Museum Technicians and Conservators Salary
The median museum technicians and conservators salary in the United States is $51,440 per year ($24.73/hour). Salaries range from $33,780 at the entry level to $87,530+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 12,310 museum technicians and conservators jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 5.4% through 2034.
Last updated: June 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Median Salary
$51,440
per year
Hourly Rate
$24.73
per hour
Employment
12,310
jobs in the U.S.
Salary Distribution
10th percentile
$33,780
25th percentile
$41,050
Median
$51,440
75th percentile
$67,640
90th percentile
$87,530
Job Growth (2024-2034)
+5.4%
Faster than average
Annual Openings
1,900
jobs/year (growth + replacements)
Education Required
Bachelor's degree
Museum Technicians and Conservators Salary by State
Best Cities (cost-adjusted) →Salary Map — Click a state for details
$32K$77K■ No data
Top Paying States
Maryland
$77K
+49%
District of Columbia
$76K
+48%
New York
$75K
+45%
Connecticut
$62K
+21%
California
$62K
+20%
Alaska
$61K
+18%
Washington
$60K
+16%
Massachusetts
$59K
+14%
Illinois
$57K
+10%
New Mexico
$57K
+10%
Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.
| State | Median | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $76,900 | +49.5% |
| District of Columbia | $76,110 | +48.0% |
| New York | $74,550 | +44.9% |
| Connecticut | $62,030 | +20.6% |
| California | $61,550 | +19.7% |
| Alaska | $60,840 | +18.3% |
| Washington | $59,610 | +15.9% |
| Massachusetts | $58,530 | +13.8% |
| Illinois | $56,720 | +10.3% |
| New Mexico | $56,670 | +10.2% |
Showing 1–10 of 45
Museum Technicians and Conservators Salary by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Median | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $79,230 | +54.0% |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $77,030 | +49.7% |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $75,100 | +46.0% |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $75,020 | +45.8% |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $68,960 | +34.1% |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $66,620 | +29.5% |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $65,310 | +27.0% |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $62,290 | +21.1% |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $61,370 | +19.3% |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $61,040 | +18.7% |
Showing 1–10 of 66
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 museum technicians and conservators earning $51,440/year would need 1159 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 1244 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.
See all sports & celebrity salaries →📈 See how museum technicians and conservators salaries have changed over the past decade.
View Museum Technicians and Conservators salary trend (2011–2024) →