Exhibit preparator vs conservator

The differences between exhibit preparators and conservators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an exhibit preparator and a conservator. Additionally, an exhibit preparator has an average salary of $59,236, which is higher than the $46,396 average annual salary of a conservator.

The top three skills for an exhibit preparator include museum exhibits, exhibition design and art objects. The most important skills for a conservator are social security, condition reports, and photographic documentation.

Exhibit preparator vs conservator overview

	Exhibit Preparator	Conservator
Yearly salary	$59,236	$46,396
Hourly rate	$28.48	$22.31
Growth rate	12%	12%
Number of jobs	78	79
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 78%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

Exhibit preparator vs conservator salary

Exhibit preparators and conservators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Exhibit Preparator	Conservator
Average salary	$59,236	$46,396
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $132,000	Between $25,000 And $86,000
Highest paying City	-	Anchorage, AK
Highest paying state	-	Connecticut
Best paying company	-	The Mariners' Museum and Park
Best paying industry	-	Non Profits

Differences between exhibit preparator and conservator education

There are a few differences between an exhibit preparator and a conservator in terms of educational background:

	Exhibit Preparator	Conservator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 78%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Most common major	Fine Arts	Fine Arts
Most common college	Harvard University	University of Maryland - College Park

Exhibit preparator vs conservator demographics

Here are the differences between exhibit preparators' and conservators' demographics:

	Exhibit Preparator	Conservator
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 52.4% Female, 47.6%	Male, 35.1% Female, 64.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 5.2% Asian, 3.5% White, 81.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%	Black or African American, 5.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.0% Asian, 4.9% White, 77.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%
LGBT Percentage	13%	13%

Differences between exhibit preparator and conservator duties and responsibilities

Exhibit preparator example responsibilities.

Conduct tours of the anthropology and paleontology museums * Write/edit exhibit- and art show-relate materials
Control exhibits that require oversight in the financial department.

Conservator example responsibilities.

Create initial inventory of finances and physical items own by estate and submit to probate court.
Analyze prehistoric and historic cultural artifacts, including data entry for cataloging.
Design costumes and usher for mainstage productions.
Perform archeological field excavations and laboratory analysis.

Exhibit preparator vs conservator skills

Common exhibit preparator skills

Museum Exhibits, 47%
Exhibition Design, 30%
Art Objects, 14%
Natural History, 9%

Common conservator skills

Social Security, 17%
Condition Reports, 14%
Photographic Documentation, 12%
Condition Assessment, 12%
Conservation Lab, 11%
Conservation Treatments, 10%

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Exhibit Preparator vs Conservator

Updated January 8, 2025

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