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What is a curator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. Haitham Eid Ph.D.

Curators are in charge of a collection of exhibits in a museum or art gallery. Their job is to build up supplies, often in specialist areas. They continually develop and interpret objects, archives, and artworks through exhibitions, publications, events, and audio-visual presentations.

The specific nature of the role will depend on the size of the museum at which they work. At a small museum, the curator may also effectively manage the institution as a whole; at a large establishment, several curators specializing in different aspects manage collections and exhibitions. Self-employment and contract work are also common in many instances.

An undergraduate degree is usually essential for the majority of curatorial positions. Due to the healthy competition in this area, many curators also hold postgraduate degrees or diplomas and have previous experience. Curators might begin their career in a more junior role, such as assistant curator.

What general advice would you give to a curator?

Dr. Haitham Eid Ph.D.Dr. Haitham Eid Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor, Director, Southern University at New Orleans

Starting a career in the museum field can be exciting and rewarding. My general advice to museum studies graduates is to always continue expanding their knowledge and skills through professional workshops and conferences. Attending museum events, conferences, and workshops will expand your professional network which can open up opportunities for job placement, collaboration, and career advancement. It is important that you stay up to date with current trends, technologies, and issues in the museum field by reading museum publications, following relevant blogs, and participating in professional development opportunities. I would also encourage new graduates to consider specializing in a particular area of museum work, such as collections management, exhibition design, or education. Developing expertise in a specific area can help you stand out in the field. With this being said, the museum field can be competitive, so be open to different opportunities and be willing to take on new challenges to grow in your career.
ScoreCuratorUS Average
Salary
3.7

Avg. Salary $47,923

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.3

Growth rate 12%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.21%

Asian 5.11%

Black or African American 5.26%

Hispanic or Latino 7.31%

Unknown 4.17%

White 76.95%

Gender

female 59.59%

male 40.41%

Age - 43
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43
Stress level
6.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.5

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Curator career paths

Key steps to become a curator

  1. Explore curator education requirements

    Most common curator degrees

    Bachelor's

    70.5 %

    Master's

    17.1 %

    Associate

    5.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific curator skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Facebook10.27%
    Historical Research7.86%
    Exhibit Design7.63%
    Photography6.74%
    Collections Management5.20%
  3. Complete relevant curator training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New curators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a curator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real curator resumes.
  4. Research curator duties and responsibilities

    • Manage visual resource center, including acquisition, cataloging, budget management and other relevant issues.
    • Aid instructors in sorting through student works to curate gallery.
    • Produce written materials including wall labels and artists' biographies.
    • Participate in SEO research and compile a summary for the rest of the team.
  5. Prepare your curator resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your curator resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a curator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable curator resume templates

    Build a professional curator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your curator resume.
    Curator Resume
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  6. Apply for curator jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a curator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first curator job

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Average curator salary

The average curator salary in the United States is $47,923 per year or $23 per hour. Curator salaries range between $26,000 and $85,000 per year.

Average curator salary
$47,923 Yearly
$23.04 hourly

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Curator reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2020
Cons

all the schooling and all the paper work involved


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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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