FederalPay.org
Archivist - Federal Salaries of 2020
Pay Rates for "Archivist"
How much does an Archivist in the federal government get paid? $102,049.22* *Based on the 2020 average.Archivist was the 254th most popular job in the U.S. Government in 2020, with 414 employed. The most common payscale was the general schedule payscale.
In 2020, the National Archives and Records Administration hired the most employees titled Archivist, with an average salary of $103,103.
Government Archivist jobs are classified under the General Schedule (GS) payscale. The minimum paygrade for a Archivist job is GS-6, and the highest paygrade that can be attained within this job series is GS-15. Remember that the starting and maximum yearly pay listed above reflect base pay only - your actual salary will be higher based on the Locality Pay Adjustment for the area in which you work.
This occupation includes positions which involve professional archival work in appraising, accessioning, arranging, describing, preserving, publishing or providing reference service from public records and historic documents. This work requires a professional knowledge of archival principles and techniques, professional knowledge of history, and a thorough understanding of the needs, methods and techniques of scholarly research.
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions fall under this job category. Due to the growing focus of them STEM fields, individuals in this job category tend to advance more quickly than employees in the other job categories. Jobs in this category are being added quickly and many organizations have trouble finding qualified individuals. Individuals in this job category typically recieve pormotions of 2 grade increases at a time until they reach GS-12.
Agencies that have hired an Archivist
| Agency | Employees Hired | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| National Archives and Records Administration | 328 | $103,102.76 |
| Smithsonian Institution (Exchange Sep Boards of Trust) | 36 | $95,727.53 |
| National Park Service | 26 | $88,220.12 |
| U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum | 6 | $121,706.33 |
| National Gallery of Art | 3 | $137,687.00 |
| U.S. Secret Service | 2 | $126,620.00 |
| Agricultural Research Service | 2 | $86,139.50 |
| Goddard Space Flight Center | 2 | $86,335.00 |
| Bureau of the Fiscal Service | 1 | $99,741.00 |
| Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System | 1 | $84,118.00 |
| National Institutes of Health | 1 | $109,362.00 |
| Food and Drug Administration | 1 | $88,836.00 |
| Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service | 1 | $63,807.00 |
| Department of State | 1 | $94,970.00 |
| Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars | 1 | $55,158.00 |
| Securities and Exchange Commission | 1 | $253,300.00 |
| Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center | 1 | $99,978.00 |
Archivist Pay Distribution
The average pay for an Archivist is $102,049.22. The highest paid Archivist made $253,300 in 2020.
Common Archivist Payscales
| Payscale | Number of Archivist Employees |
|---|---|
| GS - General Schedule | 412 |
| EX - Executive Pay | 1 |
| SK - Non-supervisorty Postions Employed By The Securities And Exchange Commission (sec) And Formerly Under Gs Pay | 1 |
| Starting Paygrade: | $34,649.00 / year base pay at paygrade GS-6, Step 1 |
| Maximum Paygrade: | $146,757.00 / year base pay at paygrade GS-15, Step 10 |
| Category: | Professional and Scientific |
| Occupation Family: | 1400 LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES GROUP |
Other Jobs at the GS-6 Paygrade
GS-6 is the starting paygrade for Archivist jobs. Here are some other Federal Government jobs that can be held by employees at the GS-6 paygrade.
| Occupation | Occupation Category | Starting Paygrade | Maximum Paygrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geology | Professional and Scientific | GS-6 | GS-15 |
| Grants Management | Administrative and Management | GS-4 | GS-15 |
| Electrical Engineering | Professional and Scientific | GS-6 | GS-15 |
| Management and Program Clerical and Assistance | Clerical and Administrative Support | GS-1 | GS-9 |
| Language Specialist | Administrative and Management | GS-4 | GS-15 |
Average Archivist Pay Trend from 2004 to 2020
In 2004, the average pay for an Archivist was $74,549. Since then, the average pay has increased to $102,049 in 2020.
Data Sources
The information provided on these pages is sourced from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 
Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI) dataset. Postal Service data is managed exclusively by the USPS . All information is displayed unmodified and as provided by the source agency.
Federal employee salaries are public information under open government laws (5 U.S.C. § 552). FederalPay provides this data in the interest of government transparency — employee data may not be used for commercial soliciting or vending of any kind. Learn more about the FederalPay Employees Dataset here.
The series code of this occupation is 1420.