How to hire a curator

How to hire a curator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step curator hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a curator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new curator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a curator do?

Post a curator job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a curator, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a curator to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a curator that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of curators and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Curator	Description	Hourly rate
   Curator	Archivists appraise, process, catalog, and preserve permanent records and historically valuable documents. Curators oversee collections of artwork and historic items, and may conduct public service activities for an institution... Show more	$12-40
   Museum Curator	A museum curator looks after and manages exhibitions within a museum. Responsibilities of this position include building collections, developing interpretations for the museum contents, organizing events and exhibitions, designing and arranging installations, and carrying out administrative tasks in the museum... Show more	$12-37

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Facebook
   • Historical Research
   • Exhibit Design
   • Photography
   • Collections Management
   • Art History
   • Educational Programs
   • Press Releases
   • SEO
   • Instagram
   • Public Programs
   • Art Exhibitions
   • Research Projects
   • AZA

   Check all skills

   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.
   • Create and upload content daily, using a web-base administration tool, and HTML.
   • Assist with inquiries regarding scanning Photoshop, PowerPoint and other vr-relate software and equipment.

   More curator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your curator job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A curator salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a curator in Louisiana may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level curator usually earns less than a senior-level curator. Additionally, a curator with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average curator salary

   $47,923yearly

   $23.04 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level curator salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

   Average curator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$63,752	$31
   2	Connecticut	$57,577	$28
   3	Pennsylvania	$57,236	$28
   4	Ohio	$55,560	$27
   5	Missouri	$54,546	$26
   6	Texas	$53,171	$26
   7	New York	$52,741	$25
   8	Arizona	$50,649	$24
   9	Minnesota	$49,855	$24
   10	Illinois	$49,306	$24
   11	Maryland	$49,110	$24
   12	Washington	$48,899	$24
   13	Massachusetts	$48,700	$23
   14	New Jersey	$47,583	$23
   15	Tennessee	$46,001	$22
   16	Utah	$45,813	$22
   17	Colorado	$44,277	$21
   18	Georgia	$44,147	$21
   19	New Mexico	$43,861	$21
   20	Michigan	$42,611	$20

   Average curator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$140,339	$67.47
   2	Meta	$129,671	$62.34
   3	Natera	$122,195	$58.75
   4	Avid	$112,696	$54.18
   5	Adobe	$109,479	$52.63
   6	The Art Institute of Chicago	$102,930	$49.49
   7	Corning Museum of Glass	$99,907	$48.03
   8	Intel	$97,949	$47.09
   9	The Metropolitan Museum of Art	$87,999	$42.31	2
   10	California College of the Arts	$87,747	$42.19
   11	Harvard University	$82,755	$39.79
   12	Buchanan & Edwards	$82,683	$39.75
   13	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	$81,985	$39.42
   14	New York University	$79,662	$38.30
   15	The University of Chicago	$79,123	$38.04
   16	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	$78,616	$37.80
   17	Yale University	$78,528	$37.75
   18	World Economic Forum	$78,259	$37.62
   19	Likewise Software	$76,802	$36.92
   20	The Museum of Modern Art	$76,737	$36.89

4. Writing a curator job description

   A job description for a curator role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a curator job description:

   Curator job description example

   The Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS), a publicly supported research center within the University of Kentucky (UK), is recruiting a Publication Resources Curator. Key position responsibilities include:
   
   1. Respond to customer requests, including assistance in material identification and completing payment transactions.
   
   2. Maintain the collection's physical and digital representations ensuring proper cataloging, housing, access, and description.
   3. Create and maintain collection utilization reports.
   
   4. Perform routine condition assessments of collection items, performing repairs as needed.
   
   5. Submit new KGS publications and datasets for DOI registration and dissemination.
   
   The ideal candidate will be a self-motivated, detail-oriented team player with strong communication skills. This position is eligible for healthcare benefits.
   
   The University of Kentucky considers the health, safety and well-being of our entire community to be a top priority. In alignment with this priority, all new hires must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or obtain an approved medical or religious exemption as a condition of employment. For areas that fall under the federal CMS mandate, start of employment cannot occur until two weeks after receiving the full COVID-19 vaccination series or upon obtaining an approved exemption. Only vaccines approved by the World Health Organization can be accepted.
   
   Skills / Knowledge / Abilities
   
   Customer and/or research service skills, teamwork, written and verbal communication, attention to detail, and organizational skills.
   
   Does this position have supervisory responsibilities? No Preferred Education/Experience
   
   Library Science and/or Research Data Management, MS Office Suite; research data management, library cataloging software, DOI registration, citation structure, Trelloor similar project management applications, MS Teams, Zoom, item-level metadata, and library classification systems.
   
   Deadline to Apply 10/30/2022 University Community of Inclusion
   
   The University of Kentucky is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce by ensuring all our students, faculty, and staff work in an environment of openness and acceptance. We strive to foster a community where people of all backgrounds, identities, and perspectives can feel secure and welcome. We also value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.
   
   As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we strongly encourage veterans, individuals with disabilities, women, and all minorities to consider our employment opportunities.
   
   Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right curator for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your curator job on Zippia to find and recruit curator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit curators, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new curator

   Once you've decided on a perfect curator candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new curator first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a curator?