Historians pay range in San Francisco
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $60,620 a year or less, while the top 10% make $154,250 or more. The middle half of historians in San Francisco earn between $73,800 and $120,140.
- $61K10th
- $74K25th
- $89KMedian
- $120K75th
- $154K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $98,140 | $8,178 | $47.18 |
| Median | $88,790 | $7,399 | $42.69 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $73,800 | $6,150 | $35.48 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $120,140 | $10,012 | $57.76 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Historians pay in San Francisco vs. California and the U.S.
Historians in San Francisco earn about the same as the California average ($100,750) and 21% more than the U.S. average ($81,240). At the median the gap is +16% against the U.S. median of $76,750.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $98,140 | $88,790 | $60,620 | $154,250 | 50 |
| California | $100,750 | $97,420 | $60,620 | $146,220 | 210 |
| United States | $81,240 | $76,750 | $42,730 | $131,810 | 3,450 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Historians salary after taxes in San Francisco
On the average salary of $98,140, a single filer in San Francisco takes home about $72,836 a year, or $6,070 a month and $2,801 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Francisco a good place for historians? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Francisco area are 16% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 115.6), so the average $98,140 buys what about $84,887 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in San Francisco ($74,260). A typical home costs $1,149,215, or 11.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Historians salary in other California cities
San Francisco ranks 3rd of 3 California metro areas for this job; Sacramento pays the most ($103,980).
- Sacramento$103,980
- Los Angeles$99,120
- San Francisco$98,140
Highest-paying cities for historians
Washington, DC pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($115,390).
- Washington, DC$115,390
- Minneapolis, MN$113,760
- Boston, MA$113,270
- Sacramento, CA$103,980
- Honolulu, HI$101,930
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Historians salary in San Francisco: questions
How much do historians make an hour in San Francisco?
$47.18 an hour on average, and $42.69 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level historians salary in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $60,620 a year and the 25th percentile is $73,800, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the historians take-home pay in San Francisco?
About $72,836 a year ($6,070 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $98,140. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do historians earn more in San Francisco than elsewhere?
The average here is 21% more than the U.S. average for this job ($81,240).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 19-3093; area San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (41860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 13.4%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.89, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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