Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
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Curators
Curators 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.
Table of contents
What they do
Curators 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.
- 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 the area of interest or expertise.
- Provide information from the institution’s holdings to other curators and to the public.
Typical day
On a daily basis, Curators train and supervise curatorial, fiscal, technical, research, and clerical staff, as well as volunteers or interns. They 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.
- Inspect premises to assess the need for repairs and to ensure that climate and pest control issues are addressed.
- Provide information from the institution’s holdings to other curators and to the public.
- Plan and conduct special research projects in the area of interest or expertise.
- Study, examine, and test acquisitions to authenticate their origin, composition, history, and to assess their current value.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Curators also design, organize, or conduct tours, workshops, and instructional or educational sessions to acquaint individuals with an institution’s facilities and materials. They may also write and review grant proposals, journal articles, institutional reports, and publicity materials.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Curators provide information from the institution’s holdings to other curators and to the public. They might also negotiate and authorize purchase, sale, exchange, or loan of collections.
In addition, they 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.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them develop and maintain an institution’s registration, cataloging, and basic record-keeping systems, using computer databases.
To some Curators, it is also their responsibility to study, examine, and test acquisitions to authenticate their origin, composition, history, and to assess their current value.
What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
68% said they were satisfied with their job and 60% said they found their job meaningful.
I have an MA in History of Art, an MBA, and a Ph.D. in History. I currently work as a curator.
It’s a constant pleasure and a privilege to have a chance to work in the discipline I want to. I get to share my passion for the past and collections with others through exhibitions, books, essays, interviews, digital projects, etc. I never go through a dull moment and can’t wait to start my day.
Pros
- Lots of opportunities to move from one project to the next, and to work in a team or individually as you prefer
- You follow your passion and share it with others
- You get to understand what happened in the past and get paid for it
- You may have the chance to travel to do your job and research
Cons
- Ph.D. is a must at a certain level or in certain institutions. Not everybody is into a long time at school. It also means you won’t get a salary for quite some time.
- According to the US Bureau of labor statistics, the median salary for a curator is under $50000 a year and for a historian is approx. $60000 a year. Before embarking on the profession, better make sure you’re OK with that range of paychecks.
- Extensive skills, knowledge, and experience are required all along the career path
- It’s a very competitive profession, even more so considering the limited number of advertised positions compared to the number of historians looking for a job.
Pros
Suitable for people who like to start and carry out projects.
Suitable for people who want independence and like to work on their own and make decisions.
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
Good salary (earns more than 50% of the careers out there).
Cons
Not suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.
It is very hard to get into this career. Extensive skills, knowledge, and experience are required for this career.
Long working hours (More than 40 hours per week).
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Curators with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $33,370 to $43,420 per year or $16 to $21 per hour.
| Salary by experience | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Highest (Top 10%) | $96,820 | $47 |
| Senior (Top 25%) | $76,330 | $37 |
| Median | $56,990 | $27 |
| Junior (Bottom 25%) | $43,420 | $21 |
| No experience (Bottom 10%) | $33,370 | $16 |
This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Curators based on their average annual salary.
| Salary by industry | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Executive Branch | $88090 | $42.35 |
| Grantmaking and Giving Services | $81310 | $39.09 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations | $79370 | $38.16 |
| Other Information Services | $77650 | $37.33 |
| Employment Services | $71120 | $34.19 |
| Amusement Parks and Arcades | $69850 | $33.58 |
| Junior Colleges | $67590 | $32.50 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $67090 | $32.25 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $65310 | $31.40 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $58840 | $28.29 |
View more salary by industries here.
Where can they work
Where can Curators work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Curators including the average salary in that industry.
| Employers | Total Employed | Annual Salary | Hourly Wages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | 5680 | $58840 | $28.29 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 1850 | $65310 | $31.40 |
| Local Government | 1340 | $58420 | $28.09 |
| State Government | 850 | $55830 | $26.84 |
| Other Information Services | 610 | $77650 | $37.33 |
| Federal Executive Branch | 350 | $88090 | $42.35 |
| Grantmaking and Giving Services | 80 | $81310 | $39.09 |
| Junior Colleges | 70 | $67590 | $32.50 |
| Other Schools and Instruction | 60 | $47540 | $22.86 |
| Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events | 50 | $54880 | $26.39 |
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What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
How often do you use email in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Group discussions
How often do you have group discussions in this job?
Public speaking
How often does this job require you to do public speaking?
Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant majors
Public/Applied History
Art History, Criticism and Conservation
Digital Humanities
Textual Studies
Digital Humanities and Textual Studies
Museology/Museum Studies
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
People with this personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk-taking and often deal with business.
They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
Work Values
Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?
You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.
You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.
You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.
You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.
You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.
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