Curators Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for curators is $63,420, or $30.49 per hour. About 12,150 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $93,310 in District of Columbia to $40,600 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 49 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $93,310 | $44.86 | 140 | 2.62 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $82,490 | $39.66 | 60 | 1.10 |
| 3 | New York | $79,120 | $38.04 | 1,330 | 1.76 |
| 4 | California | $78,740 | $37.86 | 1,140 | 0.80 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $77,930 | $37.47 | 70 | 1.87 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $77,800 | $37.40 | 120 | 0.36 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $77,790 | $37.40 | 370 | 1.32 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $76,510 | $36.78 | 190 | 1.41 |
| 9 | South Dakota | $74,990 | $36.05 | 50 | 1.34 |
| 10 | Washington | $74,030 | $35.59 | 260 | 0.93 |
| 11 | Colorado | $73,630 | $35.40 | 300 | 1.32 |
| 12 | Nevada | $69,900 | $33.61 | 100 | 0.80 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $64,370 | $30.95 | 300 | 1.30 |
| 14 | Alaska | $63,880 | $30.71 | 90 | 3.43 |
| 15 | Maryland | $63,750 | $30.65 | 170 | 0.77 |
| 16 | New Mexico | $63,690 | $30.62 | 140 | 2.12 |
| 17 | Ohio | $63,640 | $30.60 | 370 | 0.84 |
| 18 | Arizona | $63,510 | $30.53 | 150 | 0.58 |
| 19 | Michigan | $63,190 | $30.38 | 360 | 1.03 |
| 20 | Illinois | $63,060 | $30.32 | 410 | 0.86 |
| 21 | Oregon | $62,790 | $30.19 | 260 | 1.69 |
| 22 | Idaho | $62,190 | $29.90 | 50 | 0.81 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $62,100 | $29.86 | 520 | 1.10 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $61,910 | $29.77 | 90 | 4.03 |
| 25 | Alabama | $61,120 | $29.39 | 150 | 0.92 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $60,560 | $29.12 | 150 | 1.10 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $60,080 | $28.89 | 160 | 1.04 |
| 28 | Texas | $59,990 | $28.84 | 690 | 0.63 |
| 29 | Missouri | $59,960 | $28.83 | 260 | 1.12 |
| 30 | Utah | $59,910 | $28.80 | 50 | 0.38 |
| 31 | Florida | $59,500 | $28.61 | 420 | 0.54 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $58,600 | $28.18 | 120 | 1.52 |
| 33 | Virginia | $58,200 | $27.98 | 450 | 1.41 |
| 34 | Georgia | $57,810 | $27.80 | 230 | 0.61 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $57,580 | $27.68 | 190 | 0.75 |
| 36 | Delaware | $56,800 | $27.31 | 60 | 1.60 |
| 37 | Kansas | $56,630 | $27.23 | 120 | 1.03 |
| 38 | Vermont | $56,520 | $27.18 | 60 | 2.66 |
| 39 | Maine | $56,470 | $27.15 | 110 | 2.10 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $55,460 | $26.67 | 130 | 0.80 |
| 41 | Montana | $54,460 | $26.18 | 100 | 2.45 |
| 42 | Minnesota | $53,920 | $25.93 | 220 | 0.95 |
| 43 | Indiana | $53,910 | $25.92 | 220 | 0.89 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $53,870 | $25.90 | 80 | 0.81 |
| 45 | Iowa | $53,830 | $25.88 | 230 | 1.90 |
| 46 | Hawaii | $50,720 | $24.39 | 140 | 2.86 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $49,470 | $23.78 | 600 | 1.56 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $47,200 | $22.69 | 120 | 0.67 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $40,600 | $19.52 | 30 | 0.34 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do curators make?
The median annual wage for curators in the United States is $63,420, or $30.49 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $40,470, and the top 10% earn $107,140.
How many curators are employed in the U.S.?
About 12,150 people work as curators nationwide.
Which state pays curators the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $93,310, followed by New Hampshire ($82,490) and New York ($79,120).
Which state pays curators the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $40,600.
Where are curators jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Wyoming at 4.03×.