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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

25-4012 Curators

Administer collections, such as artwork, collectibles, historic items, or scientific specimens of museums or other institutions. May conduct instructional, research, or public service activities of institution.


National estimates for Curators
Industry profile for Curators
Geographic profile for Curators

National estimates for Curators:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Curators:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
11,620 1.6 % $ 32.45 $ 67,490 2.7 %

Percentile wage estimates for Curators:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 17.46 $ 22.20 $ 29.03 $ 38.08 $ 49.51
Annual Wage (2) $ 36,320 $ 46,170 $ 60,380 $ 79,200 $ 102,980


Industry profile for Curators:

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

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Curators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions 6,300 4.11 $ 31.26 $ 65,010
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 1,520 0.05 $ 31.49 $ 65,500
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 1,210 0.02 $ 28.92 $ 60,150
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 830 0.04 $ 28.02 $ 58,280
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 340 0.02 $ 43.83 $ 91,170

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Curators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions 6,300 4.11 $ 31.26 $ 65,010
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 90 0.07 $ 32.85 $ 68,330
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 1,520 0.05 $ 31.49 $ 65,500
Grantmaking and Giving Services 80 0.05 $ 32.08 $ 66,730
Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services 70 0.04 $ 46.14 $ 95,980

Top paying industries for Curators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services 70 0.04 $ 46.14 $ 95,980
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 340 0.02 $ 43.83 $ 91,170
Employment Services 60 (7) $ 38.51 $ 80,100
Junior Colleges 80 0.01 $ 33.07 $ 68,780
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 90 0.07 $ 32.85 $ 68,330


Geographic profile for Curators:

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



Map of employment of curators by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Curators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York 1,660 0.18 2.32 $ 47.55 $ 98,900
California 1,050 0.06 0.76 $ 38.43 $ 79,940
Texas 570 0.04 0.56 $ 27.76 $ 57,730
North Carolina 530 0.11 1.45 $ 27.35 $ 56,880
Illinois 470 0.08 1.01 $ 29.50 $ 61,350


Map of location quotient of curators by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Curators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Wyoming 80 0.29 3.69 $ 29.22 $ 60,770
Alaska 70 0.24 3.06 $ 34.17 $ 71,060
District of Columbia 150 0.22 2.84 $ 42.01 $ 87,370
Vermont 60 0.21 2.64 $ 28.23 $ 58,710
South Dakota 80 0.19 2.39 $ 27.22 $ 56,610


Map of annual mean wages of curators by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Curators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York 1,660 0.18 2.32 $ 47.55 $ 98,900
District of Columbia 150 0.22 2.84 $ 42.01 $ 87,370
California 1,050 0.06 0.76 $ 38.43 $ 79,940
Connecticut 150 0.09 1.16 $ 35.66 $ 74,160
Washington 290 0.08 1.07 $ 35.05 $ 72,900



Map of employment of curators by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Curators:

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 1,380 0.15 1.91 $ 49.45 $ 102,850
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 410 0.09 1.17 $ 29.99 $ 62,380
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 400 0.07 0.83 $ 38.58 $ 80,250
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 290 0.10 1.22 $ 38.34 $ 79,750
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 250 0.09 1.17 $ 33.83 $ 70,370
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 230 0.10 1.23 $ 43.35 $ 90,170
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 190 0.07 0.88 $ 34.59 $ 71,940
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 180 0.07 0.86 $ 28.39 $ 59,060
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 170 0.11 1.42 $ 31.59 $ 65,700
Raleigh, NC 160 0.24 3.08 $ 30.41 $ 63,240


Map of location quotient of curators by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Curators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Bloomington, IN 60 0.81 10.37 $ 28.77 $ 59,840
Wilmington, NC 40 0.27 3.41 $ 22.93 $ 47,700
Tucson, AZ 90 0.25 3.18 $ 24.53 $ 51,030
Raleigh, NC 160 0.24 3.08 $ 30.41 $ 63,240
Montgomery, AL 30 0.20 2.60 $ 22.45 $ 46,690
Lincoln, NE 30 0.19 2.43 $ 25.63 $ 53,320
New Haven, CT 50 0.19 2.36 $ 42.58 $ 88,570
Ann Arbor, MI 40 0.18 2.35 $ 35.64 $ 74,130
Madison, WI 70 0.18 2.30 $ 30.75 $ 63,970
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 70 0.16 1.98 $ 39.17 $ 81,470


Map of annual mean wages of curators by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Curators:

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 1,380 0.15 1.91 $ 49.45 $ 102,850
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 230 0.10 1.23 $ 43.35 $ 90,170
New Haven, CT 50 0.19 2.36 $ 42.58 $ 88,570
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 70 0.16 1.98 $ 39.17 $ 81,470
Cleveland-Elyria, OH 60 0.06 0.79 $ 38.67 $ 80,440
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 400 0.07 0.83 $ 38.58 $ 80,250
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 130 0.06 0.83 $ 38.39 $ 79,850
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 290 0.10 1.22 $ 38.34 $ 79,750
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 90 0.06 0.80 $ 38.06 $ 79,170
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 40 0.04 0.49 $ 37.67 $ 78,360

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Curators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 50 0.81 10.26 $ 34.54 $ 71,850
Central East New York nonmetropolitan area 50 0.31 3.98 $ 29.32 $ 60,980
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 50 0.46 5.83 $ 34.47 $ 71,710
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area 40 0.35 4.43 $ 30.97 $ 64,410
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 40 0.23 2.88 $ 29.60 $ 61,560

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Curators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 50 0.81 10.26 $ 34.54 $ 71,850
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 50 0.46 5.83 $ 34.47 $ 71,710
Northeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 40 0.44 5.57 $ 23.15 $ 48,140
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 30 0.36 4.55 $ 29.49 $ 61,340
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area 40 0.35 4.43 $ 30.97 $ 64,410

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Curators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 50 0.81 10.26 $ 34.54 $ 71,850
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 50 0.46 5.83 $ 34.47 $ 71,710
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area 40 0.35 4.43 $ 30.97 $ 64,410
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 40 0.23 2.88 $ 29.60 $ 61,560
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 30 0.36 4.55 $ 29.49 $ 61,340


About May 2022 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.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(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 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023