Museum technicians and conservators preserve and protect artifacts, artworks, and historical objects. You'll work hands-on with collections, handle delicate materials, and solve problems to keep cultural heritage safe. Most positions require a master's degree.
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You identify, catalog, and care for objects in museum collections. Your work involves handling and moving artifacts carefully, monitoring storage conditions, and making decisions about preservation techniques. You'll communicate with colleagues about conservation needs, research historical and archeological context, and apply chemistry knowledge to cleaning and restoration. You might work on paintings, textiles, ceramics, or other materials depending on your specialty. Safety and proper documentation are central to everything you do.
Core work activities
Career video courtesy of CareerOneStop.
Museum Technicians and Conservators earn a median of $51,440 a year, based on 2025 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and location.
The outlook is strong. Employment is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than average for all occupations, with about 1,900 openings a year.
Top skills
Knowledge areas
Most museum technician and conservator roles require a master's degree, which typically builds on a bachelor's foundation in fine arts, history, chemistry, or a related field. Your preparation involves considerable study and hands-on training in conservation techniques, materials science, and collection management. During your education, you'll develop skills in active listening, critical thinking, and detailed documentation. Internships and volunteer work in museums help you build experience and make professional connections before entering the field.
The path to this career typically starts with a bachelor's degree followed by a master's program in conservation or museum studies. Since timing and program choice matter, Pathly can map the museum technician and conservator path that fits you to map out your education steps with your counselor.
You're drawn to hands-on work with real objects and systems. You notice details, solve practical problems, and take care in how you handle things. You're curious about history and how things work.
Reading about a career is the easy part. Turning it into a plan is where most students get stuck. Pathly takes you from curious to a clear next step, and gives your counselor the insight to champion you along the way.
Start with a quick quiz and assessments that surface your personality, your EQ, and what really motivates you, so your next steps are built around who you actually are.
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Last updated July 1, 2026.
Data sources. Career details from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Salary and outlook figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 wages; 2024–2034 projections), delivered via the CareerOneStop API. Certification, licensing, wage, and outlook data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).