The Salary Index
Salary data is based on the Appleton, WI metropolitan area and applied to Appleton using local cost-of-living adjustments.

Archivists Salaries in Appleton, WI

Average Base Pay

$54,398/yr

7% below national average

Monthly

$4,533

Hourly

$26

Cost Index

86

Archivists in Appleton, WI earn an average of $54,398 per year, with most salaries falling between $43,518 and $65,278 depending on experience, employer, and specialization. At 7% below the national average, Appleton offers a more modest rate for this role, in part reflecting a local cost of living index of 86. For professionals evaluating a move or negotiating an offer, the headline salary is only part of the picture—what matters most is how far that income actually goes once taxes, rent, and daily expenses are factored in. The sections below break that down in full for Appleton.

Salary Range

The chart below shows the full compensation spectrum for this role, from entry-level to senior positions. The highlighted center bars represent the 25th–75th percentile band where most professionals are paid.

$41K
Low
$54K
Median
$68K
High
25th percentile: $46K75th percentile: $63K

About Archivists

Health Information Managers oversee the systems, policies, and staff responsible for creating, maintaining, protecting, and releasing patient health records. They ensure that health information is accurate, accessible to authorized users, and protected from unauthorized disclosure in compliance with HIPAA and other regulations. HIM professionals manage medical coding departments—ensuring accurate assignment of ICD-10 and CPT codes that determine reimbursement—and audit coding quality. They design and implement health information systems, manage transitions between electronic health record (EHR) platforms, and govern data integrity across clinical information systems. Release of information is a major function: processing requests from patients, attorneys, payers, and public health agencies while ensuring that only authorized disclosures occur. HIM managers train staff on documentation requirements, conduct audits to ensure medical record completeness, and work with clinical teams to improve the quality of clinical documentation. The Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) credential from AHIMA is the leading professional credential, requiring a bachelor's degree in health information management.

What Archivists Do

  • Oversee the management and integrity of the medical records department
  • Manage coding staff and audit ICD-10 and CPT code assignment accuracy
  • Ensure HIPAA compliance for protected health information use and disclosure
  • Process and authorize release of health information requests
  • Manage EHR systems and oversee implementation or migration projects
  • Conduct clinical documentation improvement programs
  • Train staff on documentation requirements and health information policies
  • Prepare reports on coding quality, record completeness, and department performance

Key Skills & Qualifications

  • ICD-10-CM/PCS and CPT coding proficiency
  • HIPAA privacy and security rule compliance
  • EHR system administration and implementation
  • Revenue cycle management fundamentals
  • Clinical documentation improvement methodology
  • Health information management software
  • RHIA or RHIT credential from AHIMA
  • Staff management and training

Career Path

  1. Medical Coder / Medical Records Clerk
  2. Health Information Technician (RHIT)
  3. Health Information Manager (RHIA)
  4. Director of Health Information Management
  5. Chief Health Information Officer

Archivists Market in Appleton, WI

Salary Competitiveness

Appleton currently pays 7% below the national median for Archivists. This gap can reflect a lower regional cost base, thinner employer density, or a surplus of qualified candidates relative to open roles—factors worth factoring into any offer negotiation or relocation calculation.

Cost of Living Impact

Appleton's cost of living runs below the national average, which works in favor of this salary. Essential monthly expenses account for approximately 67% of take-home pay—a ratio that leaves meaningful room for savings, debt reduction, and discretionary spending compared with higher-cost metros.

Effective Purchasing Power

The purchasing power of $54,398 for a Archivists in Appleton is moderate: enough to meet essential expenses and build incremental savings, but requiring deliberate budgeting to avoid margin erosion—especially as rent and healthcare costs have outpaced wage growth across many mid-tier markets.

vs. National Avg

-7%

Cost Pressure

67%

Purchasing Power

Moderate

Take-Home Pay Calculator

Enter any gross salary to see how federal and state taxes affect your actual take-home pay, broken down by year, month, and week. Results use an estimated effective tax rate of 27% based on this location and income level.

$
Take-home (73%)Taxes (27%)

Annual Net

$39,711

Monthly

$3,309

Weekly

$764

Eff. Tax Rate

27%

A gross salary of $54,398 for a Archivists in Appleton translates to roughly $3,309 in monthly take-home pay after estimated federal and state taxes. Set against monthly living costs of $2,227—covering housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare—that leaves approximately $1,082 per month in disposable income. That margin, not the gross number, is what determines whether you can comfortably cover rent, build savings, and afford discretionary spending in Appleton's current market.

How far does this salary go in Appleton?

Cost of Living in Appleton

Estimated monthly expenses for a single person in Appleton, benchmarked against US regional price indices for housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare.

Cost Index

86

Below Avg — US average is 100. Based on a single person (1-bed apartment).

🏠Housing / Rent$1,281/mo
🍔Food & Groceries$427/mo
🚗Transportation$115/mo
💡Utilities$150/mo
🏥Healthcare$254/mo
Monthly$2,227
Annual$26,724
Disposable Income$1,082

Financial Reality Check

This section compares estimated monthly take-home pay against typical living costs in Appleton to show your real disposable income—the amount remaining after essential bills are paid each month.

Monthly Take-Home

$3,309

Living Costs

$2,227

Disposable

$1,082

Cost Index

86

Lifestyle

Tight

With a monthly take-home of $3,309, your estimated living costs in Appleton are $2,227 ($26,724/yr). This leaves $1,082 per month in disposable income, indicating a tight standard of living. Appleton's cost of living is 14% below the national average.

Overall, a Archivists earning $54,398 in Appleton falls into a tight lifestyle tier and will need to budget carefully—essential costs consume a significant share of take-home pay, leaving limited room for savings or emergencies. With a cost index of 86, Appleton is 14% more affordable than the national average, which extends your purchasing power. Regardless of tier, prioritizing retirement contributions, an emergency fund of three to six months' expenses, and incremental debt reduction will yield the greatest long-term financial stability—especially as living costs in Appleton continue to evolve.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Archivists · Appleton, WI7% below avg

Gross Salary

$54,398/yr

Take-home

$3,309/mo

Disposable

$1,082/mo

Lifestyle

Tight

Source: thesalaryindex.com · BLS data

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Salary estimates are based on BLS metro data and adjusted using cost-of-living indices.