Career comparison
Archivist vs. Historian
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Historians earn more at the median ($76,750 vs. $64,550), while archivists usually get to work faster (2 years after a bachelor’s of training). Archivists preserve historical records and help people find them. Historians research and interpret the past for governments, museums and the public.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Archivist | Historian | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $64,550 ($31.03/hr) | $76,750 ($36.90/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $39,970 – $110,550 | $42,730 – $131,810 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +3.4% (about as fast as average) | +3.0% (about as fast as average) |
| Openings per year | 1,100 | 300 |
| Typical entry education | Master's degree | Master's degree |
| Training time | 2 years after a bachelor’s | 2 years after a bachelor’s |
| Key credential | Certified Archivist | Master’s in history |
| Work setting | Archivists work in archives, libraries, museums, government offices and corporations.. | Historians work in offices, archives, museums and historic sites.. |
What each job does
Archivist
- Appraise records
- Arrange and describe collections
- Write finding aids
- Preserve materials
- Digitize collections
Historian
- Research archives
- Conduct oral histories
- Write reports
- Develop exhibits
- Preserve records
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working independently, working with information, and desk work. They sit in different fields, education & childcare and science, engineering & lab, but share transferable skills such as attention to detail and curiosity.
Which should you choose?
Choose archivist if…
- I love history
- I’m very organized
- I like quiet work
Choose historian if…
- I love history
- I like archives
- I write well
Still torn? Take the Archivist fit quiz and the Historian fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, archivist or historian?
Historians earn more at the median: $76,750 versus $64,550 for archivists, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Archivists typically train faster (2 years after a bachelor’s) than historians (2 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects archivists to grow +3.4% from 2025–35, compared with +3.0% for historians.