Curators
SOC Code: 25-4012 Job Zone 5: Extensive Preparation Needed
Administer collections, such as artwork, collectibles, historic items, or scientific specimens of museums or other institutions. May conduct instructional, research, or public service activities of institution.
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Prevailing Wage Levels (National)
DOL/OFLC prevailing wage thresholds for Curators. Hourly rates x 2,080 = annual.
FY2027 Weighted Lottery Impact
| Level | Lottery Entries | Est. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (Entry) | 1 entry | ~16% |
| Level II (Qualified) | 2 entries | ~31% |
| Level III (Experienced) | 3 entries | ~45% |
| Level IV (Expert) | 4 entries | ~61% |
Prevailing Wages by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $54,538 | $81,182 | $107,806 | $134,451 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $50,648 | $74,318 | $97,989 | $121,659 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $50,211 | $74,006 | $97,822 | $121,618 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | $47,819 | $72,030 | $96,262 | $120,474 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $49,462 | $72,925 | $96,366 | $119,829 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $62,254 | $81,245 | $100,214 | $119,205 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $66,518 | $82,451 | $98,405 | $114,338 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $48,318 | $70,054 | $91,811 | $113,547 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $63,419 | $79,789 | $96,158 | $112,528 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $62,608 | $78,770 | $94,910 | $111,072 |
H-1B Filing Data
Top H-1B Employers
| Employer | Filings | Avg Wage |
|---|---|---|
| The Metropolitan Museum of Art | 9 | $132,700 |
| THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART | 8 | $156,026 |
| Smithsonian Institution | 7 | $92,347 |
| The J. Paul Getty Trust | 7 | $110,646 |
| The New York Botanical Garden | 5 | $87,550 |
| Museum of Fine Arts, Boston | 5 | $98,672 |
| The Art Institute of Chicago | 5 | $81,033 |
| The Field Museum of Natural History | 5 | $58,217 |
| Sothebys, Inc. | 3 | $91,667 |
| Sotheby’s, Inc. | 3 | $71,328 |
Filing Trend
| Year | Filings | Avg Wage |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 5 | $115,705 |
| 2021 | 14 | $87,213 |
| 2022 | 13 | $90,704 |
| 2023 | 32 | $79,636 |
| 2024 | 68 | $92,318 |
| 2025 | 84 | $91,390 |
| 2026 | 10 | $108,169 |
Key Skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking | 4.0 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 | |
| Writing | 3.9 | |
| Active Listening | 3.9 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.6 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.5 | |
| Active Learning | 3.5 | |
| Systems Analysis | 3.4 | |
| Monitoring | 3.4 |
Knowledge Areas
| Knowledge | Importance |
|---|---|
| English Language | 4.6 |
| History and Archeology | 4.5 |
| Fine Arts | 3.8 |
| Administration and Management | 3.3 |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 3.3 |
| Communications and Media | 3.2 |
| Administrative | 3.1 |
| Education and Training | 3.1 |
Education Requirements
| Education Level | % of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 44.0% |
| Post-first professional | 34.8% |
| Master's degree | 8.1% |
| Bachelor's degree | 6.1% |
| Post-secondary certificate | 3.4% |
| Other | 2.1% |
| Associate's degree | 1.5% |
Typical Tasks
- Develop and maintain an institution's registration, cataloging, and basic record-keeping systems, using computer databases.
- Provide information from the institution's holdings to other curators and to the public.
- Inspect premises to assess the need for repairs and to ensure that climate and pest control issues are addressed.
- Train and supervise curatorial, fiscal, technical, research, and clerical staff, as well as volunteers or interns.
- Negotiate and authorize purchase, sale, exchange, or loan of collections.
- Plan and conduct special research projects in area of interest or expertise.
- Confer with the board of directors to formulate and interpret policies, to determine budget requirements, and to plan overall operations.
- Attend meetings, conventions, and civic events to promote use of institution's services, to seek financing, and to maintain community alliances.
Technology Skills
Green = Hot Technology in demand
Adobe Acrobat Adobe Creative Cloud software Adobe Illustrator Adobe InDesign Adobe Photoshop Apple macOS Autodesk AutoCAD Extensible markup language XML Facebook Linux Microsoft Access Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint
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