Careers · Explore one path
Curators
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.
Other titles employers use
Collections Curator · Collections Manager · Curator · Education Curator · Exhibitions Curator · Exhibits Curator · Museum Curator · Photography Curator
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- 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.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to organizing, persuading and helping work.
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
- Persuading
- Leading, selling, starting projects, or making a case
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Complex Problem Solving
Subjects to know
- English Language
- History and Archeology
- Fine Arts
- Administration and Management
- Sociology and Anthropology
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Written Expression
- Deductive Reasoning
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 2.8 | Largely your own space |
| On your feet | 2.5 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.6 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 2.4 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a master's degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A master's degree 52%
- A doctorate or professional degree 37%
- A four-year degree 6%
- A certificate or some college 3%
- A two-year degree 2%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Graphics or photo imaging software
- Object or component oriented development software
- Operating system software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Office suite software
- Web page creation and editing software
- Document management software
- Desktop publishing software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 2,030
- Job openings each year
- 30
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 18.7%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 2,030 | 30 | 18.7% |
| California | 1,500 | 190 | 15.4% |
| Texas | 810 | 100 | 22.7% |
| North Carolina | 680 | 90 | 13.3% |
| Florida | 650 | 80 | 22.6% |
| Illinois | 560 | 70 | 7.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 560 | 70 | 9.8% |
| Colorado | 460 | 60 | 21.1% |
| Virginia | 460 | 60 | 9.5% |
| Tennessee | 440 | 60 | 25.7% |
| Ohio | 390 | 50 | 8.3% |
| Arizona | 360 | 50 | 16.1% |
| Indiana | 340 | 40 | 13.3% |
| Michigan | 330 | 40 | 10.0% |
| Georgia | 320 | 40 | 14.3% |
| Washington | 310 | 50 | 34.8% |
| Wisconsin | 310 | 40 | 24.0% |
| Maryland | 300 | 40 | 15.4% |
| Oregon | 260 | 30 | 36.8% |
| Minnesota | 250 | 30 | 19.0% |
| Iowa | 230 | 30 | 4.5% |
| New Mexico | 220 | 30 | 29.4% |
| Alabama | 210 | 30 | 10.5% |
| Massachusetts | 200 | 30 | 11.1% |
| South Carolina | 200 | 30 | 17.6% |
| Idaho | 190 | 20 | 18.8% |
| Oklahoma | 190 | 20 | 11.8% |
| Kentucky | 180 | 20 | 12.5% |
| District of Columbia | 170 | 20 | 13.3% |
| Kansas | 150 | 20 | 15.4% |
| Missouri | 150 | 20 | 7.1% |
| New Jersey | 150 | 20 | 7.1% |
| Utah | 150 | 20 | 36.4% |
| Louisiana | 140 | 20 | 16.7% |
| Nebraska | 140 | 20 | 27.3% |
| Arkansas | 110 | 10 | 10.0% |
| Maine | 110 | 10 | 10.0% |
| South Dakota | 110 | 10 | 10.0% |
| Wyoming | 110 | 10 | 22.2% |
| Montana | 100 | 10 | 25.0% |
| New Hampshire | 90 | 10 | 12.5% |
| Vermont | 90 | 10 | 12.5% |
| Delaware | 80 | 10 | 14.3% |
| Nevada | 80 | 10 | 14.3% |
| Rhode Island | 70 | 10 | — |
| Alaska | 50 | 10 | — |
| West Virginia | 50 | 10 | — |
| North Dakota | 20 | 0 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
California State University-Long Beach
- Degrees each year
- 587
- Admit rate
- 47%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
- Degrees each year
- 581
- Admit rate
- 76%
- Annual cost after aid
- $47,000
California State University-Fullerton
- Degrees each year
- 549
- Admit rate
- 87%
- Annual cost after aid
- $6,000
California State University-Northridge
- Degrees each year
- 422
- Admit rate
- 93%
- Annual cost after aid
- $8,000
University of North Texas
- Degrees each year
- 398
- Admit rate
- 72%
- Annual cost after aid
- $14,000
University of California-Los Angeles
- Degrees each year
- 398
- Admit rate
- 9%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
San Diego State University
- Degrees each year
- 335
- Admit rate
- 34%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
Southern New Hampshire University
- Degrees each year
- 315
- Admit rate
- 96%
- Annual cost after aid
- $37,000
Compare every college offering digital humanities and textual studies