Published: March 14, 2025 by Aryn Prestia

The Archives & Preservation pathway is one of the most popular
career pathways at the SJSU iSchool and more than 300 students
are members of the Student Chapter of the Society of American
Archivists. Yet how common are Archivist jobs, really? Let’s
explore the current hiring landscape to learn more about the
nuances of finding work in the Archives field.

The Job Landscape

The Society of American Archivists (SAA) job page averages
between a dozen and twenty jobs at any given moment. Of course,
not all jobs will be posted to this one page. However, when
considering there are more than 65 archive-specific
programs producing graduates each year there may be some
competition between the number of candidates and the availability
of positions. 

The good news is that based on recent trends identified in the
iSchool’s
2024 MLIS Skills at Work: A Snapshot of Job
Postings, between 2023 and 2024 there was a 5% increase
in job listings for Archives, Preservation, and Special
Collections. 

Tackling the Job Hunt

It’s important to remember that  many of the archive-related
positions may not specifically have “Archivist” in the job title.
Archivist responsibilities can be found in other areas of the
information field like records management or digital
preservation. These types of positions may not necessarily be
posted on industry specific sites like the SAA job page, so it’s
important to expand your search. 

Consider the geographic area where you are job seeking and do
some research to see what kinds of archive work could be in your
area. For example: 

• In Southern California there are lots of media
  companies 
• In DC there is a large concentration of government
  agencies 
• In the Bay Area there are many tech companies 
• In Minnesota there’s a large concentration of healthcare
  jobs 

Think about your job search keywords. Not every job listing will
have the word “Archivist” or “Librarian” included. Here are some
potential job titles:  

• Digital Asset Specialist 
• Digital Records Manager 
• Collections Manager 

SJSU has a strong reputation when it comes to helping alumni land
positions in the information field. In its most recent alumni
survey, for students who were not employed upon graduation,
77% were employed
within six months. If you are seeking more personalized
help in lending your dream Archivist role, or any other role
within the information services space,  check out the
Career Development Resources
made available by SJSU or schedule an advising session to help
you get started down the right path. 

Two More Things!

Don’t forget to keep up to date with job openings on Handshake.

Also, remember that internships can be an especially valuable
part of your learning experience at the iSchool while also
helping you when it comes time to look for jobs. Learn more about
the iSchool’s internship program here,
where you can check out the INFO 294 Student Handbook as
well as the Internship Sites
database.