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Job outlook for museum guides in the United States
Are museum guide jobs in demand?
Museum guide job and salary trends over time
Museum guide jobs over time
Museum guide job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 255 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 314 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 402 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 410 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 381 | 0.00% |
Average museum guide salary over time
Museum guide salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $26,914 | $12.94 | +6.7% |
| 2025 | $25,215 | $12.12 | +3.9% |
| 2024 | $24,274 | $11.67 | +3.1% |
| 2023 | $23,543 | $11.32 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $23,178 | $11.14 | +3.4% |
Museum guide jobs by state
Most common states for museum guides
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 11 | 1% |
| 2 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 10 | 1% |
| 3 | Alaska | 739,795 | 9 | 1% |
| 4 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 5 | 1% |
| 5 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 4 | 1% |
| 6 | California | 39,536,653 | 59 | 0% |
| 7 | Texas | 28,304,596 | 17 | 0% |
| 8 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 11 | 0% |
| 9 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 11 | 0% |
| 10 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 11 | 0% |
| 11 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 6 | 0% |
| 12 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 5 | 0% |
| 13 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 5 | 0% |
| 14 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 5 | 0% |
| 15 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 4 | 0% |
| 16 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 4 | 0% |
| 17 | Vermont | 623,657 | 2 | 0% |
| 18 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 2 | 0% |
| 19 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 0 | 0% |
| 20 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 0 | 0% |
Museum Guide job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of museum guide experts
Franklin and Marshall College
Southern University at New Orleans
Central Washington University
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
What general advice would you give to a Museum Guide?
Sally Shelton: The world of museums, libraries, galleries, and archives is wide-ranging and rapidly evolving. 21st-century skills are very much needed as we find new ways to manage our science, history, and heritage resources, in terms of both object care and information management. In addition, we are more aware than ever before of the complex issues surrounding objects removed from their country or culture of origin, and of the need for museums to be proactive and responsible in dealing with these issues. For example, to mention a few, provenance research and repatriation expertise have never been more important than they are now. Digital heritage issues and born-digital materials need a different and rapidly changing level of care and management, in ways that are different from the care and management of tangible materials. At the same time, tangible objects and records also need care, and there is no substitute for hard-copy records. Museums are also strengthening their roles as keepers of intangible heritage: the documentation of the cultures and contexts that give objects their significance and meaning. So the 21st-century museum professional needs to be attuned to community and cultural concerns just as much as they are to physical and digital management of resources. Finally, funding will most likely always be a concern for the survival of our institutions. Keeping them relevant, valuable, and important to their communities and audiences without compromising their core values will always be the balance that we need to find. Grantwriting, creating marketable programs, and finding other sources of funding should be dynamic parts of managing the institution.
What Museum Guide skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Sally Shelton: If you have the opportunity prior to or just after graduation, take some time to become familiar with a museum beyond just visiting, whether that's through volunteering, doing a museum-based project as part of a class, or leading a program. Learning how museums work, and how much goes on behind the scenes, will help you decide what aspects of museum work you'd like to explore. What you see in exhibits and public programs is just the tip of the iceberg. You may discover that you want to work with collections and research, or that you have a talent for teaching and public outreach, or that you have the vision to design meaningful exhibits. Look at museums in your field of interest, but don't limit yourself to that. People working in museums come from many different backgrounds, fields of expertise, skills, and talents. Knowing something about how museums work and what they do can help you decide what further education and training you may want to pursue as part of getting into this field. One of the most important things to do at the beginning is to proactively build networks in the field. Joining professional associations gives you access to meetings, webinars, workshops, and other positive experiences that can help you keep up with evolving standards and best practices in the field. You also meet people at all ages and stages of life and experience, and there is much to share and learn on both sides. The size of the institution you work in does not matter nearly as much as the professionalism of it.
What will help Museum Guides increase their earning potential?
Sally Shelton: Find ways to strengthen and broaden your skills and knowledge in ways that benefit both you and the institution. Go outside your comfort zone: if you are a collections person, for example, you should look into what it takes to teach public programs, or create an exhibit. If you plan to work in public-facing aspects of the museum, take some time to learn about your collections and how they are managed. Don't focus only on one institution's needs; look for education and training opportunities that enhance your professional qualifications long-term. Museums today are in a time of change and reinvention. If your institution is using outdated IT approaches, for example, can you be the person who brings it forward? If the public programs being offered by an institution are not attracting many participants, can you be the person who helps create newer and better programs? Sometimes you can't make the changes that need to be made because the institution is not open to change, and this is really unfortunate. But if you have acquired the skills and knowledge to make these kinds of changes, you will make yourself valuable to an institution that does see the way forward. So invest in yourself with ongoing education and training opportunities, and remember that not all institutions are going to be a good fit for everyone. Keep looking forward, and keep a good record of everything you have learned, or done, or contributed.
What type of skills will young Museum Guides need?
