Vocational Index

Career

Archivists

Preserve the records and documents history depends on.

$64,550
Median pay
+3.4%
Job growth, 2025–35
1,100
Openings a year
Master's degree
Typical education
6 years
Typical time after high school

Here's what you actually need to know.

The work

What people in this job do

  • 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.

The outlook

How the forecast changed this year

2024–34 edition+3.8%2025–35 edition+3.4%
Projected 10-year growth in last year's and this year's BLS projections. 1,100 → 1,100 openings a year.

The deeper question

What kind of person does this path ask you to become?

What this work centers on

Information & systems
6.0
Ideas & analysis
4.7
People & care
3.0
Creation & expression
2.9
Objects & tools
2.9
Persuasion & leadership
1.8

O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.

The work

Do you want most of your days spent on information & systems, then ideas & analysis?

Responsibility

Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?

“Organize archival records and develop classification systems to facilitate access to archival materials.”

Development

What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?

Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Writing, Speaking.

Trade-offs

What does it ask of you in exchange?

6 years of education after high school (master's degree), for a median of $64,550 a year and 1,100 openings nationally each year.

Paths in

Degrees that lead here

  • HistorySee the degree →
  • Fine and Studio ArtsSee the degree →
  • Archives/Archival AdministrationCIP 25.0103
  • Historic Preservation and Conservation, GeneralCIP 30.1201
  • Cultural Resource Management and Policy AnalysisCIP 30.1202
  • Historic Preservation and Conservation, OtherCIP 30.1299

Paths across

Careers that use similar skills

Ask anything about this career.

“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.

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Sources

  1. BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  2. BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  3. O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  4. CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.