Archivist/Curator

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Work Tasks

• Identify and preserve things that are important to history
• Display items in a museum
• Study the history of things in the museum
• Keep records of museum items
• Work for museums, zoos, colleges, libraries, research firms, and the government
• Work with documents, letters, paintings, coins, stamps, clothes, pictures, fossils, bones, plants, animals, etc.

Salary, Size & Growth

• $60,000 average per year ($28.75 per hour)
• A small occupation (15,600 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow moderately (1.7% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: A master's degree or higher in a relevant subject
• Employers Prefer: An internship in an archive or museum
• Skills/Courses: College courses include knowledge about the items on display, art, history, library science, archival science, archaeology, museum studies, historic and artistic conservation, chemistry, physics, business administration, public relations, marketing, and fund-raising
• Certification/Licensing: Certification as an archivist is available.