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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

25-4013 Museum Technicians and Conservators

Restore, maintain, or prepare objects in museum collections for storage, research, or exhibit. May work with specimens such as fossils, skeletal parts, or botanicals; or artifacts, textiles, or art. May identify and record objects or install and arrange them in exhibits. Includes book or document conservators.


National estimates for Museum Technicians and Conservators
Industry profile for Museum Technicians and Conservators
Geographic profile for Museum Technicians and Conservators

National estimates for Museum Technicians and Conservators:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Museum Technicians and Conservators:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
10,960 2.1 % $ 25.02 $ 52,030 1.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for Museum Technicians and Conservators:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 14.01 $ 17.52 $ 22.90 $ 29.53 $ 38.36
Annual Wage (2) $ 29,130 $ 36,440 $ 47,630 $ 61,420 $ 79,780


Industry profile for Museum Technicians and Conservators:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Museum Technicians and Conservators are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Museum Technicians and Conservators, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Museum Technicians and Conservators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions 5,270 4.00 $ 23.23 $ 48,320
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 2,010 0.10 $ 29.76 $ 61,900
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 1,300 0.04 $ 26.99 $ 56,130
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 920 0.02 $ 19.10 $ 39,730
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 470 0.02 $ 23.18 $ 48,220

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Museum Technicians and Conservators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions 5,270 4.00 $ 23.23 $ 48,320
Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers 450 1.00 $ 34.38 $ 71,500
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 2,010 0.10 $ 29.76 $ 61,900
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 1,300 0.04 $ 26.99 $ 56,130
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 30 0.04 $ 18.57 $ 38,620

Top paying industries for Museum Technicians and Conservators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers 450 1.00 $ 34.38 $ 71,500
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 2,010 0.10 $ 29.76 $ 61,900
Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations 50 0.01 $ 29.66 $ 61,690
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 1,300 0.04 $ 26.99 $ 56,130
Junior Colleges 80 0.01 $ 24.78 $ 51,550


Geographic profile for Museum Technicians and Conservators:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Museum Technicians and Conservators are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Museum Technicians and Conservators, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of museum technicians and conservators by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Museum Technicians and Conservators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 1,120 0.07 0.87 $ 27.26 $ 56,700
New York 1,050 0.12 1.56 $ 35.36 $ 73,550
Missouri 810 0.30 3.82 $ 21.95 $ 45,650
Illinois 770 0.14 1.77 $ 24.39 $ 50,740
Virginia 580 0.15 1.99 $ 19.47 $ 40,490


Map of location quotient of museum technicians and conservators by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Museum Technicians and Conservators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 450 0.67 8.65 $ 35.46 $ 73,760
Rhode Island 160 0.35 4.50 $ 23.34 $ 48,550
Missouri 810 0.30 3.82 $ 21.95 $ 45,650
Alaska 70 0.23 2.92 $ 23.08 $ 48,000
South Dakota 80 0.18 2.35 $ 16.60 $ 34,520


Map of annual mean wages of museum technicians and conservators by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Museum Technicians and Conservators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 450 0.67 8.65 $ 35.46 $ 73,760
New York 1,050 0.12 1.56 $ 35.36 $ 73,550
Maryland 420 0.16 2.11 $ 34.81 $ 72,400
Massachusetts 530 0.16 2.01 $ 30.92 $ 64,310
New Jersey 90 0.02 0.31 $ 27.32 $ 56,830



Map of employment of museum technicians and conservators by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Museum Technicians and Conservators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 890 0.30 3.89 $ 35.45 $ 73,740
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 850 0.10 1.27 $ 38.30 $ 79,670
St. Louis, MO-IL 660 0.52 6.69 $ 21.73 $ 45,200
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 650 0.15 1.99 $ 25.06 $ 52,120
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 410 0.16 2.03 $ 32.78 $ 68,180
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 390 0.17 2.22 $ 30.73 $ 63,920
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 350 0.06 0.79 $ 26.23 $ 54,550
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 320 0.12 1.54 $ 27.31 $ 56,800
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 210 0.29 3.78 $ 18.45 $ 38,370
Kansas City, MO-KS 180 0.17 2.22 $ 23.61 $ 49,120


Map of location quotient of museum technicians and conservators by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Museum Technicians and Conservators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
St. Louis, MO-IL 660 0.52 6.69 $ 21.73 $ 45,200
Ann Arbor, MI 90 0.45 5.78 $ 16.61 $ 34,540
Charlottesville, VA 40 0.33 4.26 $ 18.94 $ 39,400
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA 160 0.31 3.94 $ 23.31 $ 48,480
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 890 0.30 3.89 $ 35.45 $ 73,740
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 210 0.29 3.78 $ 18.45 $ 38,370
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 40 0.22 2.84 $ 26.65 $ 55,430
Dayton, OH 80 0.21 2.75 $ 25.84 $ 53,750
Richmond, VA 120 0.19 2.41 $ 17.56 $ 36,530
Kansas City, MO-KS 180 0.17 2.22 $ 23.61 $ 49,120


Map of annual mean wages of museum technicians and conservators by area, May 2021


Top paying metropolitan areas for Museum Technicians and Conservators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 850 0.10 1.27 $ 38.30 $ 79,670
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 890 0.30 3.89 $ 35.45 $ 73,740
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 410 0.16 2.03 $ 32.78 $ 68,180
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 70 0.16 2.03 $ 31.23 $ 64,950
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 390 0.17 2.22 $ 30.73 $ 63,920
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 80 0.04 0.56 $ 28.24 $ 58,740
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 320 0.12 1.54 $ 27.31 $ 56,800
Cleveland-Elyria, OH 60 0.06 0.75 $ 27.24 $ 56,660
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 60 0.04 0.51 $ 26.93 $ 56,020
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 40 0.14 1.83 $ 26.73 $ 55,600

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Museum Technicians and Conservators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 60 0.15 1.93 $ 17.03 $ 35,430
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 40 0.39 4.99 $ 25.03 $ 52,070
West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 30 0.58 7.49 $ 15.07 $ 31,340
Central East New York nonmetropolitan area 30 0.21 2.69 $ 18.44 $ 38,340
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 30 0.54 6.95 $ 27.41 $ 57,020

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Museum Technicians and Conservators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 30 0.58 7.49 $ 15.07 $ 31,340
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 30 0.54 6.95 $ 27.41 $ 57,020
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 40 0.39 4.99 $ 25.03 $ 52,070
Central East New York nonmetropolitan area 30 0.21 2.69 $ 18.44 $ 38,340
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 60 0.15 1.93 $ 17.03 $ 35,430

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Museum Technicians and Conservators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 30 0.54 6.95 $ 27.41 $ 57,020
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 40 0.39 4.99 $ 25.03 $ 52,070
Central East New York nonmetropolitan area 30 0.21 2.69 $ 18.44 $ 38,340
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 60 0.15 1.93 $ 17.03 $ 35,430
West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 30 0.58 7.49 $ 15.07 $ 31,340


About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022