The average salary for a museum conservator in California is around $59,380 per year.
Avg Salary
Museum conservators earn an average yearly salary of $59,380.
Wages typically start from $34,830 and go up to $77,500.
27% below national average Updated in 2021
Museum conservator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level museum conservator earnings begin at:
$37.26 per hour
$77,500 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level museum conservator earnings begin at:
$31.50 per hour
$65,530 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level museum conservator earnings begin at:
$28.55 per hour
$59,380 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level museum conservator earnings begin at:
$21.12 per hour
$43,930 per year
10th percentile
Starting level museum conservator earnings begin at:
$16.74 per hour
$34,830 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Museum conservator salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $75,170 |
| Maryland | $62,790 |
| New York | $62,790 |
| Massachusetts | $60,980 |
| California | $59,380 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,570 |
| Illinois | $48,320 |
| Hawaii | $48,200 |
| Wyoming | $48,000 |
| New Jersey | $47,970 |
| Connecticut | $47,960 |
| Washington | $47,750 |
| Rhode Island | $47,740 |
| Maine | $47,670 |
| Colorado | $47,360 |
| Ohio | $47,030 |
| Alaska | $46,910 |
| Oregon | $46,140 |
| Iowa | $45,520 |
| Arkansas | $45,140 |
| Georgia | $44,570 |
| Missouri | $43,240 |
| New Mexico | $40,240 |
| Minnesota | $38,900 |
| Arizona | $38,790 |
| Wisconsin | $38,550 |
| Delaware | $37,990 |
| Nebraska | $37,950 |
| Indiana | $37,900 |
| Kansas | $37,810 |
| Florida | $37,750 |
| North Carolina | $37,750 |
| Nevada | $37,520 |
| Texas | $37,440 |
| Alabama | $37,280 |
| Tennessee | $36,760 |
| Utah | $36,330 |
| Virginia | $36,330 |
| Michigan | $35,670 |
| Vermont | $34,780 |
| South Carolina | $34,300 |
| Louisiana | $33,850 |
| Idaho | $32,060 |
| South Dakota | $30,880 |
| Oklahoma | $30,470 |
| Kentucky | $29,790 |
| Montana | $27,140 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,860 |
How do museum conservator salaries compare to similar careers?
Museum conservators earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than art therapists but more than humanitarians.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Art therapist salary | $79K |
| Graphic designer salary | $62K |
| Craft artist salary | $55K |
| Camera operator salary | $54K |
| Exhibit designer salary | $57K |
| Museum conservator salary | $59K |
| Photographer salary | $47K |
| Precious metal worker salary | $49K |
| Projectionist salary | $56K |
| Humanitarian salary | $46K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)