Data current as of August 2026 · sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET
Average base salary, Oklahoma
$66,000 / year
≈ $5,500 per month · $31.73 per hour
BLS May 2025 state data for Oklahoma · median $62,500
25th percentile
$49,000Average
$66,00075th percentile
$78,000
$49,000Average
$66,00075th percentile
$78,000
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Curator salary by state
Alabama$67,000
Alaska$74,000
Arizona$74,000
Arkansas$69,500
California$89,500
Colorado$79,000
Connecticut$85,500
Delaware$64,000
District of Columbia$104,000
Florida$70,000
Georgia$65,500
Hawaii$63,000
Idaho$60,000
Illinois$71,500
Indiana$61,500
Iowa$56,500
Kansas$64,000
Kentucky$61,500
Louisiana$68,000
Maine$60,500
Maryland$74,500
Massachusetts$84,500
Michigan$72,000
Minnesota$61,000
Mississippi$47,000
Missouri$69,500
Montana$57,000
Nebraska$64,000
Nevada$72,000
New Hampshire$82,500
New Jersey$80,500
New Mexico$65,000
New York$94,000
North Carolina$59,500
Ohio$72,500
Oklahoma$66,000
Oregon$68,000
Pennsylvania$71,500
Rhode Island$85,500
South Carolina$57,500
South Dakota$77,500
Tennessee$63,500
Texas$67,000
Utah$64,500
Vermont$60,000
Virginia$68,500
Washington$80,000
Wisconsin$73,500
Wyoming$62,500
About this role
Curator is a professional role within the function in the Educational Instruction and Library job family.
Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.
What Curators do
Typical education: Master's Degree
- Plan and organize the acquisition, storage, and exhibition of collections and related materials, including the selection of exhibition themes and designs, and develop or install exhibit materials.
- Develop and maintain an institution's registration, cataloging, and basic record-keeping systems, using computer databases.
- Plan and conduct special research projects in area of interest or expertise.
- Provide information from the institution's holdings to other curators and to the public.
- Negotiate and authorize purchase, sale, exchange, or loan of collections.
Top skills: Speaking Reading Comprehension Writing Active Listening Critical Thinking Complex Problem Solving
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Curator pay by experience level
Entry level$42,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$50,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$65,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$86,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$111,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+7%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
1,800
projected openings per year
Growing about as fast as average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Curator salary by industry
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions
6,700 workers
$72,500Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions
6,700 workers
$72,500Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS
2,490 workers
$74,500Educational Services
1,890 workers
$78,500Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
1,750 workers
$79,500Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
1,270 workers
$69,500Educational Services, Privately Owned
980 workers
$80,500State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
870 workers
$69,000Educational Services, State Government Owned
830 workers
$77,500Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
350 workers
$106,000National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Curator pays 16% below the average across 65 roles in the Educational Instruction and Library job family (family average $88,500).
Similar-paying roles in Educational Instruction and Library
Careers related to Curator
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Curator make?
The average base salary for a Curator in the United States is $74,000 per year, or about $35.58 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $50,500 and $86,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Educational Instruction and Library roles?
The Educational Instruction and Library job family averages $88,500 across 65 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
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