Museum Technicians and Conservators

SOC code 25-4013 · O*NET-SOC 25-4013.00 · Extensive preparation needed · Education and library

Bright Outlook — O*NET expects rapid growth for this occupation

Museum Technicians and Conservators pay

U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number

Median pay

$51,440

a year

Hourly

$24.73

per hour

10th$33,780Median$51,44090th$87,530

The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.

Average pay

$57,410

$27.60 per hour

Middle 50%

$41,050 – $67,640

25th to 75th percentile

Full spread

$33,780 – $87,530

10th to 90th percentile

People employed

12,310

nationwide

National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.

10th percentile: $33,780; $16.24/hr
25th percentile: $41,050; $19.73/hr
Median percentile: $51,440; $24.73/hr
75th percentile: $67,640; $32.52/hr
90th percentile: $87,530; $42.08/hr

What do museum technicians and conservators do?

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.

The tasks that matter most day to day

Determine whether objects need repair and choose the safest and most effective method of repair.
Specialize in particular materials or types of object, such as documents and books, paintings, decorative arts, textiles, metals, or architectural materials.
Recommend preservation procedures, such as control of temperature and humidity, to curatorial and building staff.
Install, arrange, assemble, and prepare artifacts for exhibition, ensuring the artifacts' safety, reporting their status and condition, and identifying and correcting any problems with the set up.
Study object documentation or conduct standard chemical and physical tests to ascertain the object's age, composition, original appearance, need for treatment or restoration, and appropriate preservation method.
Clean objects, such as paper, textiles, wood, metal, glass, rock, pottery, and furniture, using cleansers, solvents, soap solutions, and polishes.
Repair, restore, and reassemble artifacts, designing and fabricating missing or broken parts, to restore them to their original appearance and prevent deterioration.
Perform tests and examinations to establish storage and conservation requirements, policies, and procedures.

How to qualify for this work

Preparation level: zone 5 — Extensive preparation needed

Education: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Experience: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Training: Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

See all zone 5 occupations →

The federal survey did not capture education levels for this specific occupation, so the preparation-level card above is the best guide to the entry route.

Common questions

How much does a museum technicians and conservators earn?

The national median is $51,440 a year. The full range runs from $33,780 at the 10th percentile to $87,530 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.

Can you become a museum technicians and conservators without a degree?

Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 5, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree). The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.

Skills and knowledge you need

Core skills

Reading Comprehension4.0/5
Active Listening3.9/5
Speaking3.6/5
Writing3.4/5
Critical Thinking3.4/5
Monitoring3.4/5
Active Learning3.1/5

Knowledge areas

Chemistry4.5/5
Fine Arts4.4/5
History and Archeology4.2/5
English Language3.6/5
Education and Training3.3/5
Administrative3.0/5
Computers and Electronics2.9/5
Design2.9/5

Transferable strengths: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness.