SOC 25-4012 · Educational Instruction and Library Occupations

Curators

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries

U.S. median annual wage$63,420

U.S. median hourly wage$30.49

U.S. employment12,150

Nationally, curators earned a median of $63,420 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 12,150 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.

National pay distribution

Pay by state

Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.

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Curators: pay and employment by state
State
District of Columbia	$93,310	$44.86	140	0.2
New Hampshire	$82,490	$39.66	60	0.1
New York	$79,120	$38.04	1,330	0.1
California	$78,740	$37.86	1,140	0.1
Rhode Island	$77,930	$37.47	70	0.1
New Jersey	$77,800	$37.40	120	0.0
Massachusetts	$77,790	$37.40	370	0.1
Connecticut	$76,510	$36.78	190	0.1
South Dakota	$74,990	$36.05	50	0.1
Washington	$74,030	$35.59	260	0.1
Colorado	$73,630	$35.40	300	0.1
Nevada	$69,900	$33.61	100	0.1
Wisconsin	$64,370	$30.95	300	0.1
Alaska	$63,880	$30.71	90	0.3
Maryland	$63,750	$30.65	170	0.1
New Mexico	$63,690	$30.62	140	0.2
Ohio	$63,640	$30.60	370	0.1
Arizona	$63,510	$30.53	150	0.0
Michigan	$63,190	$30.38	360	0.1
Illinois	$63,060	$30.32	410	0.1
Oregon	$62,790	$30.19	260	0.1
Idaho	$62,190	$29.90	50	0.1
Pennsylvania	$62,100	$29.86	520	0.1
Wyoming	$61,910	$29.77	90	0.3
Alabama	$61,120	$29.39	150	0.1
Oklahoma	$60,560	$29.12	150	0.1
Louisiana	$60,080	$28.89	160	0.1
Texas	$59,990	$28.84	690	0.0
Missouri	$59,960	$28.83	260	0.1
Utah	$59,910	$28.80	50	0.0
Florida	$59,500	$28.61	420	0.0
Nebraska	$58,600	$28.18	120	0.1
Virginia	$58,200	$27.98	450	0.1
Georgia	$57,810	$27.80	230	0.0
Tennessee	$57,580	$27.68	190	0.1
Delaware	$56,800	$27.31	60	0.1
Kansas	$56,630	$27.23	120	0.1
Vermont	$56,520	$27.18	60	0.2
Maine	$56,470	$27.15	110	0.2
Kentucky	$55,460	$26.67	130	0.1
Montana	$54,460	$26.18	100	0.2
Minnesota	$53,920	$25.93	220	0.1
Indiana	$53,910	$25.92	220	0.1
Arkansas	$53,870	$25.90	80	0.1
Iowa	$53,830	$25.88	230	0.1
Hawaii	$50,720	$24.39	140	0.2
North Carolina	$49,470	$23.78	600	0.1
South Carolina	$47,200	$22.69	120	0.1
Mississippi	$40,600	$19.52	30	0.0

Pay by metro area

All 81 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.

Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.

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Curators: pay and employment by metro area
Metro area
New Haven, CT	$102,110	$49.09	70	0.2
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH	$94,740	$45.55	40	0.1
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$90,800	$43.66	240	0.1
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$87,400	$42.02	270	0.1
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	$84,150	$40.46	70	0.0
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$83,110	$39.96	970	0.1
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	$82,640	$39.73	80	0.2
Ann Arbor, MI	$82,150	$39.50	60	0.3
Amherst Town-Northampton, MA	$79,380	$38.16	Not published	Not published
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$78,720	$37.85	220	0.1
Worcester, MA	$78,450	$37.72	30	0.1
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$78,420	$37.70	50	0.0
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$78,340	$37.66	150	0.1
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$77,700	$37.36	180	0.1
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	$77,670	$37.34	90	0.1
Omaha, NE-IA	$77,460	$37.24	40	0.1
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$77,160	$37.09	390	0.1
Toledo, OH	$76,910	$36.98	40	0.1
Pittsfield, MA	$76,850	$36.95	40	0.7
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$75,800	$36.44	170	0.1
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$75,260	$36.18	150	0.0
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$74,950	$36.03	60	0.0
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY	$73,680	$35.42	40	0.1
Pittsburgh, PA	$73,330	$35.25	110	0.1
Columbus, OH	$72,780	$34.99	50	0.0
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$72,760	$34.98	120	0.1
Cleveland, OH	$71,850	$34.54	100	0.1
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	$71,380	$34.32	30	0.2
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$70,740	$34.01	80	0.1
Birmingham, AL	$69,990	$33.65	30	0.1
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	$69,110	$33.23	60	0.0
Madison, WI	$68,060	$32.72	80	0.2
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT	$67,300	$32.35	30	0.1
Richmond, VA	$66,650	$32.04	80	0.1
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	$66,400	$31.92	120	0.1
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	$66,310	$31.88	80	0.1
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	$66,300	$31.87	50	0.0
Raleigh-Cary, NC	$65,670	$31.57	160	0.2
Santa Fe, NM	$64,520	$31.02	30	0.6
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$64,060	$30.80	140	0.1
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$63,860	$30.70	290	0.1
Albuquerque, NM	$63,690	$30.62	60	0.2
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	$63,680	$30.61	60	0.1
Tulsa, OK	$63,620	$30.59	40	0.1
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	$63,570	$30.56	70	0.1
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	$63,470	$30.51	100	0.1
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI	$63,190	$30.38	40	0.1
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	$63,150	$30.36	50	0.1
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	$63,080	$30.33	90	0.1
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$63,060	$30.32	290	0.1
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN	$62,890	$30.24	90	0.1
St. Louis, MO-IL	$61,500	$29.57	150	0.1
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$61,060	$29.36	150	0.1
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$60,950	$29.30	120	0.0
Urban Honolulu, HI	$60,610	$29.14	120	0.3
Oklahoma City, OK	$60,560	$29.12	70	0.1
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	$60,470	$29.07	50	0.0
Jacksonville, FL	$60,300	$28.99	30	0.0
Kansas City, MO-KS	$60,260	$28.97	70	0.1
New Orleans-Metairie, LA	$60,170	$28.93	90	0.2
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	$59,620	$28.66	70	0.0
Tucson, AZ	$59,550	$28.63	40	0.1
Rochester, NY	$59,120	$28.42	70	0.1
Baton Rouge, LA	$58,520	$28.13	30	0.1
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	$58,510	$28.13	40	0.1
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	$58,200	$27.98	150	0.2
Portland-South Portland, ME	$58,190	$27.98	50	0.2
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR	$58,000	$27.88	40	0.1
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$57,290	$27.54	150	0.0
Lincoln, NE	$56,820	$27.32	30	0.2
Montgomery, AL	$56,720	$27.27	50	0.3
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	$56,410	$27.12	40	0.1
Columbia, SC	$56,270	$27.05	30	0.1
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	$55,290	$26.58	60	0.1
Greensboro-High Point, NC	$55,170	$26.53	60	0.2
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	$53,100	$25.53	50	0.0
Lancaster, PA	$49,740	$23.91	30	0.1
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	$49,240	$23.68	80	0.2
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	$48,600	$23.36	40	0.1
Wilmington, NC	$48,230	$23.19	40	0.2
Charleston-North Charleston, SC	$47,200	$22.69	30	0.1

About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.