Curators Salary
BLS May 2025 median wages — with computed take-home after taxes for all 49 reporting states. Tax year 2026.
Quick answer
According to payandtaxes.com's analysis of BLS May 2025 data, the median curators in the US earns $63,420 per year (12,150 employed). Gross pay is highest in Washington DC ($93,310) and lowest in Mississippi ($40,600) — but what you keep depends on the state's taxes; see the table.
Curators pay by stategross median vs take-home
| State | Median wage | After taxes | Monthly net | Kept | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curators in Washington DC | $93,310 | $69,511 | $5,793 | 74.5% | 140 |
| Curators in New Hampshire | $82,490 | $66,862 | $5,572 | 81.1% | 60 |
| Curators in New York | $79,120 | $60,816 | $5,068 | 76.9% | 1,330 |
| Curators in California | $78,740 | $61,130 | $5,094 | 77.6% | 1,140 |
| Curators in Rhode Island | $77,930 | $61,348 | $5,112 | 78.7% | 70 |
| Curators in New Jersey | $77,800 | $60,795 | $5,066 | 78.1% | 120 |
| Curators in Massachusetts | $77,790 | $59,886 | $4,990 | 77% | 370 |
| Curators in Connecticut | $76,510 | $60,022 | $5,002 | 78.4% | 190 |
| Curators in South Dakota | $74,990 | $61,586 | $5,132 | 82.1% | 50 |
| Curators in Washington | $74,030 | $60,910 | $5,076 | 82.3% | 260 |
| Curators in Colorado | $73,630 | $58,098 | $4,841 | 78.9% | 300 |
| Curators in Nevada | $69,900 | $58,005 | $4,834 | 83% | 100 |
| Curators in Wisconsin | $64,370 | $51,850 | $4,321 | 80.6% | 300 |
| Curators in Alaska | $63,880 | $53,508 | $4,459 | 83.8% | 90 |
| Curators in Maryland | $63,750 | $50,739 | $4,228 | 79.6% | 170 |
| Curators in New Mexico | $63,690 | $51,527 | $4,294 | 80.9% | 140 |
| Curators in Ohio | $63,640 | $52,347 | $4,362 | 82.3% | 370 |
| Curators in Arizona | $63,510 | $51,831 | $4,319 | 81.6% | 150 |
| Curators in Michigan | $63,190 | $50,518 | $4,210 | 79.9% | 360 |
| Curators in Illinois | $63,060 | $49,872 | $4,156 | 79.1% | 410 |
| Curators in Oregon | $62,790 | $47,967 | $3,997 | 76.4% | 260 |
| Curators in Idaho | $62,190 | $49,962 | $4,163 | 80.3% | 50 |
| Curators in Pennsylvania | $62,100 | $50,171 | $4,181 | 80.8% | 520 |
| Curators in Wyoming | $61,910 | $51,925 | $4,327 | 83.9% | 90 |
| Curators in Alabama | $61,120 | $48,499 | $4,042 | 79.4% | 150 |
| Curators in Oklahoma | $60,560 | $48,660 | $4,055 | 80.4% | 150 |
| Curators in Louisiana | $60,080 | $49,038 | $4,087 | 81.6% | 160 |
| Curators in Texas | $59,990 | $50,382 | $4,199 | 84% | 690 |
| Curators in Missouri | $59,960 | $48,477 | $4,040 | 80.8% | 260 |
| Curators in Utah | $59,910 | $47,622 | $3,968 | 79.5% | 50 |
| Curators in Florida | $59,500 | $49,988 | $4,166 | 84% | 420 |
| Curators in Nebraska | $58,600 | $47,478 | $3,957 | 81% | 120 |
| Curators in Virginia | $58,200 | $46,411 | $3,868 | 79.7% | 450 |
| Curators in Georgia | $57,810 | $46,253 | $3,854 | 80% | 230 |
| Curators in Tennessee | $57,580 | $48,446 | $4,037 | 84.1% | 190 |
| Curators in Delaware | $56,800 | $45,343 | $3,779 | 79.8% | 60 |
| Curators in Kansas | $56,630 | $45,322 | $3,777 | 80% | 120 |
| Curators in Vermont | $56,520 | $46,134 | $3,845 | 81.6% | 60 |
| Curators in Maine | $56,470 | $44,924 | $3,744 | 79.6% | 110 |
| Curators in Kentucky | $55,460 | $44,919 | $3,743 | 81% | 130 |
| Curators in Montana | $54,460 | $44,136 | $3,678 | 81% | 100 |
| Curators in Minnesota | $53,920 | $43,362 | $3,613 | 80.4% | 220 |
| Curators in Indiana | $53,910 | $43,936 | $3,661 | 81.5% | 220 |
| Curators in Arkansas | $53,870 | $43,576 | $3,631 | 80.9% | 80 |
| Curators in Iowa | $53,830 | $44,039 | $3,670 | 81.8% | 230 |
| Curators in Hawaii | $50,720 | $40,598 | $3,383 | 80% | 140 |
| Curators in North Carolina | $49,470 | $40,464 | $3,372 | 81.8% | 600 |
| Curators in South Carolina | $47,200 | $38,430 | $3,203 | 81.4% | 120 |
| Curators in Mississippi | $40,600 | $33,910 | $2,826 | 83.5% | 30 |
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