The median annual wage of curators and museum technicians was $42,310 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
The median annual wage of curators was $48,450 in May 2010. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $27,640, and the top 10 percent earned more than $86,450.
The median annual wage of museum technicians and conservators was $37,310 in May 2010. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $24,440, and the top 10 percent earned more than $68,250.
In May 2010, the median annual wage of curators in the federal government was $75,600, and the median annual wage of museum technicians and conservators in the federal government was $38,790.
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.
Most curators, museum technicians, and conservators work full time.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition