Archivists vs Curators: Similar Median Pay, Different Work

Archivists vs Curators: what changes?

Consider Archivists if you want to appraise, edit, and direct safekeeping of permanent records and historically valuable documents. Consider Curators if you would rather administer collections, such as artwork, collectibles, historic items, or scientific specimens of museums or other institutions. Both list master's degree; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Archivists and Curators. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Archivists

National median pay (2025): $64,550
Route into the job: Master's degree
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Organize archival records and develop classification systems to facilitate access to archival materials.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 1,100

Know before you choose

This is a small national occupation (10,300 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

See the full Archivists brief

Curators

National median pay (2025): $63,420
Route into the job: Master's degree
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: 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.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 1,600

Know before you choose

This is a small national occupation (14,200 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

See the full Curators brief

How the national numbers differ

Curators has the edge on projected growth

Curators is at 4.9% projected growth, compared with 3.4% projected growth for Archivists.

Curators has the edge on annual openings

Curators is at 1,600 annual openings, compared with 1,100 annual openings for Archivists.

National pay benchmarks are very similar.

Compare actual offers, expected paid hours, schedule, and benefits before treating either career as the higher-paying option.

38.3/ 100

Archivists

43.5/ 100

Curators

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence