Historian Salary
Historians earn a median $76,750 a year nationally. Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
U.S. median
$76,750
$36.90 per hour
Range
$42,730 – $131,810
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
3,450
across the U.S.
Historian take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$62,824
per year · effective tax rate 18.1%
$5,235Monthly
$2,618Twice a month
$2,416Every 2 weeks
$30.20Hourly
- Federal income tax$8,055
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,759
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,113
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$62,824
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $42,730 | $20.54 | $36,514 |
| 25th percentile | $57,290 | $27.54 | $48,213 |
| Median (50th) | $76,750 | $36.90 | $62,824 |
| 75th percentile | $99,990 | $48.07 | $79,173 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $131,810 | $63.37 | $101,358 |
Historian salary by state
| State | Median | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $121,710 | $88,587 | $59,330 – $127,160 | — |
| Maryland | $120,580 | $88,259 | $68,260 – $170,980 | 50 |
| District of Columbia | $118,290 | $84,961 | $60,160 – $156,750 | 250 |
| Minnesota | $103,040 | $75,835 | $72,040 – $147,950 | 50 |
| Virginia | $101,920 | $75,484 | $65,680 – $161,470 | 180 |
| Washington | $99,720 | $78,983 | $65,480 – $116,840 | 30 |
| Oregon | $99,560 | $70,989 | $66,420 – $121,280 | 40 |
| California | $97,420 | $71,268 | $60,620 – $146,220 | 210 |
| Hawaii | $92,520 | $68,416 | $80,290 – $143,020 | 70 |
| Illinois | $89,670 | $67,619 | $71,190 – $111,650 | — |
| Louisiana | $80,620 | $63,514 | $52,960 – $115,210 | 60 |
| Nevada | $80,140 | $65,208 | $78,030 – $108,620 | — |
| Texas | $78,240 | $63,872 | $37,600 – $116,900 | 130 |
| New Jersey | $77,080 | $60,336 | $51,390 – $105,930 | 130 |
| Florida | $74,740 | $61,410 | $44,280 – $112,260 | 110 |
| North Carolina | $73,440 | $58,074 | $42,980 – $116,620 | 120 |
| Kansas | $72,600 | $56,653 | $49,610 – $124,950 | 40 |
| Alabama | $72,490 | $56,467 | $42,300 – $122,930 | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $71,970 | $57,251 | $55,350 – $96,100 | 70 |
| Tennessee | $71,080 | $58,835 | $47,090 – $92,270 | 40 |
| Nebraska | $70,050 | $55,802 | $48,840 – $128,940 | 30 |
| New Mexico | $66,790 | $53,843 | $32,760 – $122,770 | 40 |
| Connecticut | $66,770 | $53,705 | $38,960 – $116,130 | 40 |
| Missouri | $64,230 | $51,707 | $38,270 – $105,060 | 50 |
| Georgia | $63,840 | $50,785 | $51,430 – $117,780 | 110 |
| Indiana | $63,770 | $51,567 | $43,320 – $125,290 | 30 |
| Kentucky | $63,530 | $51,120 | $42,260 – $98,530 | 50 |
| New York | $62,960 | $49,966 | $34,300 – $107,970 | 410 |
| Michigan | $62,920 | $50,313 | $52,480 – $86,030 | 80 |
| Ohio | $60,350 | $49,794 | $57,540 – $99,690 | — |
| South Carolina | $52,120 | $42,088 | $39,090 – $97,470 | 60 |
| Oklahoma | $50,980 | $41,394 | $39,290 – $88,710 | 50 |
| Mississippi | $46,010 | $38,041 | $34,760 – $69,760 | 90 |
| Wisconsin | $45,810 | $37,754 | $37,510 – $84,590 | 50 |
| Utah | $33,840 | $28,814 | $33,840 – $95,300 | 80 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a historian make?
The national median salary for historians is $76,750 a year ($36.90 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $42,730 and the top 10% earn over $131,810. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays historians the most?
Massachusetts has the highest median pay at $121,710.
How many historians are there in the U.S.?
About 3,450 people work as historians nationwide.