Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023
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) |
| 12,510 |
1.6 % |
$ 34.07 |
$ 70,870 |
2.5 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Curators:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$ 18.27 |
$ 23.12 |
$ 29.69 |
$ 39.40 |
$ 51.86 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$ 38,000 |
$ 48,080 |
$ 61,750 |
$ 81,950 |
$ 107,860 |
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 |
6,920 |
4.09 |
$ 32.90 |
$ 68,430 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools |
1,550 |
0.05 |
$ 33.74 |
$ 70,180 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) |
1,210 |
0.02 |
$ 30.51 |
$ 63,460 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) |
840 |
0.04 |
$ 28.75 |
$ 59,790 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) |
330 |
0.02 |
$ 45.39 |
$ 94,420 |
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 |
6,920 |
4.09 |
$ 32.90 |
$ 68,430 |
| Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events |
260 |
0.16 |
$ 31.30 |
$ 65,110 |
| Grantmaking and Giving Services |
90 |
0.06 |
$ 38.67 |
$ 80,430 |
| Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services |
100 |
0.05 |
$ 40.79 |
$ 84,840 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools |
1,550 |
0.05 |
$ 33.74 |
$ 70,180 |
Top paying industries for Curators:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) |
330 |
0.02 |
$ 45.39 |
$ 94,420 |
| Employment Services |
80 |
(7) |
$ 41.62 |
$ 86,560 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services |
100 |
0.01 |
$ 41.58 |
$ 86,490 |
| Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services |
100 |
0.05 |
$ 40.79 |
$ 84,840 |
| Grantmaking and Giving Services |
90 |
0.06 |
$ 38.67 |
$ 80,430 |
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.
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 |
1,510 |
0.16 |
1.95 |
$ 52.22 |
$ 108,620 |
| California |
1,230 |
0.07 |
0.83 |
$ 40.36 |
$ 83,940 |
| Illinois |
670 |
0.11 |
1.36 |
$ 32.77 |
$ 68,160 |
| Florida |
650 |
0.07 |
0.82 |
$ 27.29 |
$ 56,760 |
| Texas |
620 |
0.05 |
0.56 |
$ 28.36 |
$ 58,980 |
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 |
0.28 |
3.35 |
$ 27.94 |
$ 58,100 |
| Alaska |
60 |
0.20 |
2.45 |
$ 37.81 |
$ 78,640 |
| New Mexico |
160 |
0.19 |
2.26 |
$ 27.46 |
$ 57,110 |
| District of Columbia |
130 |
0.18 |
2.24 |
$ 43.94 |
$ 91,400 |
| Delaware |
80 |
0.18 |
2.17 |
$ 30.51 |
$ 63,460 |
Top paying states for Curators:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| New York |
1,510 |
0.16 |
1.95 |
$ 52.22 |
$ 108,620 |
| District of Columbia |
130 |
0.18 |
2.24 |
$ 43.94 |
$ 91,400 |
| California |
1,230 |
0.07 |
0.83 |
$ 40.36 |
$ 83,940 |
| Alaska |
60 |
0.20 |
2.45 |
$ 37.81 |
$ 78,640 |
| Rhode Island |
60 |
0.13 |
1.52 |
$ 37.55 |
$ 78,110 |
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 |
1,240 |
0.13 |
1.58 |
$ 55.14 |
$ 114,690 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI |
530 |
0.12 |
1.42 |
$ 33.91 |
$ 70,540 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
420 |
0.07 |
0.83 |
$ 41.36 |
$ 86,020 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH |
310 |
0.11 |
1.36 |
$ 37.53 |
$ 78,070 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
290 |
0.10 |
1.25 |
$ 33.18 |
$ 69,010 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
290 |
0.09 |
1.15 |
$ 39.83 |
$ 82,840 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
290 |
0.12 |
1.45 |
$ 44.31 |
$ 92,170 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL |
230 |
0.09 |
1.04 |
$ 28.69 |
$ 59,670 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN |
170 |
0.15 |
1.87 |
$ 28.98 |
$ 60,280 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO |
160 |
0.10 |
1.25 |
$ 35.09 |
$ 72,980 |
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) |
| Santa Fe, NM |
40 |
0.73 |
8.80 |
$ 28.03 |
$ 58,300 |
| Wilmington, NC |
40 |
0.28 |
3.34 |
$ 24.54 |
$ 51,040 |
| Tucson, AZ |
100 |
0.25 |
3.02 |
$ 25.79 |
$ 53,640 |
| New Haven, CT |
70 |
0.24 |
2.92 |
$ 40.56 |
$ 84,360 |
| Ann Arbor, MI |
50 |
0.23 |
2.75 |
$ 47.88 |
$ 99,590 |
| Raleigh, NC |
160 |
0.22 |
2.70 |
$ 27.18 |
$ 56,530 |
| Montgomery, AL |
30 |
0.19 |
2.32 |
$ 23.21 |
$ 48,280 |
| Madison, WI |
70 |
0.17 |
2.09 |
$ 35.36 |
$ 73,540 |
| Springfield, MA-CT |
50 |
0.17 |
2.07 |
$ 35.13 |
$ 73,070 |
| Albuquerque, NM |
70 |
0.17 |
2.04 |
$ 27.77 |
$ 57,770 |
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 |
1,240 |
0.13 |
1.58 |
$ 55.14 |
$ 114,690 |
| Ann Arbor, MI |
50 |
0.23 |
2.75 |
$ 47.88 |
$ 99,590 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
290 |
0.12 |
1.45 |
$ 44.31 |
$ 92,170 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA |
160 |
0.10 |
1.25 |
$ 42.01 |
$ 87,390 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
420 |
0.07 |
0.83 |
$ 41.36 |
$ 86,020 |
| Cleveland-Elyria, OH |
70 |
0.07 |
0.81 |
$ 41.15 |
$ 85,600 |
| New Haven, CT |
70 |
0.24 |
2.92 |
$ 40.56 |
$ 84,360 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY |
70 |
0.17 |
2.03 |
$ 39.94 |
$ 83,080 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA |
40 |
0.03 |
0.42 |
$ 39.85 |
$ 82,890 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
290 |
0.09 |
1.15 |
$ 39.83 |
$ 82,840 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Curators:
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Curators:
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Curators:
About May 2023 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 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2023 Occupation Profiles
Technical Notes
Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024
United States Department of Labor
