entry-level historians (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $85K or more, a $47K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track historians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Wisconsin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a historian afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wisconsin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 38.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,202/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for historians in Wisconsin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new historians typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,251/month. At HUD’s $1,202/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Wisconsin?
Local pay runs 40% below the national median — $46K here vs. $77K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Wisconsin compare to the national average for historians?
Wisconsin pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s -40%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do historians make in Wisconsin?
The median is $45,810 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,510, and experienced historians can clear $84,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Wisconsin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,122/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,202/month, which eats 38.5% 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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a Regional Price Parity of 94.33 (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 $48,564 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.