Art Conservation & Restoration

Saving the past: repairing paintings, books, buildings, films, and artifacts so they last for future generations.

Top pay: highest pay, longest training

• Chief Conservator: Leads a museum's conservation department, deciding how to protect and treat priceless works. Typical pay $120k.

Mid pay: solid pay, degree or apprenticeship

• Conservation Scientist: Uses chemistry and physics to analyze art materials, find fakes, and develop safer ways to preserve objects. Typical pay $90k.
• Architectural Conservator: Preserves historic buildings and monuments, deciding how to repair stone, wood, plaster, and paint. Typical pay $90k.
• Paintings Conservator: Repairs and cleans damaged paintings while preserving the artist's original work. Typical pay $72k.
• Paper and Book Conservator: Repairs and preserves documents, prints, drawings, maps, and rare books. Typical pay $68k.
• Textile Conservator: Preserves historic textiles, from flags and quilts to famous costumes. Typical pay $65k.
• Objects Conservator: Treats 3D objects like sculptures, archaeological finds, metals, ceramics, and even spacesuits. Typical pay $70k.
• Furniture Conservator: Preserves and repairs historic furniture and wooden objects. Typical pay $62k.
• Film Preservationist: Rescues, restores, and digitizes old films and video so they survive for future generations. Typical pay $64k.
• Archivist: Preserves important records, letters, photos, and digital files for museums, universities, and governments. Typical pay $64k.
• Historic Preservation Specialist: Protects historic buildings and neighborhoods through research, regulations, and planning. Typical pay $65k.
• Photograph Conservator: Preserves and repairs historic photographs, negatives, and early photo processes like daguerreotypes. Typical pay $65k.
• Preventive Conservator: Protects entire museum collections by controlling light, temperature, humidity, and pests. Typical pay $62k.
• Outdoor Sculpture & Monument Conservator: Cleans, repairs, and protects bronze statues, stone monuments, and public art exposed to weather. Typical pay $65k.
• Time-Based Media Conservator: Keeps video art, software art, and electronic installations working as technology becomes obsolete. Typical pay $75k.
• Technical Imaging Specialist (Conservation): Uses X-rays, infrared, and UV light to photograph artworks and reveal hidden sketches, old repairs, and fakes under the paint. Typical pay $70k.
• Musical Instrument Conservator: Preserves historic violins, pianos, horns, and drums in museum collections, deciding when to repair them and when to leave them alone. Typical pay $72k.

Starter: fastest way in

• Conservation Technician: Supports conservators by preparing materials, documenting objects, and doing basic treatments. Typical pay $45k.
• Gilder: Applies paper-thin gold leaf to picture frames, furniture, signs, and building domes. Typical pay $45k.
• Ornamental Plaster Artisan: Recreates and repairs decorative plaster ceilings, moldings, and medallions in historic buildings. Typical pay $50k.
• Decorative Painter and Faux Finisher: Paints walls and objects to look like marble, wood grain, or aged surfaces, and recreates historic painted decorations. Typical pay $48k.
• Antique Restorer: Repairs and refinishes antique furniture and objects for private clients and dealers. Typical pay $42k.

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.