The salary of an archivist depends entirely on the kind of institution for which he or she is being employed. For those that are just entering archival work, the salary can be as low as $22,000.00 per year, while those who are more experienced might command upwards of $80,000.00 per year. Those that are employed by an academic institution are frequently employed as faculty which results in a relatively secure, albeit moderately paying, position. Archivists of the federal government are among the best paid with an average salary of more than $78,000.00 per year. While the salary is moderate for most in the field of archives, those in the field are almost always quite satisfied with their positions.