Curators Salary
The median curators salary in the United States is $63,420 per year ($30.49/hour). Salaries range from $40,470 at the entry level to $107,140+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 12,150 curators jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 7% through 2034.
Last updated: June 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Median Salary
$63,420
per year
Hourly Rate
$30.49
per hour
Employment
12,150
jobs in the U.S.
Salary Distribution
10th percentile
$40,470
25th percentile
$48,870
Median
$63,420
75th percentile
$83,080
90th percentile
$107,140
Job Growth (2024-2034)
+7%
Faster than average
Annual Openings
1,800
jobs/year (growth + replacements)
Education Required
Master's degree
Curators Salary by State
Best Cities (cost-adjusted) →Salary Map — Click a state for details
$41K$93K■ No data
Top Paying States
District of Columbia
$93K
+47%
New Hampshire
$82K
+30%
New York
$79K
+25%
California
$79K
+24%
Rhode Island
$78K
+23%
New Jersey
$78K
+23%
Massachusetts
$78K
+23%
Connecticut
$77K
+21%
South Dakota
$75K
+18%
Washington
$74K
+17%
Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.
| State | Median | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $93,310 | +47.1% |
| New Hampshire | $82,490 | +30.1% |
| New York | $79,120 | +24.8% |
| California | $78,740 | +24.2% |
| Rhode Island | $77,930 | +22.9% |
| New Jersey | $77,800 | +22.7% |
| Massachusetts | $77,790 | +22.7% |
| Connecticut | $76,510 | +20.6% |
| South Dakota | $74,990 | +18.2% |
| Washington | $74,030 | +16.7% |
Showing 1–10 of 49
Curators Salary by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Median | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| New Haven, CT | $102,110 | +61.0% |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $94,740 | +49.4% |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $90,800 | +43.2% |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $87,400 | +37.8% |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $84,150 | +32.7% |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $83,110 | +31.0% |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $82,640 | +30.3% |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $82,150 | +29.5% |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $79,380 | +25.2% |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $78,720 | +24.1% |
Showing 1–10 of 81
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.
How does this compare to pro athletes?
A curators earning $63,420/year would need 940 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 1009 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.
See all sports & celebrity salaries →📈 See how curators salaries have changed over the past decade.
View Curators salary trend (2011–2024) →