The average salary for a museum conservator in the United States is around $26,485 per year.
Avg Salary
Museum conservators earn an average yearly salary of $26,485.
Wages typically start from $16,723 and go up to $41,948.
57% below national average Updated in 2023
Museum conservator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level museum conservator earnings begin at:
$20.17 per hour
$41,948 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level museum conservator earnings begin at:
$16.22 per hour
$33,737 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level museum conservator earnings begin at:
$12.73 per hour
$26,485 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level museum conservator earnings begin at:
$10.00 per hour
$20,792 per year
10th percentile
Starting level museum conservator earnings begin at:
$8.04 per hour
$16,723 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Museum conservator salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $75,170 |
| Maryland | $62,790 |
| New York | $62,790 |
| Massachusetts | $60,980 |
| California | $59,380 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,570 |
| Illinois | $48,320 |
| Hawaii | $48,200 |
| Wyoming | $48,000 |
| New Jersey | $47,970 |
| Connecticut | $47,960 |
| Washington | $47,750 |
| Rhode Island | $47,740 |
| Maine | $47,670 |
| Colorado | $47,360 |
| Ohio | $47,030 |
| Alaska | $46,910 |
| Oregon | $46,140 |
| Iowa | $45,520 |
| Arkansas | $45,140 |
| Georgia | $44,570 |
| Missouri | $43,240 |
| New Mexico | $40,240 |
| Minnesota | $38,900 |
| Arizona | $38,790 |
| Wisconsin | $38,550 |
| Delaware | $37,990 |
| Nebraska | $37,950 |
| Indiana | $37,900 |
| Kansas | $37,810 |
| Florida | $37,750 |
| North Carolina | $37,750 |
| Nevada | $37,520 |
| Texas | $37,440 |
| Alabama | $37,280 |
| Tennessee | $36,760 |
| Utah | $36,330 |
| Virginia | $36,330 |
| Michigan | $35,670 |
| Vermont | $34,780 |
| South Carolina | $34,300 |
| Louisiana | $33,850 |
| Idaho | $32,060 |
| South Dakota | $30,880 |
| Oklahoma | $30,470 |
| Kentucky | $29,790 |
| Montana | $27,140 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,860 |
How do museum conservator salaries compare to similar careers?
Museum conservators earn 7% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than projectionists but more than filmmakers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Projectionist salary | $34K |
| Multimedia animator salary | $33K |
| Humanitarian salary | $35K |
| Graphic designer salary | $33K |
| Glass blower salary | $34K |
| Museum conservator salary | $26K |
| Film and video editor salary | $26K |
| Makeup artist salary | $20K |
| Camera operator salary | $20K |
| Filmmaker salary | $18K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)