25 Series · SOC 25-4012
Curators Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $63,420
- Median / year
- $107,140
- Top 10% earn
- +7%
- Growth '23–'33
- 12,150
- US workers
Curators earn a median of $63,420 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $63,420, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $40,470 (10th percentile) to $107,140 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 12,150 US workers. District of Columbia pays the most ($93,310), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Curators earn a median of $63,420, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 54% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Educational Instruction and Library, it ranks #52 of 64 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 7% by 2033.
- $63,420
- Median annual wage
- Top 46%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #52 of 64
- in Educational Instruction and Library
- 2.6×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $93,310. Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.
Curators (SOC 25-4012) pays a national median of $63,420 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $40,470 at the 10th percentile to $107,140 at the 90th, with a mean of $71,560 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 12,150 Americans work in this occupation across 49 reporting states and 90 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +7% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as faster than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,800 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Master's degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.3 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.8 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $93,310, which is +47% above the national figure. The top metro is New Haven, CT at $102,110 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$63,420
per year
Median Hourly
$30.49/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$71,560
average
Employment
12,150
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Curators pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$63,420 Top 46% higher than 54% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 25-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Curators; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 25-series occupations with growth data, Curators sits on the faster-growing side at +7% growth and $63,420 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+7%
Faster than average
Annual Openings
1,800
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Master's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.3/100K
Injury Rate
0.8/100
Danger Index
3.4/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Curators roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Study, examine, and test acquisitions to authenticate their origin, composition, history, and to assess their current value.
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Attend meetings, conventions, and civic events to promote use of institution's services, to seek financing, and to maintain community alliances.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$40,470
25th Percentile
$48,870
Median
$63,420
75th Percentile
$83,080
90th Percentile
$107,140
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 49 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $93,310 | +47% above national |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $82,490 | +30% above national |
| 3 | New York | $79,120 | +25% above national |
| 4 | California | $78,740 | +24% above national |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $77,930 | +23% above national |
| 6 | New Jersey | $77,800 | +23% above national |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $77,790 | +23% above national |
| 8 | Connecticut | $76,510 | +21% above national |
| 9 | South Dakota | $74,990 | +18% above national |
| 10 | Washington | $74,030 | +17% above national |
| 11 | Colorado | $73,630 | +16% above national |
| 12 | Nevada | $69,900 | +10% above national |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $64,370 | +1% above national |
| 14 | Alaska | $63,880 | +1% above national |
| 15 | Maryland | $63,750 | +1% above national |
| 16 | New Mexico | $63,690 | same as national |
| 17 | Ohio | $63,640 | same as national |
| 18 | Arizona | $63,510 | same as national |
| 19 | Michigan | $63,190 | same as national |
| 20 | Illinois | $63,060 | 1% below national |
| 21 | Oregon | $62,790 | 1% below national |
| 22 | Idaho | $62,190 | 2% below national |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $62,100 | 2% below national |
| 24 | Wyoming | $61,910 | 2% below national |
| 25 | Alabama | $61,120 | 4% below national |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $60,560 | 5% below national |
| 27 | Louisiana | $60,080 | 5% below national |
| 28 | Texas | $59,990 | 5% below national |
| 29 | Missouri | $59,960 | 5% below national |
| 30 | Utah | $59,910 | 6% below national |
| 31 | Florida | $59,500 | 6% below national |
| 32 | Nebraska | $58,600 | 8% below national |
| 33 | Virginia | $58,200 | 8% below national |
| 34 | Georgia | $57,810 | 9% below national |
| 35 | Tennessee | $57,580 | 9% below national |
| 36 | Delaware | $56,800 | 10% below national |
| 37 | Kansas | $56,630 | 11% below national |
| 38 | Vermont | $56,520 | 11% below national |
| 39 | Maine | $56,470 | 11% below national |
| 40 | Kentucky | $55,460 | 13% below national |
| 41 | Montana | $54,460 | 14% below national |
| 42 | Minnesota | $53,920 | 15% below national |
| 43 | Indiana | $53,910 | 15% below national |
| 44 | Arkansas | $53,870 | 15% below national |
| 45 | Iowa | $53,830 | 15% below national |
| 46 | Hawaii | $50,720 | 20% below national |
| 47 | North Carolina | $49,470 | 22% below national |
| 48 | South Carolina | $47,200 | 26% below national |
| 49 | Mississippi | $40,600 | 36% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 90 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Haven, CT | $102,110 | +61% above national |
| 2 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $94,740 | +49% above national |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $90,800 | +43% above national |
| 4 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $87,400 | +38% above national |
| 5 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $84,150 | +33% above national |
| 6 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $83,110 | +31% above national |
| 7 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $82,640 | +30% above national |
| 8 | Ann Arbor, MI | $82,150 | +30% above national |
| 9 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $79,380 | +25% above national |
| 10 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $78,720 | +24% above national |
| 11 | Worcester, MA | $78,450 | +24% above national |
| 12 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $78,420 | +24% above national |
