The average salary for an archaeologist in the United States is around $40,149 per year.
Avg Salary
Archaeologists earn an average yearly salary of $40,149.
Wages typically start from $27,544 and go up to $58,522.
37% below national average Updated in 2023
Archaeologist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level archaeologist earnings begin at:
$28.14 per hour
$58,522 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level archaeologist earnings begin at:
$23.54 per hour
$48,955 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level archaeologist earnings begin at:
$19.30 per hour
$40,149 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level archaeologist earnings begin at:
$15.83 per hour
$32,926 per year
10th percentile
Starting level archaeologist earnings begin at:
$13.24 per hour
$27,544 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Archaeologist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $92,150 |
| Massachusetts | $90,940 |
| Alaska | $79,520 |
| Hawaii | $78,930 |
| Idaho | $78,030 |
| Nebraska | $77,730 |
| Washington | $77,240 |
| Oregon | $73,260 |
| Michigan | $72,800 |
| West Virginia | $71,220 |
| Wyoming | $71,120 |
| Louisiana | $64,650 |
| New Jersey | $64,650 |
| New York | $64,250 |
| Rhode Island | $64,230 |
| Montana | $63,750 |
| California | $63,520 |
| New Mexico | $63,430 |
| Pennsylvania | $62,750 |
| Minnesota | $61,930 |
| Nevada | $61,920 |
| Colorado | $61,890 |
| Utah | $61,780 |
| Texas | $61,650 |
| Arkansas | $61,220 |
| North Carolina | $61,100 |
| Wisconsin | $60,540 |
| South Carolina | $60,270 |
| North Dakota | $60,210 |
| Arizona | $60,040 |
| Oklahoma | $60,040 |
| Iowa | $58,250 |
| Indiana | $56,810 |
| Alabama | $55,190 |
| Connecticut | $54,030 |
| Kentucky | $51,850 |
| Maryland | $50,950 |
| Virginia | $50,860 |
| Florida | $50,230 |
| Georgia | $49,550 |
| Illinois | $49,090 |
| Ohio | $49,090 |
| South Dakota | $48,230 |
| Tennessee | $47,040 |
| Missouri | $36,560 |
How do archaeologist salaries compare to similar careers?
Archaeologists earn 19% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than anthropologists but more than behavioral scientists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Anthropologist salary | $64K |
| Intelligence analyst salary | $57K |
| Political scientist salary | $45K |
| Social worker salary | $43K |
| Archaeologist salary | $40K |
| Behavioral scientist salary | $35K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)