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Museum curator: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$63,420median pay per year, or $30.49 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $40,470lowest 10% earn less
  2. $48,87025th percentile
  3. $63,420median
  4. $83,08075th percentile
  5. $107,140top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

Curators had a median pay of $63,420 a year in May 2025[1]. BLS lists a master's degree as the typical education for entry[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+4.9%[5]
Openings per year
1,600[6]
Typical entry education
Master's degree[2]

How much do museum curators make?

The median wage for curators was $63,420 a year, or $30.49 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The median annual wage for all occupations was $50,980[4].

The average was $71,560 a year, or $34.40 an hour[7].

The wage range[3][8]:

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[3][8] $40,470 $19.46
25th[3][8] $48,870 $23.49
Median[1] $63,420 $30.49
75th[3][8] $83,080 $39.94
90th[3][8] $107,140 $51.51

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $40,470[3]. A percentile is a boundary between groups of workers, and BLS publishes percentile wages rather than a starting salary[9].

These figures cover full-time and part-time workers paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed and do not include bonuses not tied to production or the cost of benefits[10]. About 12,150 people worked as curators in May 2025[11]. In 2025, 8.8% of curators were self-employed[12].

Pay by state and city

The District of Columbia had the highest median at $93,310, with 140 jobs[13]. New Hampshire followed at $82,490 (60 jobs), then New York at $79,120 (1,330 jobs)[13]. Mississippi had the lowest published median, $40,600, based on 30 jobs[13].

New York also had the most curator jobs, 1,330[14]. California (1,140), Texas (690), North Carolina (600) and Pennsylvania (520) came next[14].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, the highest medians were in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont at $90,800, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria at $87,400 and New York-Newark-Jersey City at $83,110[15]. The New York area had the most jobs, 970[16].

Show median pay in 48 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
District of Columbia[13]$93,310140
New Hampshire$82,49060
New York$79,1201,330
California$78,7401,140
Rhode Island$77,93070
New Jersey$77,800120
Massachusetts$77,790370
Connecticut$76,510190
South Dakota$74,99050
Washington$74,030260
Colorado$73,630300
Nevada$69,900100
Wisconsin$64,370300
Alaska$63,88090
Maryland$63,750170
New Mexico$63,690140
Ohio$63,640370
Arizona$63,510150
Michigan$63,190360
Illinois$63,060410
Oregon$62,790260
Idaho$62,19050
Pennsylvania$62,100520
Wyoming$61,91090
Alabama$61,120150
Oklahoma$60,560150
Louisiana$60,080160
Texas$59,990690
Missouri$59,960260
Utah$59,91050
Florida$59,500420
Nebraska$58,600120
Virginia$58,200450
Georgia$57,810230
Tennessee$57,580190
Delaware$56,80060
Kansas$56,630120
Vermont$56,52060
Maine$56,470110
Kentucky$55,460130
Montana$54,460100
Minnesota$53,920220
Indiana$53,910220
Arkansas$53,87080
Iowa$53,830230
Hawaii$50,720140
North Carolina$49,470600
South Carolina$47,200120
Mississippi$40,60030

How to become a museum curator

The training details in this section come from a BLS profile that covers curators together with related museum occupations[17]. The steps below are what the facts say:

Some curator jobs in small museums may be open to people with a bachelor's degree[18]. For business-side duties, BLS recommends coursework in business, public relations, marketing and fundraising[18].

In an O*NET survey of 34 workers, 44% said a master's degree was required and 35% said a doctoral degree[21]. Another 8% named a post-baccalaureate certificate and 6% a bachelor's degree[21]. The profile adds that some advanced positions may call for a doctoral degree[22].

The facts do not say how long a curator's degree takes or what it costs.

What museum curators do

Curators manage the collections of museums and other institutions. They may also do teaching, research or public service work[23]. Typical tasks include[24]:

Job titles reported by workers include collections curator, exhibits curator and education curator[25].

Where they work

The workplace facts describe the wider group of archivists, curators and museum workers[17]. In 2025, 36% of that group worked in museums, historical sites and similar institutions[26]. Depending on the job, time may be spent at a desk or with the public, and some museum workers lift objects or climb ladders when setting up exhibits[27].

BLS says most workers in the group work full time[28]. Curators in large institutions may travel a lot to evaluate possible additions, organize exhibits and do research, while travel may be rare for curators in small institutions[29].

Job outlook

BLS projects curator employment to grow 4.9% from 2025 to 2035, from about 14,200 jobs to 14,900[5]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[30]. These counts include self-employed workers[5].

About 1,600 openings a year are projected[6]. Openings include jobs left by people who retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 4.8% of workers leave the labor force and 5.7% move to a different occupation[31].

The wider profile says top museum positions are highly sought after[22].

Is it a good fit?

The facts suggest this job suits people willing to complete a master's degree and gain museum experience[2][20]. Median pay is above the all-occupations median[1][4]. Projected growth is a little faster than the all-occupations rate[5][30]. Advancement to top museum positions is described as highly sought after, and small institutions may offer limited promotion chances[22][32].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[33].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a museum curator make?
The median was $63,420 a year, or $30.49 an hour, in May 2025[1]. The average was $71,560 a year[7].
What degree do you need to be a museum curator?
BLS lists a master's degree as the typical entry education[2]. Fields named include art history, history, archaeology and museum studies, and small museums may hire with a bachelor's degree[18].
Is museum curator a growing job?
BLS projects 4.9% growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 1,600 openings a year[5][30][6].
What is the highest paying state for curators?
The District of Columbia, at $93,310 with 140 jobs[13]. New Hampshire was next at $82,490[13].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Curators in the US was $63,420 per year and $30.49 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Curators: education needed for entry: Master's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Curators: 10th percentile $40,470, 25th percentile $48,870, 75th percentile $83,080, 90th percentile $107,140. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Curators is projected to grow 4.9% from 2025 to 2035, from about 14,200 to 14,900 jobs (a change of +700). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 1,600 openings for Curators are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Curators was $71,560 per year and $34.40 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Curators: 10th percentile $19.46, 25th percentile $23.49, 75th percentile $39.94, 90th percentile $51.51. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 12,150 people were employed as Curators in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS Employment Projections: 8.8% of Curators were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  13. Median annual wage for Curators in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Curators jobs: New York 1,330; California 1,140; Texas 690; North Carolina 600; Pennsylvania 520. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Curators (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $90,800; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $87,400; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $83,110; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $78,720; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $78,340; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $77,700; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $77,160; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $75,800. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Curators jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 970 (median $83,110); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 390 (median $77,160); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 290 (median $63,060); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 290 (median $63,860); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 270 (median $87,400); San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 240 (median $90,800). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Archivists, Curators, and Museum Workers" covers Curators together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Other Experience. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. O*NET 25-4012.00 survey of workers (34 respondents), education level they say is required: Master's Degree 44%, Doctoral Degree 35%, Post-Baccalaureate Certificate 8%, Bachelor's Degree 6% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. O*NET description of Curators. O*NET OnLine
  24. O*NET task list for Curators. O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET 25-4012.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Collections Curator, Collections Manager, Curator, Education Curator, Exhibitions Curator, Exhibits Curator, Museum Curator, Photography Curator. O*NET OnLine
  26. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of archivists, curators, and museum workers in 2025: Museums, historical sites, and similar institutions 36%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  31. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Curators: 4.8% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.7% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  32. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  33. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.