by our College Data Analytics TeamA degree in Archives/Archival Administration involves the study of Archives/archival Administration. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Identify, Manage, Preserve, And Make Available Records With Long-Term Value For Documentation, Legal, Research, And Other Purposes. Includes Instruction In Appraisal And Collection Development, Information And Records Management, Archival Preservation, Access Systems, Management Of Electronic Records, Archival Outreach, And Legal And Ethical Issues. Examples: [Archival Administration And Records Management], [Archival Studies], [Records Management]. Read on to learn the important information every archives/archival administration major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering archives/archival administration programs.
Across the country, archives/archival administration draws strong interest, with 256 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Archives/Archival Administration Schools ranking analyzes these 11 schools to determine the best overall colleges for archives/archival administration students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of archives/archival administration programs later in this article.
Studies in Archives/Archival Administration build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations archives/archival administration graduates commonly enter.
The skill set emphasized by a archives/archival administration program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a archives/archival administration major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several archives/archival administration degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 3 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 253 |
People currently working in careers related to archives/archival administration tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 48.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 32.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 4.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 3.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 3.5% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 3.2% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.3% |
| Some college courses | 1.8% |
| Doctoral degree | 0.4% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in archives/archival administration careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in archives/archival administration opens doors to numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to archives/archival administration.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to archives/archival administration.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Archivists | 1,193,221 | 1.6% |
| Managers, All Other | 468,025 | 6.2% |
| Compliance Managers | 310,203 | 13.0% |
| Loss Prevention Managers | 265,210 | 2.2% |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | 206,415 | 9.9% |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | 128,884 | 5.2% |
| Wind Energy Development Managers | 107,541 | 10.1% |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | 105,398 | -1.9% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of archives/archival administration graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $48,588 |
| 4 years | $51,908 |
| 5 years | $57,391 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for archives/archival administration graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers archives/archival administration grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Wind Energy Development Managers | $169,952 |
| Loss Prevention Managers | $165,723 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | $122,567 |
| Compliance Managers | $117,178 |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | $99,321 |
| Managers, All Other | $95,684 |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | $77,828 |
| Archivists | $53,759 |
With 11 different archives/archival administration programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased archives/archival administration school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in archives/archival administration, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Library and Information Science | 6,141 |
| Children and Youth Library Services | 34 |
| Library Science and Administration, Other | 1 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
