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Conservator education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a conservator. Conservators usually study fine arts, criminal justice, or social work. 65% of conservators hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 225 real conservator resumes to see exactly what conservator education sections show.

The most common colleges for conservators are the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Fashion Institute of Technology.

There are also many online conservator courses to help get the education required to be a conservator.

What education do you need to become a conservator?

What degree do you need to be a conservator?

The most common degree for conservators is bachelor's degree, with 65% of conservators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 15% and master's degree degree at 6%.
  • Bachelor's, 65%
  • Master's, 15%
  • Associate, 6%
  • Diploma, 4%
  • Other Degrees, 10%

What should I major in to become a conservator?

You should major in fine arts to become a conservator. 26% of conservators major in fine arts. Other common majors for a conservator include criminal justice and social work.

Most common colleges for conservators

Conservators often get their degrees at Fashion Institute of Technology, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Western Michigan University. Here are the most common colleges for conservators in the US based on their resumes.
Conservator common collegePercentages
Fashion Institute of Technology14.63%
Virginia Commonwealth University9.76%
Western Michigan University7.32%
Michigan State University7.32%
University of Texas at Tyler4.88%

Best majors for conservators

RankMajorPercentages
1Fine Arts25.7%
2Criminal Justice10.1%
3Social Work7.3%
4Psychology6.4%
5History6.4%

Best colleges for conservators

The best colleges for conservators are Boston University, Johns Hopkins University, and Tufts University.

A conservator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for conservators. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become conservators.

1. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$10,595

Enrollment

30,184

2. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

3. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

4. SUNY Oneonta

Oneonta, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,421

Enrollment

6,021

5. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,230

Enrollment

12,161

6. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

7. Marist College

Poughkeepsie, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$39,600

Enrollment

5,405

8. University of South Carolina - Columbia

Columbia, SC • Private

In-state tuition

$12,616

Enrollment

26,300

9. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Enrollment

31,441

10. University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

In-state tuition

$41,509

Enrollment

3,246

20 best online courses for conservators

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5. Ecology: Ecosystem Dynamics and Conservation

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Top 10 most affordable universities for conservators

The most affordable schools for conservators are Brigham Young University, university of florida, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for conservators are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for conservators.

1. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

6. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

7. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

8. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

9. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

10. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for conservators

The hardest universities for conservators to get into are Boston University, Johns Hopkins University, and Tufts University.

Some great schools for conservators are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for conservators based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

2. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

3. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

4. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

5. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

6. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

8. University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,321

9. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

Admissions rate

47%

SAT average

1,390

10. Brown University

Providence, RI • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for conservators

The easiest schools for conservators to get into are Wayland Baptist University, curry college, and felician university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a conservator without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for conservators.

1. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

2. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

3. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

4. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

5. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

6. Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,099

7. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

8. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

9. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

10. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

Average conservator salary by education level

According to our data, conservators with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $53,355 annually. Conservators with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $45,126.
Conservator education levelConservator salary
Master's Degree$53,355
Bachelor's Degree$45,126

Conservator education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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