| 13 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $78,340 | +24% above national |
| 14 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $77,700 | +23% above national |
| 15 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $77,670 | +22% above national |
| 16 | Omaha, NE-IA | $77,460 | +22% above national |
| 17 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $77,160 | +22% above national |
| 18 | Toledo, OH | $76,910 | +21% above national |
| 19 | Pittsfield, MA | $76,850 | +21% above national |
| 20 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $75,800 | +20% above national |
| 21 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $75,260 | +19% above national |
| 22 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $74,950 | +18% above national |
| 23 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $73,680 | +16% above national |
| 24 | Pittsburgh, PA | $73,330 | +16% above national |
| 25 | Columbus, OH | $72,780 | +15% above national |
| 26 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $72,760 | +15% above national |
| 27 | Cleveland, OH | $71,850 | +13% above national |
| 28 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $71,380 | +13% above national |
| 29 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $70,740 | +12% above national |
| 30 | Birmingham, AL | $69,990 | +10% above national |
| 31 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $69,110 | +9% above national |
| 32 | Madison, WI | $68,060 | +7% above national |
| 33 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $67,300 | +6% above national |
| 34 | Richmond, VA | $66,650 | +5% above national |
| 35 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $66,400 | +5% above national |
| 36 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $66,310 | +5% above national |
| 37 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $66,300 | +5% above national |
| 38 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $65,670 | +4% above national |
| 39 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $65,340 | +3% above national |
| 40 | Santa Fe, NM | $64,520 | +2% above national |
| 41 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $64,060 | +1% above national |
| 42 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $63,860 | +1% above national |
| 43 | Albuquerque, NM | $63,690 | same as national |
| 44 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $63,680 | same as national |
| 45 | Tulsa, OK | $63,620 | same as national |
| 46 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $63,570 | same as national |
| 47 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $63,470 | same as national |
| 48 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $63,190 | same as national |
| 49 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $63,150 | same as national |
| 50 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $63,080 | 1% below national |
| 51 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $63,060 | 1% below national |
| 52 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $62,890 | 1% below national |
| 53 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $61,500 | 3% below national |
| 54 | Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $61,240 | 3% below national |
| 55 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $61,060 | 4% below national |
| 56 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $60,950 | 4% below national |
| 57 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $60,610 | 4% below national |
| 58 | Oklahoma City, OK | $60,560 | 5% below national |
| 59 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $60,470 | 5% below national |
| 60 | Jacksonville, FL | $60,300 | 5% below national |
| 61 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $60,260 | 5% below national |
| 62 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $60,170 | 5% below national |
| 63 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $59,850 | 6% below national |
| 64 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $59,620 | 6% below national |
| 65 | Tucson, AZ | $59,550 | 6% below national |
| 66 | Rochester, NY | $59,120 | 7% below national |
| 67 | Baton Rouge, LA | $58,520 | 8% below national |
| 68 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $58,510 | 8% below national |
| 69 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $58,200 | 8% below national |
| 70 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $58,190 | 8% below national |
| 71 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $58,000 | 9% below national |
| 72 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $57,290 | 10% below national |
| 73 | Lincoln, NE | $56,820 | 10% below national |
| 74 | Montgomery, AL | $56,720 | 11% below national |
| 75 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $56,410 | 11% below national |
| 76 | Columbia, SC | $56,270 | 11% below national |
| 77 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $55,290 | 13% below national |
| 78 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $55,170 | 13% below national |
| 79 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $54,470 | 14% below national |
| 80 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $53,100 | 16% below national |
| 81 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $50,890 | 20% below national |
| 82 | Lancaster, PA | $49,740 | 22% below national |
| 83 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $49,240 | 22% below national |
| 84 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $48,600 | 23% below national |
| 85 | Wilmington, NC | $48,230 | 24% below national |
| 86 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $48,230 | 24% below national |
| 87 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $47,520 | 25% below national |
| 88 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $47,200 | 26% below national |
| 89 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $46,760 | 26% below national |
| 90 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $46,020 | 27% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 25 (education) with comparable pay and career paths.
Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
SOC 25-3011
Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary
SOC 25-1041
Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary
SOC 25-1061
Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary
SOC 25-1031
Archivists
SOC 25-4011
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Curators make? ▼
What state pays Curators the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Curators? ▼
How dangerous is being a Curators? ▼
Is Curators a good career? ▼
How does Curators pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Curators? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Curators pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $83,080/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $93,310/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.