Are Curators Well Paid?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that curators earned a median annual salary of ​

$54,560

​, as of May 2019. Curator jobs with the federal government paid the highest wages averaging ​$84,300​ per year.

Do curators make a lot of money?

The average museum curator salary is

$42,455 per year

, or $20.41 per hour, in the United States. In terms of salary range, an entry level museum curator salary is roughly $25,000 a year, while the top 10% makes $70,000.

Do museum curators make a lot of money?

The salaries of Museum Curators in the US range from $14,860

to

$396,665 , with a median salary of $71,351 . The middle 57% of Museum Curators makes between $71,354 and $178,951, with the top 86% making $396,665.

Is museum curator a good job?

Although the pay can sometimes be low, and the hours may be long and varied,

curators often express very high levels of job satisfaction

. People in this role work on subjects they are passionate about, and they know what they do makes a real difference to communities, and to society.

Are curators in demand?

Employment of curators is projected to

grow 13 percent from

2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. … Continued public interest in museums and other cultural centers should lead to increased demand for curators and for the collections they manage.

What is a museum curator salary?

The salaries of Museum Curators in the US range from

$14,860 to $396,665

, with a median salary of $71,351 . The middle 57% of Museum Curators makes between $71,354 and $178,951, with the top 86% making $396,665.

Is it hard to become a museum curator?

To become a curator at a national museum,

a PhD is required

, as is about five years of field experience. The market is competitive, and academic standards are very high. Useful graduate degrees include restoration science, curatorship, art history, history, chemistry, and business administration.

How long does it take to become a curator?

How long does it take to become a museum curator? It can take

five to 10 years

, on average, to get a job as a museum curator. While some entry-level positions may exist, most museum curator positions are management-level.

Can anyone be a curator?

“Anyone can be an artist;

anyone can be a curator

. A curator is really a facilitator,” Roya Sachs, curator of the Lever House Art Collection and art director of Spring Place, recently told me.

What do curators actually do?

Curators are in

charge of a collection of exhibits in a museum or art gallery

. Their job is to build up collections, often in specialist areas. Curators develop ways in which objects, archives and artworks can be interpreted, through exhibitions, publications, events and audio-visual presentations.

What qualifications do you need to be a curator?

The BLS states that most curator positions require a

bachelor’s and master’s degree in a related field

, such as art history, history, archaeology, or museum studies.

What degree do you need to be an art curator?

The BLS states that most curator positions require a

bachelor’s and master’s degree in a related field

, such as art history, history, archaeology, or museum studies.

Is being a curator competitive?

Competition for curator positions

will continue to be extremely competitive

, as the field has a low turnover rate and there are generally more qualified applicants on the market than there are available jobs. Art and history museums are expected to remain the largest employers of curators.

How much do curators make hourly?

The average wage for a curator in California is

around $29.15 per hour

.

How much do curators charge?

Those working in the industry, many of whom wished to remain anonymous when citing specific figures, shared a range of curatorial fees within the commercial gallery sector:

A $2,000 flat fee plus 10% commission for curating a show

at a “new gallery in its infancy,” or $2,000 plus a 20% commission (once total sales …

Do museum curators travel?

Most archivists, curators, museum technicians, and conservators work full time. … Curators in large institutions

may travel extensively to evaluate potential additions

to the collection, organize exhibits, and conduct research. However, for curators in small institutions, travel may be rare.

David Martineau
Author
David Martineau
David is an interior designer and home improvement expert. With a degree in architecture, David has worked on various renovation projects and has written for several home and garden publications. David's expertise in decorating, renovation, and repair will help you create your dream home.