Curator salary
From 100 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 25-4012: Curators
- Also filed as: Assistant Curator
At a glance
- Mostly Level I (entry-level). 31% of Curator filings are Level I, compared with 19% across all H-1B filings.
- Median up 30% since FY2020. From $61,776 in FY2020 to $80,000 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Curator H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 100 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Curator jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 25-4012, Curators). The median base salary is $80,000, 35% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $66,518 and $94,859. The most common wage level is Level I (entry-level), at 31% of filings.
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Enter the base salary in your offer. We compare it with certified H-1B filings for Curator jobs, nationally or in one metro area.
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 31% of filings
Mid-level · 31% of filings
Senior · 16% of filings
Expert · 22% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $66,518 | 29 |
| Level II · Qualified | $81,182 | 29 |
| Level III · Experienced | $93,000 | 15 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $121,500 | 20 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Curator pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 1 metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $81,182 | 29 |
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Curator does
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.
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Study, examine, and test acquisitions to authenticate their origin, composition, history, and to assess their current value.
Preparation
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
O*NET occupation: Curators (25-4012.00). This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Curators), the median annual wage was $63,420 in May 2025, with 12,150 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $80,000, 26% higher.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $56,338 | $40,470 |
| 25th percentile | $66,518 | $48,870 |
| Median | $80,000 | $63,420 |
| 75th percentile | $94,859 | $83,080 |
| 90th percentile | $150,200 | $107,140 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $56,338 |
| 25th | $66,518 |
| 50th (median) | $80,000 |
| 75th | $94,859 |
| 90th | $150,200 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $61,776 | $52,000 | $89,798 | 56 |
| FY2021 | $63,245 | $55,363 | $88,857 | 58 |
| FY2022 | $75,625 | $60,000 | $100,452 | 64 |
| FY2023 | $70,000 | $53,750 | $83,000 | 55 |
| FY2024 | $80,000 | $65,000 | $99,200 | 61 |
| FY2025 | $80,000 | $62,600 | $92,250 | 69 |
| FY2026 | $80,000 | $66,992 | $95,000 | 31 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Curator make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Curator jobs is $80,000 (100 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $66,518 and $94,859.
What does an entry-level Curator earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $66,518. Level I accounts for 31% of Curator filings.
Do H-1B Curators earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($80,000) is 26% higher than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($63,420, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.