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Museum Curator

$61,770
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Acquire, care for, and display museum collections, and plan exhibits for the public.

Where you work

Museums, galleries, and archives

The hours

Full time, some evening events

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$61,770
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~1,800
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+7%
Faster than average
Working in the U.S.
15,100
people, nationwide

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.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Master's degree

Training path: Master's in a relevant field.

License or certification

No license required to start in most places.

What it takes

Subject expertiseResearchOrganizationWriting

The honest take

Cares for a museum's collections and plans the exhibits the public sees, work that usually needs a graduate degree.

Standard Occupational Classification 25-4012. 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.