occupation · 19-3093 · detailed
Historians — wages and employment
Historians earned a median annual wage of $74,050 in the United States in May 2024, with 3,140 people employed, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
What stands out
Historians earned a median annual wage of $74,050 in the United States in May 2024, with 3,140 people employed, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The lowest-paid tenth earned $38,630 or less, the best-paid tenth $128,500 or more. Since May 2023 the median moved from $72,890 to $74,050, +1.6 %. The best-paying state is District of Columbia at $117,960; the lowest Utah at $32,000. Among metropolitan areas, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV pays the highest median, $115,710. Wages are as published by BLS for May of each year; '≥ $239,200' is BLS's top code. Every value links to its fact record.
United States, year by year
Annual wages at the median, mean and four percentiles; employment is the May estimate.
| Reference | Employment | Median | Mean | 10th | 25th | 75th | 90th | Median hourly | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | 3,140 | $74,050 | $78,470 | $38,630 | $55,190 | $96,330 | $128,500 | $35.60 | evidence → |
| May 2023 | 3,040 | $72,890 | $76,120 | $35,760 | $51,720 | $93,580 | $124,720 | $35.04 | evidence → |
By state
Median annual wage, May 2024, highest first. Each state has its own record with the full series.
| State | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $117,960 | 260 |
| North Carolina | $101,440 | 30 |
| Maryland | $99,300 | 60 |
| Washington | $94,760 | 60 |
| Virginia | $94,060 | 180 |
| Illinois | $92,020 | 30 |
| Connecticut | $88,890 | 50 |
| Florida | $84,590 | 80 |
| Minnesota | $84,160 | — |
| Texas | $84,160 | 70 |
| California | $83,360 | 180 |
| Hawaii | $82,550 | 60 |
| Oregon | $76,830 | 60 |
| Nevada | $75,640 | — |
| New Jersey | $74,690 | 90 |
| Pennsylvania | $72,720 | 70 |
| Louisiana | $72,250 | 40 |
| Alabama | $71,070 | 60 |
| Missouri | $69,580 | 40 |
| Kansas | $68,310 | 40 |
| Indiana | $60,800 | 50 |
| Michigan | $59,520 | 70 |
| Georgia | $59,410 | 70 |
| Oklahoma | $53,440 | 50 |
| South Carolina | $51,980 | 60 |
| New York | $51,620 | 420 |
| Kentucky | $49,940 | 50 |
| Mississippi | $44,800 | 90 |
| Utah | $32,000 | 90 |
Highest-paying metropolitan areas
Top 20 by median annual wage.
| Metro area | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $115,710 | 420 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $100,610 | 30 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $94,590 | 40 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $87,920 | — |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $85,160 | 30 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $83,360 | 40 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $82,550 | 60 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $78,550 | 140 |
| Boulder, CO | $76,760 | — |
| Montgomery, AL | $72,550 | 30 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $59,400 | 40 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $54,080 | 40 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $48,730 | 30 |
| Rochester, NY | $48,620 | 50 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $32,000 | 80 |
Machine access — free, no API key
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