The average salary for a museum conservator in the United States is around $44,430 per year.
Avg Salary
Museum conservators earn an average yearly salary of $44,430.
Wages typically start from $26,110 and go up to $76,330.
28% below national average Updated in 2019
Museum conservator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level museum conservator earnings begin at:
$36.70 per hour
$76,330 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level museum conservator earnings begin at:
$28.11 per hour
$58,470 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level museum conservator earnings begin at:
$21.36 per hour
$44,430 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level museum conservator earnings begin at:
$16.12 per hour
$33,530 per year
10th percentile
Starting level museum conservator earnings begin at:
$12.55 per hour
$26,110 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Museum conservator salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $68,030 |
| Maryland | $56,230 |
| Connecticut | $54,980 |
| New Jersey | $54,700 |
| New York | $54,370 |
| Rhode Island | $53,610 |
| Alaska | $52,880 |
| Massachusetts | $52,240 |
| California | $45,370 |
| Illinois | $45,210 |
| Tennessee | $43,290 |
| Virginia | $42,250 |
| Washington | $41,800 |
| Iowa | $41,250 |
| Minnesota | $40,650 |
| Georgia | $40,490 |
| Alabama | $39,920 |
| Texas | $39,900 |
| Wyoming | $39,890 |
| Florida | $39,720 |
| Oregon | $38,920 |
| North Carolina | $38,660 |
| Missouri | $38,550 |
| Colorado | $38,420 |
| Ohio | $38,060 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,990 |
| New Mexico | $37,950 |
| Maine | $37,740 |
| Kentucky | $37,640 |
| Hawaii | $36,890 |
| Wisconsin | $36,720 |
| Arizona | $36,400 |
| Arkansas | $35,410 |
| Vermont | $34,780 |
| Kansas | $34,730 |
| Michigan | $33,570 |
| South Carolina | $33,240 |
| Indiana | $32,980 |
| Nebraska | $32,970 |
| Nevada | $32,690 |
| South Dakota | $30,840 |
| Oklahoma | $30,770 |
| Utah | $30,020 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,080 |
| Montana | $27,140 |
| Louisiana | $18,740 |
How do museum conservator salaries compare to similar careers?
Museum conservators earn 6% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than curators but more than graphic designers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Curator salary | $53K |
| Interior designer salary | $53K |
| Archivist salary | $54K |
| Model maker salary | $59K |
| Embalmer salary | $48K |
| Museum conservator salary | $44K |
| Gem worker salary | $41K |
| Precious metal worker salary | $41K |
| Jeweler salary | $41K |
| Graphic designer salary | $39K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)