Curators Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for curatorss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $71,560 ≈ $34/hr
National median salary $63,420
Total employment 12,150 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +7%
Faster than average
Annual openings 1,800 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 15,100 → 16,200 (+1,100)
Typical entry education Master's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- District of Columbia$100,420
- New York$90,630
- California$86,330
- Connecticut$82,840
- Rhode Island$82,470
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Mississippi$45,190
- Iowa$54,750
- Montana$55,260
- South Carolina$55,640
- North Carolina$57,490
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $100,420 | $93,310 | $48 | +40.3% | 140 |
| 2 | New York | $90,630 | $79,120 | $44 | +26.6% | 1,330 |
| 3 | California | $86,330 | $78,740 | $42 | +20.6% | 1,140 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $82,840 | $76,510 | $40 | +15.8% | 190 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $82,470 | $77,930 | $40 | +15.2% | 70 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $81,450 | $77,790 | $39 | +13.8% | 370 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $79,660 | $82,490 | $38 | +11.3% | 60 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $77,880 | $77,800 | $37 | +8.8% | 120 |
| 9 | Washington | $77,370 | $74,030 | $37 | +8.1% | 260 |
| 10 | Colorado | $76,150 | $73,630 | $37 | +6.4% | 300 |
| 11 | South Dakota | $74,800 | $74,990 | $36 | +4.5% | 50 |
| 12 | Maryland | $71,790 | $63,750 | $35 | +0.3% | 170 |
| 13 | Alaska | $71,620 | $63,880 | $34 | +0.1% | 90 |
| 14 | Arizona | $71,560 | $63,510 | $34 | +0% | 150 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $70,980 | $64,370 | $34 | -0.8% | 300 |
| 16 | Ohio | $69,920 | $63,640 | $34 | -2.3% | 370 |
| 17 | Michigan | $69,710 | $63,190 | $34 | -2.6% | 360 |
| 18 | Nevada | $69,380 | $69,900 | $33 | -3% | 100 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $69,310 | $62,100 | $33 | -3.1% | 520 |
| 20 | Illinois | $68,940 | $63,060 | $33 | -3.7% | 410 |
| 21 | Florida | $67,870 | $59,500 | $33 | -5.2% | 420 |
| 22 | Missouri | $67,130 | $59,960 | $32 | -6.2% | 260 |
| 23 | Arkansas | $66,950 | $53,870 | $32 | -6.4% | 80 |
| 24 | Virginia | $65,990 | $58,200 | $32 | -7.8% | 450 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $65,730 | $60,080 | $32 | -8.1% | 160 |
| 26 | Oregon | $65,700 | $62,790 | $32 | -8.2% | 260 |
| 27 | Texas | $64,880 | $59,990 | $31 | -9.3% | 690 |
| 28 | Alabama | $64,510 | $61,120 | $31 | -9.9% | 150 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $63,770 | $60,560 | $31 | -10.9% | 150 |
| 30 | Georgia | $63,350 | $57,810 | $30 | -11.5% | 230 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $62,670 | $63,690 | $30 | -12.4% | 140 |
| 32 | Utah | $62,460 | $59,910 | $30 | -12.7% | 50 |
| 33 | Kansas | $61,890 | $56,630 | $30 | -13.5% | 120 |
| 34 | Delaware | $61,790 | $56,800 | $30 | -13.7% | 60 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $61,750 | $58,600 | $30 | -13.7% | 120 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $61,280 | $57,580 | $29 | -14.4% | 190 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $61,010 | $50,720 | $29 | -14.7% | 140 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $60,430 | $61,910 | $29 | -15.6% | 90 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $59,600 | $55,460 | $29 | -16.7% | 130 |
| 40 | Indiana | $59,540 | $53,910 | $29 | -16.8% | 220 |
| 41 | Minnesota | $58,960 | $53,920 | $28 | -17.6% | 220 |
| 42 | Maine | $58,570 | $56,470 | $28 | -18.2% | 110 |
| 43 | Vermont | $58,040 | $56,520 | $28 | -18.9% | 60 |
| 44 | Idaho | $57,930 | $62,190 | $28 | -19% | 50 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $57,490 | $49,470 | $28 | -19.7% | 600 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $55,640 | $47,200 | $27 | -22.2% | 120 |
| 47 | Montana | $55,260 | $54,460 | $27 | -22.8% | 100 |
| 48 | Iowa | $54,750 | $53,830 | $26 | -23.5% | 230 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $45,190 | $40,600 | $22 | -36.9% | 30 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 90 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Haven, CT | $102,110 | $99,830 | 70 |
| 2 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $94,740 | $91,750 | 40 |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $90,800 | $98,200 | 240 |
| 4 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $87,400 | $93,030 | 270 |
| 5 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $84,150 | $80,810 | 70 |
| 6 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $83,110 | $99,910 | 970 |
| 7 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $82,640 | $80,830 | 80 |
| 8 | Ann Arbor, MI | $82,150 | $95,110 | 60 |
| 9 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $79,380 | $80,060 | — |
| 10 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $78,720 | $83,850 | 220 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing curatorss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $99,150 | $102,360 | 350 |
| 2 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $99,150 | $102,360 | 350 |
| 3 | Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services | $80,060 | $88,400 | 90 |
| 4 | Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services | $80,060 | $88,400 | 90 |
| 5 | Sector 51 - Information | $76,630 | $81,260 | 200 |
| 6 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, Privately Owned | $76,280 | $78,070 | 920 |
| 7 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $76,160 | $83,360 | 70 |
| 8 | Sector 54 - Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $76,160 | $83,360 | 70 |
| 9 | Sector 42 - Wholesale Trade | $75,190 | $101,890 | 30 |
| 10 | Educational Services, Privately Owned | $75,090 | $77,620 | 980 |
| 11 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $72,230 | $76,640 | 1,750 |
| 12 | Scientific Research and Development Services | $71,570 | $78,620 | 50 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do curators make in the U.S.?
The median curators salary in the United States is $63,420 per year (mean $71,560), and about 80% earn between $40,470 and $107,140.
How much do curators make per hour?
Roughly $34 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $71,560 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays curators the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for curators at $100,420 per year (median $93,310).
What is the job outlook for curators?
Employment is projected to change +7% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 1,800 openings per year.
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Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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