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Curatorial assistant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a curatorial assistant. Curatorial assistants usually study fine arts, history, or anthropology. 78% of curatorial assistants hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 963 real curatorial assistant resumes to see exactly what curatorial assistant education sections show.
The most common colleges for curatorial assistants are the New York University and the New York University.
There are also many online curatorial assistant courses to help get the education required to be a curatorial assistant.
What education do you need to become a curatorial assistant?
What degree do you need to be a curatorial assistant?
- Bachelor's, 78%
- Master's, 13%
- Associate, 5%
- High School Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a curatorial assistant?
- Fine Arts, 34%
- History, 13%
- Anthropology, 8%
- Biology, 7%
- Other Majors, 38%
Most common colleges for curatorial assistants
| Curatorial assistant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| New York University | 8.91% |
| Wayne State University | 6.93% |
| University of California, Berkeley | 6.93% |
| University of New Mexico | 6.93% |
| School of the Art Institute of Chicago | 5.94% |
Best majors for curatorial assistants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fine Arts | 34.4% |
| 2 | History | 12.8% |
| 3 | Anthropology | 7.8% |
| 4 | Biology | 6.9% |
| 5 | Photography | 4.1% |
Best colleges for curatorial assistants
The best colleges for curatorial assistants are Harvard University, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.
A curatorial assistant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for curatorial assistants. 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 curatorial assistants.
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
3. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$54,104
Enrollment
7,089
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
5. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
6. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
8. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
9. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
10. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
20 best online courses for curatorial assistants
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8. Photoshop and Photography Digital Art Compositing Course
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10. Sexing the Canvas: Art and Gender
What do paintings tell us about sex? How is art gendered? In this course we will study some of the world’s most beloved pictures guided by expert curators and art historians who step outside of the square, bringing a gendered reading to the masterpieces contained in the magnificent collections that we have been lucky enough to bring to the Coursera platform. In this course you will learn how: * Gender and sexuality is an integral part of the production and reception of works of art * To...
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12. The Art of Seeing Photography training for the Artist in you
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13. Modern Art & Ideas
Welcome to Modern Art & Ideas! This course is designed for anyone interested in learning more about modern and contemporary art. Over the next five weeks, you will look at art through a variety of themes: Places & Spaces, Art & Identity, Transforming Everyday Objects, and Art & Society. Each week kicks off with a video that connects works of art from The Museum of Modern Art’s collection to the theme. You will hear audio interviews with artists, designers, and curators and learn more about...
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20. Art History Prehistory to the Renaissance
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Top 10 most affordable universities for curatorial assistants
The most affordable schools for curatorial assistants are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and baruch college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for curatorial assistants 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 curatorial assistants.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
3. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
4. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
7. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
8. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
9. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
10. Dickinson State University
Dickinson, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$6,768
Cost of attendance
15,506
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for curatorial assistants
The hardest universities for curatorial assistants to get into are Harvard University, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.
Some great schools for curatorial assistants 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 curatorial assistants 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. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
5. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,456
6. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
7. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
8. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
9. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
10. Tufts University
Medford, MA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,461
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for curatorial assistants
The easiest schools for curatorial assistants to get into are Barry University, notre dame de namur university, and notre dame college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a curatorial assistant 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 curatorial assistants.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
3. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
4. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
5. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
6. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
7. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
8. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
9. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
10. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
Average curatorial assistant salary by education level
| Curatorial assistant education level | Curatorial assistant salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $55,447 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $50,903 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $53,570 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $51,482 |
Curatorial assistant education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025