Curator demographics and statistics in the US
Curator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates curator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our curator estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about curators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 8,254 curators currently employed in the United States.
- 59.6% of all curators are women, while 40.4% are men.
- The average curator age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of curators is White (77.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (7.3%), Black or African American (5.3%) and Asian (5.1%).
- Curators are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- San Francisco, CA pays an annual average wage of $63,752, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women curators earned 98% of what men earned.
- New Hampshire is the best state for curators to live.
- Curators are 43% more likely to work at education companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Curator demographics by:
Curator gender statistics
59.6% of curators are women and 40.4% of curators are men.
- Female, 59.6%
- Male, 40.4%
Curator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 59.6% |
| Male | 40.4% |
Curator gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$44,614
Female income
$43,721
Curator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in curator positions over time. Currently, 59.6% of curators are female.
Curator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 37.35% | 62.65% |
| 2011 | 35.50% | 64.50% |
| 2012 | 33.56% | 66.44% |
| 2013 | 40.27% | 59.73% |
| 2014 | 32.69% | 67.31% |
| 2015 | 34.13% | 65.87% |
| 2016 | 33.08% | 66.92% |
| 2017 | 33.74% | 66.26% |
| 2018 | 37.35% | 62.65% |
| 2019 | 40.41% | 59.59% |
| 2020 | 40.06% | 59.94% |
| 2021 | 40.41% | 59.59% |
Curator related jobs gender ratio
We compared curators with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, technician's helper and exhibit technician have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary Librarian | 8% | 92% |
| Children's Librarian | 11% | 89% |
| High School Librarian | 15% | 85% |
| Curator | 40% | 60% |
| Art Preparator | 78% | 22% |
| Exhibit Technician | 80% | 20% |
| Technician's Helper | 88% | 12% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Curator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among curators is White, which makes up 77.0% of all curators. Comparatively, 7.3% of curators are Hispanic or Latino and 5.3% of curators are Black or African American.
- White, 77.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.3%
- Black or African American, 5.3%
- Asian, 5.1%
- Unknown, 4.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
Curator race
| Curator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 77.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.3% |
| Black or African American | 5.3% |
| Asian | 5.1% |
| Unknown | 4.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.1% |
Curator race and ethnicity over time
See how curator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Curator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 80.00% | 6.50% | 4.04% | 7.33% |
| 2011 | 81.08% | 4.73% | 3.18% | 8.12% |
| 2012 | 80.05% | 5.37% | 5.12% | 6.53% |
| 2013 | 78.87% | 6.28% | 5.26% | 6.51% |
| 2014 | 78.94% | 4.55% | 5.82% | 6.91% |
| 2015 | 81.25% | 4.08% | 4.15% | 6.44% |
| 2016 | 79.37% | 5.08% | 4.35% | 8.16% |
| 2017 | 80.10% | 4.34% | 6.17% | 7.31% |
| 2018 | 78.02% | 4.98% | 5.09% | 9.22% |
| 2019 | 80.02% | 4.43% | 4.29% | 8.04% |
| 2020 | 76.60% | 3.79% | 4.30% | 9.70% |
| 2021 | 76.95% | 5.26% | 5.11% | 7.31% |
Curator wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino curators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown curators have the lowest average salary at $42,932.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $42,932 |
| White | $45,290 |
| Black or African American | $43,961 |
| Asian | $43,696 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $47,326 |
Average curator age
See how the average age of curators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Curator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 38 | |
| White | 47 | 42 |
| Black or African American | 49 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 37.5 | 35.5 |
Curator age breakdown
The average age of curators is 40+ years years old, representing 61% of the curator population.
Curator age breakdown
| Curator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 61% |
| 30-40 years | 28% |
| 20-30 years | 11% |
Curator educational attainment
- Bachelor's, 70%
- Master's, 17%
- Associate, 6%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Curators by degree level
| Curator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 70% |
| Master's | 17% |
| Associate | 6% |
| High School Diploma | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Curator jobs you might like
Curator wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $54,322 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $46,556 |
Curator employment statistics
Most curators work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where curators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where curators work.
Curator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 11% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 17% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 26% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 22% |
| > 10,000 employees | 14% |
Curator jobs by company type
Employees with the curator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most curators prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
Curator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 43% |
| Public | 10% |
| Private | 40% |
| Government | 6% |
Curator jobs by industry
The most common industries for curators are education, non profits and media.
Curator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 31% |
| Non Profits | 14% |
| Media | 7% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Government | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Technology | 5% |
| Retail | 4% |
| Start-up | 4% |
| Fortune 500 | 4% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Curator turnover and employment statistics
Curator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for curators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Curator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Curator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 4.02% |
| 2011 | 6.47% |
| 2012 | 6.15% |
| 2013 | 4.30% |
| 2014 | 4.48% |
| 2015 | 4.57% |
| 2016 | 4.33% |
| 2017 | 2.58% |
| 2018 | 4.23% |
| 2019 | 2.23% |
| 2020 | 4.71% |
| 2021 | 5.55% |
Average curator tenure
The average curator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 3,291 curators resumes in Zippia's database.
Curator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 33% |
| 1-2 years | 29% |
| 3-4 years | 11% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 7% |
Curator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of curators that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate Student Assistant | 6.04% | 20,764 |
| 8th Grade Teacher | 9.52% | 56,929 |
| University Librarian | 10.75% | 1,120 |
| Curator | 12.52% | - |
| Computer Teacher | 12.94% | 66,072 |
| Book Shelver | 13.69% | 186 |
| Home Advisor | 16.25% | 77,547 |
Similar curator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate Student Assistant | 6.04% | 20,764 |
| 8th Grade Teacher | 9.52% | 56,929 |
| University Librarian | 10.75% | 1,120 |
| Computer Teacher | 12.94% | 66,072 |
| Book Shelver | 13.69% | 186 |
| Home Advisor | 16.25% | 77,547 |
Foreign languages spoken by curators
The most common foreign language among curators is Spanish at 35.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 19.4% and German is the third-most popular at 9.4%.
- Spanish, 35.0%
- French, 19.4%
- German, 9.4%
- Italian, 8.3%
- Chinese, 4.7%
- Other, 23.2%
Curator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 35.0% |
| French | 19.4% |
| German | 9.4% |
| Italian | 8.3% |
| Chinese | 4.7% |
| Other | 23.2% |
