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Museum director salary
Average museum director salary
$73,554
Average Museum Director Salary
The average Museum Director salary is $73,554 per year or approximately $35 per hour. This figure can vary significantly depending on factors such as geographical location, years of experience, and the specific type of museum. Directors in larger urban areas typically earn higher salaries compared to those in smaller towns.
Where Can a Museum Director Earn More?
States like California and New York often report the highest salaries for museum directors, reflecting the higher cost of living and greater funding for cultural institutions. For instance, directors in these states can command salaries exceeding $90,000 annually.
Salary Estimates from Across the Web
Various job platforms provide valuable data on museum director salaries, indicating a diverse range of compensation packages. According to recent surveys, museum directors with extensive experience or those overseeing large institutions tend to see significant increases in their earnings.
Average Salary by State
- California: $80,000+
- New York: $85,000+
- Texas: $70,000+
- Florida: $65,000+
In conclusion, exploring salary insights and trends in the museum sector can aid prospective museum directors in making informed career decisions.
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Where can a Museum Director earn more?
Museum director salary estimates from across the web
Average museum director salary by state
The highest-paying states for museum directors are California, Alaska, and Rhode Island. The lowest average museum director salary states are Louisiana, Florida, and North Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for museum directors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $120,023 | $57.70 |
| 2 | Delaware | $95,481 | $45.90 |
| 3 | Alaska | $103,635 | $49.82 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $101,451 | $48.77 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $83,513 | $40.15 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $97,696 | $46.97 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $98,500 | $47.36 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $96,995 | $46.63 |
| 9 | Nevada | $92,815 | $44.62 |
| 10 | Oregon | $95,068 | $45.71 |
| 11 | Maine | $89,489 | $43.02 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $83,803 | $40.29 |
| 13 | Vermont | $82,052 | $39.45 |
| 14 | Oklahoma | $76,115 | $36.59 |
| 15 | Virginia | $89,789 | $43.17 |
| 16 | Washington | $84,194 | $40.48 |
| 17 | Arizona | $87,134 | $41.89 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $80,581 | $38.74 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $80,251 | $38.58 |
| 20 | New York | $81,147 | $39.01 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $77,000 | $37.02 |
| 22 | Idaho | $78,222 | $37.61 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $82,474 | $39.65 |
| 24 | Ohio | $81,120 | $39.00 |
| 25 | Utah | $79,257 | $38.10 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $77,417 | $37.22 |
| 27 | Indiana | $77,089 | $37.06 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $75,415 | $36.26 |
| 29 | Texas | $80,283 | $38.60 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $75,540 | $36.32 |
| 31 | Georgia | $73,427 | $35.30 |
| 32 | Alabama | $66,034 | $31.75 |
| 33 | New Jersey | $73,427 | $35.30 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $65,038 | $31.27 |
| 35 | Kansas | $72,103 | $34.66 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $63,814 | $30.68 |
| 37 | Maryland | $75,796 | $36.44 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $73,198 | $35.19 |
| 39 | Illinois | $68,544 | $32.95 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $74,301 | $35.72 |
| 41 | Colorado | $75,674 | $36.38 |
| 42 | Montana | $66,536 | $31.99 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $60,934 | $29.30 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $57,740 | $27.76 |
| 45 | Missouri | $64,857 | $31.18 |
| 46 | Florida | $63,003 | $30.29 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $64,233 | $30.88 |
| 48 | Michigan | $65,346 | $31.42 |
| 49 | North Carolina | $61,497 | $29.57 |
| 50 | Iowa | $65,650 | $31.56 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $61,113 | $29.38 |
Highest paying cities for museum directors
The highest-paying cities for museum directors are San Jose, CA, Portland, OR, and Minneapolis, MN.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $124,448 | $59.83 |
| 2 | Portland, OR | $94,547 | $45.46 |
| 3 | Minneapolis, MN | $82,471 | $39.65 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $81,322 | $39.10 |
| 5 | Springfield, OH | $79,016 | $37.99 |
| 6 | Harrisburg, PA | $76,923 | $36.98 |
| 7 | Boulder, CO | $75,592 | $36.34 |
| 8 | LaGrange, GA | $72,803 | $35.00 |
| 9 | Manhattan, KS | $72,237 | $34.73 |
| 10 | Dearborn, MI | $65,460 | $31.47 |
| 11 | Little Rock, AR | $64,008 | $30.77 |
Museum director salary details
A museum director's salary ranges from $40,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $134,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a museum director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $134,000 | $11,167 | $64 |
| 75th Percentile | $101,000 | $8,417 | $49 |
| Average | $73,554 | $6,130 | $35 |
| 25th Percentile | $53,000 | $4,417 | $25 |
| 10th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
Highest paying museum director jobs
The highest paying types of museum directors are executive director, director of exhibits, and ancient art curator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curator | $47,923 | $3,994 | $23.04 | 432 |
| Membership Director | $52,493 | $4,374 | $25.24 | 22,430 |
| Museum Curator | $44,309 | $3,692 | $21.30 | 413 |
Which companies pay museum directors the most?
Museum director salaries at University of Southern California and Michigan State University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average museum director salary at companies like University of Colorado Boulder and Pennsylvania State Treasurer are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Southern California | $84,584 | $40.67 |
| 2 | Michigan State University | $81,766 | $39.31 |
| 3 | University of Colorado Boulder | $75,142 | $36.13 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania State Treasurer | $72,174 | $34.70 |
| 5 | Colorado State Express | $72,174 | $34.70 |
| 6 | Access International, Inc. | $72,174 | $34.70 |
| 7 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $71,360 | $34.31 |
| 8 | Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania | $57,413 | $27.60 |
| 9 | State Of South Dakota | $53,905 | $25.92 |
| 10 | Kansas State University | $52,040 | $25.02 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Museum director salary trends
The average museum director salary has risen by $10,571 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average museum director earned $62,983 annually, but today, they earn $73,554 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for museum directors over the last decade.
Compare museum director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average museum director salary over time
Compare museum director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Museum director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $73,600 | $35.36 | +4.2% |
| 2025 | $70,400 | $33.86 | +1.4% |
| 2024 | $69,400 | $33.37 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | $69,400 | $33.36 | +0.8% |
| 2022 | $68,900 | $33.11 | +3.4% |
Recently added museum director salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compass Group USA Inc. | Catering Director-The Cleveland Museum of Art | Cleveland, OH | 06/26/2025 | $70,000 |
| State of Florida | DOS-Director, Museum of FL History | Tallahassee, FL | 05/24/2025 | $57,500 |
| Washington County | Museum Director | Leeds, UT | 04/18/2025 | $55,000 |
| UCI Health | Museum Director | Irvine, CA | 03/25/2025 | $275,000 |
| Space Foundation | Director of Museum Operations | Colorado Springs, CO | 03/18/2025 | $95,000 |
| City of Farmington, Nm | Museum Director | Farmington, NM | 02/24/2025 | $66,220 |
| Midwestmuseums.org | Assistant Museum Director/Chief Curator | Tony, WI | 02/20/2025 | $71,584 |
| UCI | Museum Director | Irvine, CA | 02/18/2025 | $184,800 |
| Akla | Library Museum Director | Seward, AK | 02/18/2025 | $78,555 |
| Notify Me | Museum Director | Farmington, NM | 02/17/2025 | $66,220 |
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