How much does a curator make?
Median yearly pay in the United States: half earn more and half earn less. That is $30.49 an hour or $5,285 a month.
- Hourly
- $30.49
- Average (mean)
- $71,560
- Jobs
- 12,150
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $40,470 | $19.46 | |
| 25th | $48,870 | $23.50 | |
| Median | $63,420 | $30.49 | |
| 75th | $83,080 | $39.94 | |
| 90th | $107,100 | $51.51 |
By state
Median yearly pay.
| District of Columbia | $93,310 |
| New Hampshire | $82,490 |
| New York | $79,120 |
| California | $78,740 |
| Rhode Island | $77,930 |
| New Jersey | $77,800 |
| Massachusetts | $77,790 |
| Connecticut | $76,510 |
| South Dakota | $74,990 |
| Washington | $74,030 |
| Colorado | $73,630 |
| Nevada | $69,900 |
| Wisconsin | $64,370 |
| Alaska | $63,880 |
| Maryland | $63,750 |
| New Mexico | $63,690 |
| Ohio | $63,640 |
| Arizona | $63,510 |
| Michigan | $63,190 |
| Illinois | $63,060 |
| Oregon | $62,790 |
| Idaho | $62,190 |
| Pennsylvania | $62,100 |
| Wyoming | $61,910 |
| Alabama | $61,120 |
| Oklahoma | $60,560 |
| Louisiana | $60,080 |
| Texas | $59,990 |
| Missouri | $59,960 |
| Utah | $59,910 |
| Florida | $59,500 |
| Nebraska | $58,600 |
| Virginia | $58,200 |
| Georgia | $57,810 |
| Tennessee | $57,580 |
| Delaware | $56,800 |
| Kansas | $56,630 |
| Vermont | $56,520 |
| Maine | $56,470 |
| Kentucky | $55,460 |
| Montana | $54,460 |
| Minnesota | $53,920 |
| Indiana | $53,910 |
| Arkansas | $53,870 |
| Iowa | $53,830 |
| Hawaii | $50,720 |
| North Carolina | $49,470 |
| South Carolina | $47,200 |
| Mississippi | $40,600 |
Highest paying cities
Metro areas, median yearly pay.
| New Haven, CT | $102,100 |
| Dayton, OH | $94,740 |
| San Francisco, CA | $90,800 |
| Washington, DC | $87,400 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $84,150 |
| New York, NY | $83,110 |
| Albany, NY | $82,640 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $82,150 |
| Amherst Town, MA | $79,380 |
| Boston, MA | $78,720 |
| Worcester, MA | $78,450 |
| Sacramento, CA | $78,420 |
| Seattle, WA | $78,340 |
| Denver, CO | $77,700 |
| Providence, RI | $77,670 |
In other countries
Curator belongs to the international group "Archivists and curators".
Compare pay in 140 countriesSimilar jobs
- Archivist$64,550
- Museum Technician and Conservator$51,440
- Librarian and Media Collections Specialist$68,270
- Library Technician$44,580
Frequently asked questions
How much does a curator make an hour?
The median hourly pay is $30.49 ($63,420 a year).
How much does a curator make a month?
About $5,285 a month before tax, based on a median of $63,420 a year.
How much does a curator make starting out?
The lowest-paid 10% make $40,470 or less a year ($19.46 an hour); the top 10% make $107,100 or more.
Which state pays curators the most?
District of Columbia, with a median of $93,310 a year, followed by New Hampshire ($82,490) and New York ($79,120).
Which city pays curators the most?
New Haven, CT, with a median of $102,100 a year.
How many curators are there in the United States?
About 12,150 people work as curators.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.