How to Become a Museum Technician / Conservator
Prepare, care for and restore objects and exhibits in museums, galleries and collections. It typically requires a bachelor's degree, with a median salary of $51,440 per year and faster than average projected job growth.
Median pay
$51,440/yr
Middle half
$41,050 to $67,640
Job growth
Faster than average
Openings / yr
1,900
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Conservation Techniques
- Attention to Detail
- Research
- Manual Dexterity
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Frequently asked questions
How much does a Museum Technician / Conservator make?
The median pay for a Museum Technician / Conservator is $51,440 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $41,050 and $67,640 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a Museum Technician / Conservator?
The usual entry point is a bachelor's degree. Common majors are Art History, History, and Fine Arts.
Is Museum Technician / Conservator a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is faster than average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 1,900 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a Museum Technician / Conservator use most?
Common skills for this role are Conservation Techniques, Attention to Detail, Research, and Manual Dexterity.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).