M. Alison Kibler Ph.D.: The key for today's graduate is to come ready with relevant skills and experience. A college degree without relevant skills and experience will just not be as sufficient as in previous years to land that first, post-graduate role.
Creativity, proactivity along with strong communication skills and intellectual grit to anticipate and respond proactively to the unexpected are the competencies most prized in today's labor market. Showing that one worked through the pandemic, and even pursued additional skills and experiences relevant to a role or field, will make a graduate stand out from among their less prepared and proactive peers.
In the last class of American Studies graduates (class of 2020), I saw some students take a new path to a job. For example, one student had an internship where she worked remotely for a digital marketing firm. This then became a full-time job after graduation. Another student had worked on legal research (also remote) over the summer and in her senior seminar, and then got a job as a legal assistant in the New York DA's office. She hopes to ultimately go to law school. This is a job that other AMS alumni have secured in the past. Other students got jobs as community organizers, teachers, museum curators and entry-level business positions. These paths seemed largely the same as in the past. All built on course work and/or internships where they developed skills and deepened interest in topics. The student that went to work as a community organizer, for example, had done a senior research project on homelessness.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Museum Guides?
Dr. Haitham Eid Ph.D.: Absolutely! Those who graduate during the COVID-19 pandemic will endure emotional, financial, and social impacts. What is even more concerning is that these impacts will be felt more profoundly among graduates with minority backgrounds, as many of them lack the resources and support systems to help them navigate these difficult times. This can cause the social and economic inqequalities that already exist to become even more pronounced, which may take many years to reverse.
The situation for graduates with a degree in museum studies may be much worse, as the museum sector faces one of the most devastating financial crises in its history. But I encourage young museum professionals not to be discouraged and to look at this challenge as an opportunity to distinguish themselves. Since the pandemic started in March 2020, museums have accelerated their digital transformation, like many other industries have, to carry out their missions. This digital transformation creates a work environment that favors candidates who are technologically savvy and skilled - a need that puts many young and new graduates at an advantage.
What type of skills will young Museum Guides need?
Dr. Haitham Eid Ph.D.: Young graduates need to demonstrate their ability to think critically, solve complex problems, and be a self-starter. Also, having a collaborative and adaptive mindset can be very helpful in today's COVID-19 environment. Of course, improving the candidate's digital skills (e.g. learning new software and managing social media platforms) can significantly enhance their job prospects. Above all else, however, is having a positive attitude and making personal connections with potential employers. One must have both in order to land a job, especially in the museum sector.
What experience really stands out on Museum Guide resumes?
Dr. Haitham Eid Ph.D.: For young graduates who are interested in entering the museum workforce, volunteer work and internship experience are crucial in demonstrating the candidate's commitment to the field. Resumes that include specific projects and the candidate's role in these projects tend to stand out. The ability to connect with the local community, understand their needs, recognize the social role of museums, attract external funding, and write successful grant proposals can bring considerable attention to the candidate's resume.
Jessica A. Mayhew Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorCentral Washington University
Anthropology and Museum Studies
What Museum Guide skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jessica A. Mayhew Ph.D.: Primatologists are always looking for new ways to incorporate different kinds of technology into their research projects, and I only see the enhances in tech enhancing the kind of data we collect and propelling the kinds of questions we are able to ask and answer. Scientists are often at the forefront of using existing technology in novel ways, so I'm optimistic and enthusiastic about how much primatologists can gain by partnering with tech companies or learning new software and skills.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Museum Guides in the next 3-5 years?
Jessica A. Mayhew Ph.D.: COVID-19 has certainly disrupted all of our plans, and in our field, that means setbacks to field research or working at institutions that house vulnerable primate populations. In the immediate, it has taught us to be flexible and think on our feet. Even the best-laid plans do not always go as we intended and that's OK! This shouldn't be considered a failure. There's an art to just rolling with it and finding a productive way through a situation to the other side. Over the long-term, I think we will settle back into a routine that looks more like it used to with the potential now for more online coursework and virtual meetings and increased empathy among us all that there are many ways to participate and collaborate.
Lois Silverman Ph.D.
Professor of Museum Studies, Public Scholar of Museum EducationIndiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
Museum Studies Program, IU School of Liberal Arts
How do you envision technology impacting Museum Guides in the next 5 years?
Lois Silverman Ph.D.: At their core, museums aim to be participatory institutions of communication, storytelling, and community engagement. Technology is playing a critical role in expanding museums' reach and impact. From holographic history exhibits to virtual reality-based immersive art experiences, technology enhances museums' work in many ways. For example, since the pandemic hit, museum-digital learning has exploded.
Many museums now offer virtual tours and programs that reach families at home, teachers with online students, older adults in nursing homes, healthcare workers, and others. Technology has opened new opportunities for people to contribute their own stories and objects to museum collections and exhibits. Studies have shown that public views museums as the most trustworthy source of information in America. In the next five years, I expect even more technological applications that will successfully remove barriers so that people of all backgrounds, situations, and abilities can enjoy and help create the next age of museums.