Who Earns What

How much does a museum technician make?

US Museum Technicians and Conservators
$51,440

a year · about $25 an hour

A typical museum technician in the United States makes $51,440 a year, about $25 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

What do they do?

They inspect and photograph artifacts, decide how to clean or protect them, and record each object's condition. They may repair delicate items or carefully install them in a display case.

Did you know? A Brooklyn Museum conservator once had to add new live blowflies every week to keep an artwork going after the flies completed their life cycle.

Is that a lot?

Compared with jobs you know
This job$51,440
Typical worker$50,980
Elementary teacher$63,970
Doctor$244,180
Cashier$32,880

If 100 people had this job

Most earn between $33,780 and $87,530
53 of 100
more than half

How do you become one?

In the United States, museum technicians usually earn a bachelor's degree in museum studies, archaeology, art history, or a related field, then build experience through internships or volunteering. Conservators commonly go on to a conservation master's degree, often after gaining hands-on experience as an intern, volunteer, or paid technician.

School needed: Graduate degree or long training

Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized

Why does pay differ?

In the United States, pay can differ with experience and education: conservators usually need more schooling than museum technicians. It also depends on the employer and location, the objects and tasks you specialize in, and how much responsibility the job carries.

Where does it pay most?

Highest in Maryland ($76,900), lowest in Louisiana ($32,350).

See every state
Whole US$51,440
Maryland$76,900
District of Columbia$76,110
New York$74,550
Connecticut$62,030
California$61,550
Delaware$38,080
Utah$35,430
Louisiana$32,350

Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.

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Who earns more?
Data table and sources
Museum technician pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread) — Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lower earner (10th from bottom)Typical person (median)Higher earner (10th from top)People in this job
$33,780$51,440$87,530about 12,000
States where museum technicians earn the most (median, May 2025)
StateTypical person (median)People in this job
Maryland$76,900about 450
District of Columbia$76,110about 520
New York$74,550about 1,000
Connecticut$62,030about 280
California$61,550about 2,000

Official definition: Restore, maintain, or prepare objects in museum collections for storage, research, or exhibit. May work with specimens such as fossils, skeletal parts, or botanicals; or artifacts, textiles, or art. May identify and record objects or install and arrange them in exhibits. Includes book or document conservators.

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine

Pages used for the text

Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY