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Archivists in California

Want to work as an Archivists in California? Here’s what you need to know. Appraise, edit, and direct safekeeping of permanent records and historically valuable documents. Participate in research activities based on archival materials.

What do Archivists Make in California?

For a archivists working in California, the median annual wage is $62,160 per year (or roughly $29.88/hour).Earnings range from $38,980 at the 10th percentile to $117,400 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$38,980	$18.74
25th percentile	$42,960	$20.65
Median (50th)	$62,160	$29.88
75th percentile	$81,120	$39.00
90th percentile	$117,400	$56.44

Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in California relative to the national average — is 1.05.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, archivists earn a median of $53,759 per year ($25.85/hour), above the California median.

Employment Outlook

National employment for 1,174,248 archivists across the United States. In California alone, around 860 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 100 archivists.

Top California Metros for Archivists

The metro areas below employ the most archivists in California.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	420	$61,270
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	150	$74,250
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	60	$47,270
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	50	$61,690
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	40	$71,310
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	30	$72,790

Top States for Archivists Employment

The table below shows the states where the most archivists work.

State	Number Employed
New York	900
California	860
Washington	630
Maryland	540
Pennsylvania	330
Massachusetts	320
Texas	280
District of Columbia	190
Wisconsin	180
Michigan	160
Illinois	150
Ohio	150
Connecticut	150
Missouri	150
Tennessee	140
Florida	130
Georgia	130
North Carolina	120
Virginia	120
Utah	100

Highest-Paying States for Archivists

These states pay the most for archivists.

State	Annual Median Salary
District of Columbia	$92,100
New Mexico	$83,770
Maryland	$75,330
New York	$74,880
Rhode Island	$74,140
Virginia	$72,220
Massachusetts	$71,790
Washington	$70,400
Illinois	$69,590
New Jersey	$67,080

Skills

Key archivists skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Top abilities for archivists, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Common tasks include:

• Organize archival records and develop classification systems to facilitate access to archival materials.
• Provide reference services and assistance for users needing archival materials.
• Prepare archival records, such as document descriptions, to allow easy access to information.
• Create and maintain accessible, retrievable computer archives and databases, incorporating current advances in electronic information storage technology.
• Establish and administer policy guidelines concerning public access and use of materials.
• Direct activities of workers who assist in arranging, cataloguing, exhibiting, and maintaining collections of valuable materials.
• Preserve records, documents, and objects, copying records to film, videotape, audiotape, disk, or computer formats as necessary.
• Research and record the origins and historical significance of archival materials.
• Locate new materials and direct their acquisition and display.
• Authenticate and appraise historical documents and archival materials.
• Coordinate educational and public outreach programs, such as tours, workshops, lectures, and classes.
• Specialize in an area of history or technology, researching topics or items relevant to collections to determine what should be retained or acquired.

Work Activities

• Documenting/Recording Information
• Working with Computers
• Getting Information
• Processing Information
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Communicating with People Outside the Organization
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others

Tools & Technology

Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Creative Cloud software In-demand technologies: Archivists' Toolkit

Related Careers

Careers similar to archivists include:

• Document Management Specialists
• Digital Forensics Analysts
• Anthropologists and Archeologists
• Historians
• Social Science Research Assistants
• Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Also Known As

Accessioning Archivist, Archives Specialist, Archives Technician (Archives Tech), Archivist, Digital Archivist, Digital Asset Archivist, Digitization Assistant, Document Management Technician (Document Management Tech), Document Scanner, Film Archivist, Image Archivist, Museum Archivist, Processing Archivist, Project Archivist, Records Associate.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 25-4011.00