How long does it take to become a curator?

Typically about six years of study in total. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.

How much do curators make?

The US median is $63,420 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.

Do you need a degree to become a curator?

Yes — a degree is the usual way in.

Where can you train to become a curator?

413 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

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How to become a curator

Education · SOC 25-4012

$63,420US median pay, 2025

+4.9%Projected growth, 2025–35

1,600Openings per year

DegreeUsual way in

How you get in

A degree is the usual way in.

Master's degree
Work as a curator

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

Program	Code	Schools
Art History, Criticism and Conservation	CIP 50.0703	354
Museology/Museum Studies	CIP 30.1401	78
Public/Applied History	CIP 54.0105	45
Digital Humanities	CIP 30.5202	9
Digital Humanities and Textual Studies, General	CIP 30.5201	1
Textual Studies	CIP 30.5203	1

See the 413 schools that offer these programs →

Common questions

How long does it take to become a curator?: Typically about six years of study in total. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.
How much do curators make?: The US median is $63,420 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.
Do you need a degree to become a curator?: Yes — a degree is the usual way in.
Where can you train to become a curator?: 413 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

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