Curators
SOC: 25-4012.00

Description:

Administer collections, such as artwork, collectibles, historic items, or scientific specimens of museums or other institutions. May conduct instructional, research, or public service activities of institution.

National Salary Information:

Hourly Statistics:

Annual Statistics:

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2015 wage data.

Employment Projections:

Employment (2014):
13,100 employed

Projected (2024):
14,100 employed

Projected growth (2014-2024)


Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2015 2014-2024 employment projections external site. "Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2014-2024). "Projected job openings" represent openings due to growth and replacement.

Alternate Titles:

  • Ancient Art Curator
  • Art Gallery Director
  • Asian Art Curator
  • Assistant Curator
  • Associate Curator
  • Coin Collector
  • Collections and Archives Director
  • Collections Curator
  • Collections Manager
  • Content Curator
  • Curator
  • Curator of Collections
  • Curator of Education
  • Curator of Photography and Prints
  • Director of Collections and Archives
  • Director of Exhibit Development
  • Educational Institution Curator
  • Educational Resource Coordinator
  • Exhibitions and Collections Manager
  • Exhibitions Curator
  • Exhibits Curator
  • Exhibits Manager
  • Field Collector
  • Gallery Director
  • Herbarium Curator
  • Historic Site Administrator
  • Historic Sites Supervisor
  • Manager of Exhibitions and Collections
  • Modern and Contemporary Art Curator
  • Museum Curator
  • Museum Director
  • Museum or Zoo Director
  • Museum Registrar
  • Natural History Collections Curator
  • Natural Science Curator
  • Numismatist
  • Old Coin Dealer
  • Philatelist
  • Photography and Prints Curator
  • Prints and Drawings Curator
  • Research Associate
  • Stamp Collector

    • Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed

    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.

    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).

    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.

    Required Skills:

  • Reading Comprehension
  • Active Listening
  • Writing
  • Speaking
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Critical Thinking
  • Active Learning
  • Learning Strategies
  • Monitoring
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Coordination
  • Persuasion
  • Negotiation
  • Instructing
  • Service Orientation
  • Complex Problem Solving
  • Operations Analysis
  • Technology Design
  • Programming
  • Operation Monitoring
  • Operation and Control
  • Quality Control Analysis
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Systems Analysis
  • Systems Evaluation
  • Time Management
  • Management of Financial Resources
  • Management of Material Resources
  • Management of Personnel Resources

    • Knowledge Used:

  • Administration and Management
  • Clerical
  • Economics and Accounting
  • Sales and Marketing
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Personnel and Human Resources
  • Production and Processing
  • Computers and Electronics
  • Engineering and Technology
  • Design
  • Building and Construction
  • Mechanical
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • Biology
  • Psychology
  • Sociology and Anthropology
  • Geography
  • Therapy and Counseling
  • Education and Training
  • English Language
  • Foreign Language
  • Fine Arts
  • History and Archeology
  • Philosophy and Theology
  • Public Safety and Security
  • Law and Government
  • Telecommunications
  • Communications and Media
  • Transportation

    • Tasks:

  • Develop and maintain an institution's registration, cataloging, and basic record-keeping systems, using computer databases.
  • Provide information from the institution's holdings to other curators and to the public.
  • Inspect premises to assess the need for repairs and to ensure that climate and pest control issues are addressed.
  • Train and supervise curatorial, fiscal, technical, research, and clerical staff, as well as volunteers or interns.
  • Negotiate and authorize purchase, sale, exchange, or loan of collections.
  • Plan and conduct special research projects in area of interest or expertise.
  • Confer with the board of directors to formulate and interpret policies, to determine budget requirements, and to plan overall operations.
  • Attend meetings, conventions, and civic events to promote use of institution's services, to seek financing, and to maintain community alliances.
  • Schedule events and organize details, including refreshment, entertainment, decorations, and the collection of any fees.
  • Write and review grant proposals, journal articles, institutional reports, and publicity materials.
  • Study, examine, and test acquisitions to authenticate their origin, composition, history, and to assess their current value.
  • Arrange insurance coverage for objects on loan or for special exhibits and recommend changes in coverage for the entire collection.
  • Establish specifications for reproductions and oversee their manufacture or select items from commercially available replica sources.
  • Plan and organize the acquisition, storage, and exhibition of collections and related materials, including the selection of exhibition themes and designs, and develop or install exhibit materials.
  • Design, organize, or conduct tours, workshops, and instructional or educational sessions to acquaint individuals with an institution's facilities and materials.

    • Tools & Technology:

  • Claw hammers
  • Desktop computers
  • Digital cameras
  • Digitizers
  • Handheld digital thermometers
  • Laptop computers
  • Light meters
  • Mat cutters
  • Paint brushes
  • Personal computers
  • Power drills
  • Precision knives
  • Precision levels
  • Precision rulers
  • Scanners
  • Slotted screwdrivers
  • T squares
  • Two way radios
  • Utility knives
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Freehand
  • Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop software
  • Artsystems Collections
  • Autodesk AutoCAD software
  • Corel WordPerfect software
  • Cuadra Associates STAR/Museums
  • Desktop publishing software
  • Eloquent Systems software
  • Ex Libris Group DigiTool
  • FileMaker Pro software
  • Gallery Systems EmbARK
  • Gallery Systems The Museum System
  • Graphics software
  • KE Software EMu
  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Paint
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Visual Studio
  • Microsoft Word
  • MINISIS MINT
  • PastPerfect Software PastPerfect
  • Questor Systems ARGUS
  • Re:discovery Software Proficio
  • Scheduling software
  • Vernon Systems Limited Vernon CMS
  • Web browser software
  • Willoughby Associates MIMSY XG

    • education training and library

    industry stats

    SOC: 25-0000

    Total Employed: 8,542,670

    Average Annual Salary: $53,000