Curators essentially manage art or other collections. There are around 10,000 curator jobs in the United States at places like museums and historical sites. The career also pays a competitive salary.
Many think of art museums when they think of curators. Certainly, this is one of the more common curator jobs. In addition to managing art collections, these curators may perform research on the collections. For example, a curator needs to understand art history and the process of authentication before purchasing a piece of art from a dealer or owner. This is why those with art-curator jobs typically have advanced training and degrees in art and art history.
Another type of curator manages collections of historical items. Imagine a Civil War museum. These curators tend to have degrees in history in general as opposed to art history. History curators may also work at various historical sites, such as the site of key Civil War battles. The job may also include teaching the public, and that is why a solid education in history is also important for this kind of curator.
Science museums or similar depositories also need curators to manage collections of scientific specimens. For example, the American Museum of Natural History has a large insect collection. Science curators may have a background in biology or other natural sciences and should have a passion for insects and other living things.
Similarly, many museums have dinosaur or other fossil collections. Not surprisingly, those with the job of managing these collections often have an advanced degree in paleontology or archaeology.
Some curators also manage live animals. Examples are zoos and aquarium curators. Zoologists are obviously a natural fit for this type of job. Similar jobs are available at places like public botanical gardens. Botany is a major field of natural science that would be a good education for this type of curator.
Of course, those who get these jobs will tend to have a doctoral degree in the relevant field. Some might have only a master’s degree, but those without a Ph.D. may end up as curator assistants instead of being the head person at a museum or other site.
Some colleges have graduate degree programs in museology. This kind of education could be an advantage when it comes time to find a job.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 10,550 jobs for curators in May of 2010. The salary of a curator was a median average of $48,450. The 360 or so curators hired by the federal government had the highest average salary, coming in at around $80,000. In terms of money and prestige, these are generally the most coveted curator jobs. Examples are the Smithsonian Institution and the National Museum of American History.
Resources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Curator Career Information
BLS: Information on Archivists, Curators, and Museum Technicians