How much does a Curators make?

The median annual wage for Curators is $63,420 ($30 per hour). Pay ranges from about $40,470 at the 10th percentile to $107,140 at the 90th percentile.

What is the average salary for a Curators?

The average (mean) annual salary is $71,560, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.

Which state pays Curatorss the most?

District of Columbia has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $93,310.

Is Curators a growing occupation?

BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 12K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.

What does a Curators do?

Plan and organize the acquisition, storage, and exhibition of collections and related materials, including the selection of exhibition themes and designs, and develop or install exhibit materials.; Develop and maintain an institution's registration, cataloging, and basic record-keeping systems, using computer databases.; Plan and conduct special research projects in area of interest or expertise..

Curators Salary

Educational Instruction and Library Occupations · 12K employed in the U.S.

Median annual

$63,420

Median hourly

$30

Average annual

$71,560

Typical range

$40,470–$107,140

Pay distribution

10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.

10th$40,470

25th$48,870

Median$63,420

75th$83,080

90th$107,140

What this role pays

The median annual salary for Curators is $63,420 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $30 an hour at a full-time schedule.

Administer collections, such as artwork, collectibles, historic items, or scientific specimens of museums or other institutions. May conduct instructional, research, or public service activities of institution..

Most earn between $40,470 and $107,140 a year. There are roughly 12K people employed as curators in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.

Salary calculator

Convert your pay and see where it lands for Curators.

Pay amountPay period

Hours / weekWeeks / year

Hourly: $30.49
Daily: $244
Weekly: $1,220
Bi-weekly: $2,439
Monthly: $5,285
Annual: $63,420

$63,420 a year is around the 50th percentile for Curatorss. The median is $63,420.

Curators — U.S., May 2025
Percentile	Hourly	Annual
10th percentile	$19.50	$40,470
25th percentile	$23.50	$48,870
Median	$30.50	$63,420
75th percentile	$39.90	$83,080
90th percentile	$51.50	$107,140
Average (mean)	$34.40	$71,560
Employment	12,150 people

Key skills

Reading Comprehension
Speaking
Active Listening
Writing
Critical Thinking
Complex Problem Solving
Active Learning
Judgment and Decision Making
Monitoring
Systems Analysis

Highest-paying states

Median annual wage by state.

1District of Columbia$93,310
2New Hampshire$82,490
3New York$79,120
4California$78,740
5Rhode Island$77,930
6New Jersey$77,800
7Massachusetts$77,790
8Connecticut$76,510
9South Dakota$74,990
10Washington$74,030
11Colorado$73,630
12Nevada$69,900

Top-paying metro areas

Median annual wage by metro area.

1New Haven, CT$102,110
2Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH$94,740
3San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$90,800
4Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$87,400
5Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$84,150
6New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$83,110
7Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$82,640
8Ann Arbor, MI$82,150
9Amherst Town-Northampton, MA$79,380
10Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$78,720
11Worcester, MA$78,450
12Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$78,420

Related job titles

Employers advertise Curators roles under these titles.

Related occupations

What a Curators does

Plan and organize the acquisition, storage, and exhibition of collections and related materials, including the selection of exhibition themes and designs, and develop or install exhibit materials.
Develop and maintain an institution's registration, cataloging, and basic record-keeping systems, using computer databases.
Plan and conduct special research projects in area of interest or expertise.
Provide information from the institution's holdings to other curators and to the public.
Negotiate and authorize purchase, sale, exchange, or loan of collections.
Inspect premises to assess the need for repairs and to ensure that climate and pest control issues are addressed.
Write and review grant proposals, journal articles, institutional reports, and publicity materials.
Design, organize, or conduct tours, workshops, and instructional or educational sessions to acquaint individuals with an institution's facilities and materials.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Curators make?: The median annual wage for Curators is $63,420 ($30 per hour). Pay ranges from about $40,470 at the 10th percentile to $107,140 at the 90th percentile.
What is the average salary for a Curators?: The average (mean) annual salary is $71,560, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
Which state pays Curatorss the most?: District of Columbia has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $93,310.
Is Curators a growing occupation?: BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 12K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
What does a Curators do?: Plan and organize the acquisition, storage, and exhibition of collections and related materials, including the selection of exhibition themes and designs, and develop or install exhibit materials.; Develop and maintain an institution's registration, cataloging, and basic record-keeping systems, using computer databases.; Plan and conduct special research projects in area of interest or expertise..