SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 25-4012.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $40,470 | $3,372 | $778 | $19.46 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $48,870 | $4,072 | $940 | $23.49 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $63,420 | $5,285 | $1,220 | $30.49 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $83,080 | $6,923 | $1,598 | $39.94 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $107,140 | $8,928 | $2,060 | $51.51 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Curators is $63,420, which is 24% higher. Among the 64 occupations of the field Educational Instruction and Library, it ranks number 52 by median pay. With 12,150 jobs, it makes up about 0.8 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($71,560) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Curators pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($93,310), New Hampshire ($82,490) and New York ($79,120). The lowest was in Mississippi ($40,600), South Carolina ($47,200) and North Carolina ($49,470). The most jobs were in New York (1,330), California (1,140) and Texas (690). The occupation is most concentrated in Wyoming, where its share of all jobs is 4.0 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 140 | $93,310 | $100,420 | $44.86 |
| New Hampshire | 60 | $82,490 | $79,660 | $39.66 |
| New York | 1,330 | $79,120 | $90,630 | $38.04 |
| California | 1,140 | $78,740 | $86,330 | $37.86 |
| Rhode Island | 70 | $77,930 | $82,470 | $37.47 |
| New Jersey | 120 | $77,800 | $77,880 | $37.40 |
| Massachusetts | 370 | $77,790 | $81,450 | $37.40 |
| Connecticut | 190 | $76,510 | $82,840 | $36.78 |
| South Dakota | 50 | $74,990 | $74,800 | $36.05 |
| Washington | 260 | $74,030 | $77,370 | $35.59 |
| Colorado | 300 | $73,630 | $76,150 | $35.40 |
| Nevada | 100 | $69,900 | $69,380 | $33.61 |
| Wisconsin | 300 | $64,370 | $70,980 | $30.95 |
| Alaska | 90 | $63,880 | $71,620 | $30.71 |
| Maryland | 170 | $63,750 | $71,790 | $30.65 |
| New Mexico | 140 | $63,690 | $62,670 | $30.62 |
| Ohio | 370 | $63,640 | $69,920 | $30.60 |
| Arizona | 150 | $63,510 | $71,560 | $30.53 |
| Michigan | 360 | $63,190 | $69,710 | $30.38 |
| Illinois | 410 | $63,060 | $68,940 | $30.32 |
| Oregon | 260 | $62,790 | $65,700 | $30.19 |
| Idaho | 50 | $62,190 | $57,930 | $29.90 |
| Pennsylvania | 520 | $62,100 | $69,310 | $29.86 |
| Wyoming | 90 | $61,910 | $60,430 | $29.77 |
| Alabama | 150 | $61,120 | $64,510 | $29.39 |
| Oklahoma | 150 | $60,560 | $63,770 | $29.12 |
| Louisiana | 160 | $60,080 | $65,730 | $28.89 |
| Texas | 690 | $59,990 | $64,880 | $28.84 |
| Missouri | 260 | $59,960 | $67,130 | $28.83 |
| Utah | 50 | $59,910 | $62,460 | $28.80 |
| Florida | 420 | $59,500 | $67,870 | $28.61 |
| Nebraska | 120 | $58,600 | $61,750 | $28.18 |
| Virginia | 450 | $58,200 | $65,990 | $27.98 |
| Georgia | 230 | $57,810 | $63,350 | $27.80 |
| Tennessee | 190 | $57,580 | $61,280 | $27.68 |
| Delaware | 60 | $56,800 | $61,790 | $27.31 |
| Kansas | 120 | $56,630 | $61,890 | $27.23 |
| Vermont | 60 | $56,520 | $58,040 | $27.18 |
| Maine | 110 | $56,470 | $58,570 | $27.15 |
| Kentucky | 130 | $55,460 | $59,600 | $26.67 |
| Montana | 100 | $54,460 | $55,260 | $26.18 |
| Minnesota | 220 | $53,920 | $58,960 | $25.93 |
| Indiana | 220 | $53,910 | $59,540 | $25.92 |
| Arkansas | 80 | $53,870 | $66,950 | $25.90 |
| Iowa | 230 | $53,830 | $54,750 | $25.88 |
| Hawaii | 140 | $50,720 | $61,010 | $24.39 |
| North Carolina | 600 | $49,470 | $57,490 | $23.78 |
| South Carolina | 120 | $47,200 | $55,640 | $22.69 |
| Mississippi | 30 | $40,600 | $45,190 | $19.52 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$64,370 a year
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$63,970 a year
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$63,820 a year
- Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$62,680 a year
- Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$61,540 a year
- Farm and Home Management Educators$60,220 a year
Common questions
How much do Curators earn in the United States?
The median pay was $63,420 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $40,470 and the highest-paid 10% more than $107,140.
How many people work as Curators?
About 12,150 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.