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Curator of photography and prints education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a curator of photography and prints. Curators of photography and prints usually study photography, graphic design, or history. 64% of curators of photography and prints hold a bachelor's degree, and 36% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 30 real curator of photography and prints resumes to see exactly what curator of photography and prints education sections show.

The most common colleges for curators of photography and prints are the University of Southern Maine and the University of Southern Maine.

There are also many online curator of photography and prints courses to help get the education required to be a curator of photography and prints.

What education do you need to become a curator of photography and prints?

What degree do you need to be a curator of photography and prints?

  • Bachelor's, 64%
  • Associate, 36%

What should I major in to become a curator of photography and prints?

You should major in photography to become a curator of photography and prints. 42% of curators of photography and prints major in photography. Other common majors for a curator of photography and prints include graphic design and history.

Most common colleges for curators of photography and prints

Curators of photography and prints often get their degrees at University of Southern Maine, Purdue University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Here are the most common colleges for curators of photography and prints in the US based on their resumes.
Curator of photography and prints common collegePercentages
University of Southern Maine9.09%
Purdue University9.09%
Massachusetts Institute of Technology9.09%
Southeastern Louisiana University9.09%
University of California, Santa Cruz9.09%

Best majors for curators of photography and prints

RankMajorPercentages
1Photography42.1%
2Graphic Design10.5%
3History10.5%
4Fine Arts5.3%
5Astronomy And Astrophysics5.3%

Best colleges for curators of photography and prints

The best colleges for curators of photography and prints are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and Harvard University.

A curator of photography and prints with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for curators of photography and prints. 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 curators of photography and prints.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

2. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

5. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

In-state tuition

$53,430

Enrollment

5,963

6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

7. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

8. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

9. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

10. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

20 best online courses for curators of photography and prints

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Top 10 most affordable universities for curators of photography and prints

The most affordable schools for curators of photography and prints are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and fashion institute of technology.

If the best universities for curators of photography and prints 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 curators of photography and prints.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$5,740

Cost of attendance

17,864

4. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

7. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

8. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

9. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

10. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for curators of photography and prints

The hardest universities for curators of photography and prints to get into are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and Harvard University.

Some great schools for curators of photography and prints 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 curators of photography and prints 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. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

3. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

4. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,517

5. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

6. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

7. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

8. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

9. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

10. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for curators of photography and prints

The easiest schools for curators of photography and prints to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, notre dame de namur university, and university of the incarnate word.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a curator of photography and prints 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 curators of photography and prints.

1. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

4. Bluefield College

Bluefield, VA • Private

Admissions rate

95%

SAT average

980

5. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

6. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

7. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

8. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

9. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

10. Grand View University

Des Moines, IA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,060

Average curator of photography and prints salary by education level

According to our data, curators of photography and prints with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $55,950 annually. Curators of photography and prints with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $46,515.
Curator of photography and prints education levelCurator of photography and prints salary
Master's Degree$55,950
Bachelor's Degree$46,515

Curator of photography and prints 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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