The average salary for a museum conservator in California is around $61,550 per year.
Avg Salary
Museum conservators earn an average yearly salary of $61,550.
Wages typically start from $39,660 and go up to $86,200.
21% below national average Updated in 2025
Museum conservator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level museum conservator earnings begin at:
$41.44 per hour
$86,200 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level museum conservator earnings begin at:
$36.52 per hour
$75,960 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level museum conservator earnings begin at:
$29.59 per hour
$61,550 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level museum conservator earnings begin at:
$23.85 per hour
$49,600 per year
10th percentile
Starting level museum conservator earnings begin at:
$19.07 per hour
$39,660 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Museum conservator salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Maryland | $76,900 |
| District of Columbia | $76,110 |
| New York | $74,550 |
| Connecticut | $62,030 |
| California | $61,550 |
| Alaska | $60,840 |
| Washington | $59,610 |
| Massachusetts | $58,530 |
| Illinois | $56,720 |
| New Mexico | $56,670 |
| Nevada | $56,470 |
| Wyoming | $56,420 |
| Rhode Island | $55,470 |
| Florida | $53,460 |
| Virginia | $52,190 |
| Colorado | $51,990 |
| Iowa | $51,740 |
| Minnesota | $50,140 |
| Kentucky | $49,940 |
| Georgia | $49,270 |
| Missouri | $49,170 |
| Maine | $48,460 |
| Oklahoma | $48,090 |
| Ohio | $47,570 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,150 |
| Arizona | $46,650 |
| Indiana | $46,490 |
| Kansas | $46,320 |
| Texas | $45,880 |
| Oregon | $45,820 |
| Tennessee | $44,710 |
| New Jersey | $43,780 |
| Idaho | $43,520 |
| Montana | $42,390 |
| Nebraska | $41,960 |
| Arkansas | $41,280 |
| Hawaii | $40,170 |
| North Carolina | $39,290 |
| Michigan | $39,000 |
| Wisconsin | $38,840 |
| Alabama | $38,350 |
| South Carolina | $38,290 |
| Delaware | $38,080 |
| Utah | $35,430 |
| Vermont | $34,780 |
| Louisiana | $32,350 |
| South Dakota | $30,840 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,080 |
How do museum conservator salaries compare to similar careers?
Museum conservators earn 6% less than similar careers in California. On average, they make less than anthropologists but more than gem workers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Anthropologist salary | $72K |
| Archaeologist salary | $72K |
| Archivist salary | $71K |
| Photographer salary | $48K |
| Calligrapher salary | $61K |
| Museum conservator salary | $62K |
| Embalmer salary | $60K |
| Precious metal worker salary | $61K |
| Jeweler salary | $61K |
| Gem worker salary | $61K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)