Also called: Assistant Curator, Associate Curator
Researches, collects, and organizes art or artifacts into exhibitions.
A curator might spend a morning in storage examining a painting, the afternoon writing wall labels, and the evening at an exhibition opening. They plan shows years in advance and work with designers, conservators, and educators. Research and writing are a big part of the job.
Based on BLS curators (25-4012), May 2024 estimates.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Master's degree, about 6 years after high school. Master's in art history or museum studies; large museums often want a PhD.
Ways in: Graduate school, 4-year college. Training cost: $60k – $150k.
Majors to look at: Art History, Museum Studies, History, Anthropology.
Growing faster than average (about 7% over 10 years). BLS projects faster-than-average growth for archivists, curators, and museum workers, but jobs are competitive.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. AI speeds research and label drafts, so small teams do more; choosing objects and telling their stories stay human.
Classes: AP Art History, AP English Language, World history.
Official data: O*NET occupation 25-4012.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.