Clean, repair, and preserve artifacts and artworks, documenting their condition and slowing further damage over time.
Museums, labs, and archives
Full time, regular hours
May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.
Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.
“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.
Bachelor's degree
Training path: Bachelor's degree, graduate training common.
No license is required, though conservators often complete graduate training in the field.
Restores and preserves artifacts and works of art by hand, a role separate from the curator, who selects and manages what a collection holds.
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Standard Occupational Classification 25-4013. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.