Museum technicians and conservators salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $33,780 | $16.24 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $51,440 | $24.73 |
| Mean (average) | $57,410 | $27.60 |
| 90th percentile | $87,530 | $42.08 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Museum technicians and conservators pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 45 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $38,350 | $23,770 | $70,400 | 130 | 0.75 |
| Alaska | $60,840 | $37,960 | $75,040 | 60 | 2.16 |
| Arizona | $46,650 | $35,410 | $68,920 | 90 | 0.35 |
| Arkansas | $41,280 | $30,130 | $62,640 | 110 | 1.06 |
| California | $61,550 | $39,660 | $86,200 | 1,610 | 1.12 |
| Colorado | $51,990 | $36,250 | $77,870 | 290 | 1.27 |
| Connecticut | $62,030 | $43,670 | $95,420 | 280 | 2.1 |
| Delaware | $38,080 | $35,810 | $78,310 | 60 | 1.69 |
| District of Columbia | $76,110 | $36,420 | $118,290 | 520 | 9.35 |
| Florida | $53,460 | $38,710 | $80,860 | 250 | 0.32 |
| Georgia | $49,270 | $31,200 | $96,430 | 150 | 0.38 |
| Hawaii | $40,170 | $38,690 | $58,920 | 140 | 2.84 |
| Idaho | $43,520 | $27,560 | $61,990 | 40 | 0.65 |
| Illinois | $56,720 | $38,610 | $96,470 | 400 | 0.83 |
| Indiana | $46,490 | $33,780 | $80,360 | 290 | 1.15 |
| Iowa | $51,740 | $34,370 | $82,020 | 100 | 0.78 |
| Kansas | $46,320 | $29,290 | $64,310 | 130 | 1.19 |
| Kentucky | $49,940 | $28,320 | $74,770 | 80 | 0.48 |
| Louisiana | $32,350 | $30,230 | $52,640 | 200 | 1.3 |
| Maine | $48,460 | $36,810 | $63,410 | 60 | 1.15 |
| Maryland | $76,900 | $48,740 | $140,670 | 450 | 2.05 |
| Massachusetts | $58,530 | $45,740 | $83,470 | 440 | 1.54 |
| Michigan | $39,000 | $33,780 | $62,140 | 340 | 0.98 |
| Minnesota | $50,140 | $39,690 | $70,950 | 170 | 0.72 |
| Missouri | $49,170 | $37,660 | $69,970 | 850 | 3.68 |
| Montana | $42,390 | $31,470 | $62,400 | 120 | 3.01 |
| Nebraska | $41,960 | $32,180 | $61,590 | 60 | 0.8 |
| Nevada | $56,470 | $36,460 | $92,860 | 70 | 0.6 |
| New Jersey | $43,780 | $32,220 | $76,770 | 110 | 0.31 |
| New Mexico | $56,670 | $30,250 | $69,490 | 100 | 1.45 |
| New York | $74,550 | $46,000 | $103,800 | 1,050 | 1.37 |
| North Carolina | $39,290 | $30,930 | $56,080 | 450 | 1.14 |
| Ohio | $47,570 | $33,280 | $80,750 | 350 | 0.79 |
| Oklahoma | $48,090 | $29,110 | $76,000 | 190 | 1.37 |
| Oregon | $45,820 | $34,720 | $69,320 | 170 | 1.1 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,150 | $35,040 | $84,290 | 310 | 0.66 |
| Rhode Island | $55,470 | $48,470 | $94,890 | 70 | 1.73 |
| South Carolina | $38,290 | $30,680 | $56,050 | 90 | 0.5 |
| Tennessee | $44,710 | $31,910 | $69,470 | 210 | 0.8 |
| Texas | $45,880 | $24,770 | $71,000 | 670 | 0.6 |
| Utah | $35,430 | $28,230 | $64,260 | 100 | 0.73 |
| Virginia | $52,190 | $37,060 | $90,230 | 310 | 0.94 |
| Washington | $59,610 | $42,430 | $77,650 | 280 | 1.01 |
| Wisconsin | $38,840 | $26,240 | $58,300 | 160 | 0.68 |
| Wyoming | $56,420 | $30,670 | $67,640 | 60 | 2.84 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for museum technicians and conservators
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 1,600. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 7.9%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for museum technicians and conservators
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Museology/Museum Studies CIP 30.1401
- Art History, Criticism and Conservation CIP 50.0703
- Public/Applied History CIP 54.0105
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Determine whether objects need repair and choose the safest and most effective method of repair.
- Specialize in particular materials or types of object, such as documents and books, paintings, decorative arts, textiles, metals, or architectural materials.
- Recommend preservation procedures, such as control of temperature and humidity, to curatorial and building staff.
- Install, arrange, assemble, and prepare artifacts for exhibition, ensuring the artifacts' safety, reporting their status and condition, and identifying and correcting any problems with the set up.
- Study object documentation or conduct standard chemical and physical tests to ascertain the object's age, composition, original appearance, need for treatment or restoration, and appropriate preservation method.
- Clean objects, such as paper, textiles, wood, metal, glass, rock, pottery, and furniture, using cleansers, solvents, soap solutions, and polishes.
- Repair, restore, and reassemble artifacts, designing and fabricating missing or broken parts, to restore them to their original appearance and prevent deterioration.
- Perform tests and examinations to establish storage and conservation requirements, policies, and procedures.
Technology skills
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Gallery Systems EmbARK
- Microsoft Visual FoxPro
- PastPerfect Software PastPerfect
- Questor Systems ARGUS
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Instructing, Time Management.
Common job titles: Conservation Technician (Conservation Tech), Conservator, Exhibit Technician (Exhibit Tech), Museum Registrar, Museum Technician (Museum Tech), Objects Conservator, Paintings Conservator, Paper Conservator, Preparator, Textile Conservator.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do museum technicians and conservators make?
The national median annual wage for museum technicians and conservators was $51,440 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $33,780 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $87,530. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do museum technicians and conservators need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is museum technicians and conservators a growing career?
BLS projects employment of museum technicians and conservators to change +3.6% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 1,600 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay museum technicians and conservators the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Maryland ($76,900), District of Columbia ($76,110), New York ($74,550). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.