# 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/curators
- SOC code: 25-4012.00
- Career family: Education
- Median annual pay: $63,420 (10th percentile $40,470, 90th percentile $107,140)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +4.9%
- Openings a year: 1,600
- Typical entry education: Master's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code CES)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 25 |
| Investigative (I) | 41 |
| Artistic (A) | 33 |
| Social (S) | 47 |
| Enterprising (E) | 47 |
| Conventional (C) | 73 |

## What you'd do

- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 89/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 88/100)
- Getting Information (importance 86/100)
- Thinking Creatively (importance 84/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 80/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 78/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 76/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 76/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 76/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 75/100)

## Skills

Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Active Listening, Writing, Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Active Learning, Judgment and Decision Making, Monitoring, Systems Analysis

## Knowledge

English Language, History and Archeology, Fine Arts, Administration and Management, Sociology and Anthropology, Communications and Media, Administrative, Education and Training, Geography, Customer and Personal Service

## Also called

Art Curator, Art Handler, Coin Collector, Collections Curator, Collections Manager, Content Curator, Curator, Data Curator, Digital Curator, Education Curator

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [History](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5401) (CIP 5401, 1,464 colleges)
- [Fine and Studio Arts](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5007) (CIP 5007, 1,455 colleges)
- [Museology/Museum Studies](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/3014) (CIP 3014, 100 colleges)
- Digital Humanities and Textual Studies (CIP 3052, 25 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Dartmouth College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/dartmouth-college-769) | History | $69,917 | $136,403 | $12,000 |
| [Duke University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/duke-university-837) | History | $53,104 | $112,377 | not reported |
| [Yale University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/yale-university-3312) | History | $61,357 | $109,947 | $7,500 |
| [Amherst College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/amherst-college-72) | History | $54,456 | $103,601 | not reported |
| [Washington and Lee University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/washington-and-lee-university-3167) | History | not reported | $100,087 | not reported |
| [Columbia University in the City of New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york-656) | History | $58,276 | $98,079 | $22,250 |
| [University of Pennsylvania UPENN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-pennsylvania-upenn-3009) | History | $55,825 | $88,517 | not reported |
| [Brown University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/brown-university-314) | History | $60,823 | $85,520 | not reported |

## Related careers

- [Archivists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/archivists): $64,550 median pay
- [Historians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/historians): $76,750 median pay
- [Museum Technicians and Conservators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/museum-technicians-and-conservators): $51,440 median pay
- [Librarians and Media Collections Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/librarians-and-media-collections-specialists): $68,270 median pay
- [Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/anthropology-and-archeology-teachers-postsecondary): $99,650 median pay
- [Set and Exhibit Designers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/set-and-exhibit-designers): $75,240 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.