Archivists Salary in California (2025)

Official BLS OEWS data · May 2025 · 1,160 employed

Annual Mean

$77,160

$37.10/hr

Annual Median

$70,530

$33.91/hr

Bottom 10%

$43,540

$20.93/hr

Top 10%

$122,190

$58.75/hr

Location vs National Average

California

$77,160

Difference

+9.2% vs US avg

US National

$70,640

Salary Percentile Breakdown

Percentile	Annual	Hourly
10th Percentile Bottom 10%	$43,540	$20.93/hr
25th Percentile Lower quarter	$53,200	$25.58/hr
50th PercentileMedian Median	$70,530	$33.91/hr
75th Percentile Upper quarter	$91,170	$43.83/hr
90th Percentile Top 10%	$122,190	$58.75/hr

Salary Distribution

Annual Salary Range

10th

$44K

25th

$53K

Median

$71K

75th

$91K

90th

$122K

California has a moderate number of Archivists positions (approximately 1,160), reflecting steady demand in this occupation.

In California, Archivists salaries range from $43,540 at the 10th percentile to $122,190 at the 90th percentile — a spread of $78,650 (112% of the median). This wide range suggests significant variation based on experience and employer in this area.

Top Paying Cities in California

Metro areas with highest Archivists wages

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

$100,910

per year

Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA

$86,110

per year

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

$80,480

per year

Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA

$77,770

per year

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

$76,720

per year

San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA

$67,430

per year

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA

$65,990

per year

How Archivists Compares in California

The average Archivists salary of $77,160 in California ranks above the national average of $70,640. There are approximately 1,160 Archivistss employed in California.