The average wage for a curator in the United States is around $25.48 per hour.
Avg Wage
Curators earn an average hourly wage of $25.48.
Salaries typically start from $15.68 per hour and go up to $41.41 per hour.
14% below national average Updated in 2023
Curator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level curator earnings begin at:
$41.41 per hour
$86,138 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level curator earnings begin at:
$32.90 per hour
$68,441 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level curator earnings begin at:
$25.48 per hour
$53,008 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level curator earnings begin at:
$19.74 per hour
$41,055 per year
10th percentile
Starting level curator earnings begin at:
$15.68 per hour
$32,620 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Curator salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $77,280 |
| California | $77,240 |
| New York | $76,920 |
| District of Columbia | $76,870 |
| Alaska | $63,950 |
| Maryland | $63,530 |
| Hawaii | $63,520 |
| Massachusetts | $61,970 |
| Connecticut | $61,230 |
| Washington | $61,030 |
| Wisconsin | $60,760 |
| Kansas | $60,750 |
| Nevada | $60,610 |
| New Jersey | $60,600 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,360 |
| Delaware | $60,270 |
| Missouri | $60,130 |
| Virginia | $60,110 |
| Colorado | $59,860 |
| Michigan | $59,730 |
| New Hampshire | $59,490 |
| Tennessee | $55,100 |
| Illinois | $51,230 |
| Maine | $50,720 |
| Indiana | $49,990 |
| New Mexico | $49,990 |
| Utah | $49,990 |
| Texas | $49,670 |
| Arizona | $49,510 |
| Ohio | $49,510 |
| Oklahoma | $48,650 |
| Wyoming | $48,530 |
| Georgia | $48,520 |
| Minnesota | $48,520 |
| Oregon | $48,520 |
| South Dakota | $48,520 |
| Arkansas | $48,320 |
| Florida | $47,980 |
| Louisiana | $47,790 |
| North Carolina | $47,790 |
| South Carolina | $47,790 |
| North Dakota | $47,580 |
| Iowa | $47,040 |
| Mississippi | $46,150 |
| Alabama | $44,610 |
| Kentucky | $44,490 |
| Nebraska | $42,320 |
| Montana | $38,400 |
| West Virginia | $35,330 |
| Vermont | $25,680 |
| Idaho | $17,740 |
How do curator salaries compare to similar careers?
Curators earn 41% more than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make more than museum conservators.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Curator salary | $53K |
| Humanitarian salary | $35K |
| Museum conservator salary | $26K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)