Hiring guide · Education & Childcare
How to Hire an Archivist
Pay benchmarks, qualifications, sourcing, screening and interview questions for hiring archivists, plus a plan to get them productive fast.
Write a clear job description, offer competitive pay (the national median is $64,550), recruit through college education programs and student-teaching placements, verify Certified Archivist where applicable, run a structured interview with a practical skills check, and onboard with a 30-60-90 day plan.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
The hiring market for archivists
There are about 10,300 archivists employed in the U.S., with roughly 1,100 openings each year. Employment is projected to change +3.4% from 2025–35 (about as fast as average). Most openings come from replacing workers who retire or change careers, so a steady pipeline matters.
Pay benchmarks for offers
| Candidate level | Annual | Hourly* |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level (10th–25th percentile) | $39,970–$50,680 | $19.22–$24.37 |
| Typical / mid-career (median) | $64,550 | $31.03 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $83,020 | $39.91 |
| Top of market (90th percentile) | $110,550 | $53.15 |
*Annual ÷ 2,080 hours except median. National BLS data; adjust for your state and metro area. Many states and cities now require pay ranges in job postings.
What to look for
Must-haves
- Master's degree (typical entry level)
- Archival arrangement
- Attention to detail
Nice-to-haves
- Certified Archivist
- Digital Archives Specialist
- MLIS with archives focus
- Experience with archivesSpace
Where to find archivists
- College education programs and student-teaching placements
- Alternative certification and residency programs
- Substitute and paraprofessional pools
- Community colleges with early childhood (CDA) programs
- Job postings that use common alternate titles: Digital Archivist, Records Archivist, Manuscript Curator, Special Collections Archivist
Screening checklist
- State license or certification verification where required
- Fingerprint background checks and child abuse registry clearances
- CPR and first aid certification for childcare roles
- A sample lesson or classroom observation
Follow federal, state and local rules on background checks, drug testing and fair-chance hiring, and apply screening consistently to all candidates for the role.
Interview questions to ask
Ask every candidate the same questions and score answers on a structured scorecard.
1. “Why archives?”
What a strong answer includes: Share.
2. “How do you process a collection?”
What a strong answer includes: Explain.
3. “What digital preservation experience do you have?”
What a strong answer includes: Share.
4. “How do you help researchers?”
What a strong answer includes: Explain.
5. “What standards do you know?”
What a strong answer includes: List.
Practical skills checks
A short demonstration beats a perfect resume. Ask candidates to talk you through, or perform under supervision, tasks such as:
- Process a Small Archival Collection (see the steps)
- Plan a Digitization Project (see the steps)
- Accept a Donation of Papers (see the steps)
Red flags
- Can’t describe basic safety practices for the role
- Vague or inconsistent work history with no explanation
- Unfamiliar with core terms such as Finding aid, Provenance, Original order
- Negative talk about every past employer or coworker
Onboard for retention
The first 90 days decide whether a new hire stays. Use our Archivist 30-60-90 day onboarding plan and give every new hire the same foundation with Archivist training. Show them the path forward: Archives Assistant → Archivist → Senior Archivist → Head of Special Collections.
Hiring archivists: FAQ
How much should I pay an archivist?
The U.S. median wage for archivists is $64,550 per year ($31.03/hour), according to BLS May 2025 data. Entry-level offers often fall near the 25th percentile ($50,680), while experienced hires command closer to the 75th percentile ($83,020). Adjust for your local market.
What qualifications should an archivist have?
BLS lists “master's degree” as the typical entry-level education. Look for Certified Archivist and Digital Archives Specialist where relevant, plus skills such as archival arrangement, description standards, and preservation.
How long does it take to train a new archivist?
Becoming qualified typically takes 2 years after a bachelor’s. After hire, plan for a structured 30-60-90 day onboarding period; BLS classifies on-the-job training for this occupation as “none.”