Museum Administrator Salary in the United States

How much does a Museum Administrator make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Museum Administrator in the United States is $40,622 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $20.

However, a Museum Administrator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $50,081
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $35,554 to $45,573
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $30,939
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
Smart Recruiting
AI Onboarding
Salary Salary + Bonus Benefits
Paid Annually Paid Monthly Paid Semimonthly Paid Biweekly Paid Weekly Paid Hourly
View as table View as graph 25% $35,554 10% $30,939 90% $50,081 75% $45,573 $40,622 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Museum Administrator Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $45,573 $3,798 $876 $22
Average $40,622 $3,385 $781 $20
25th Percentile $35,554 $2,963 $684 $17
Check out Museum Administrator Job Openings in the United States
Travel L&D RN

Focus Staff - KEENE, NH

Travel CCU RN

Focus Staff - BENNINGTON, VT

Physical Therapist Physical Therapy Assistant

Flex Therapy - WASILLA, AK

Occupational Therapist

United Health Services - JOHNSON CITY, NY

Search More Museum Administrator Jobs in the United States
Choose Similar Job
Choose Category
Cost of Living
Average Salary for United States
See it in Action

Key Factors That Influence Museum Administrator Salaries

A Museum Administrator's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Museum Administrator Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Museum Administrator's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $39,918
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $40,129
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $41,678
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $43,427
  • Expert (over 8 years): $43,665
Levels Salary
Entry Level Museum Administrator$39,918
Intermediate Level Museum Administrator$40,129
Senior Level Museum Administrator$41,678
Specialist Level Museum Administrator$43,427
Expert Level Museum Administrator$43,665
$39,918 0 yr
$40,129 < 2 yrs
$41,678 2-4 yrs
$43,427 5-8 yrs
$43,665 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Museum Administrator Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Museum Administrators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $44,977.
  • California: $44,806.
  • Massachusetts: $44,209.

Top Paying Cities for Museum Administrators

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $51,237
  • San Francisco: $50,676
  • Oakland: $49,608

What Skills Can Increase a Museum Administrator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 6.13% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Guest Relations (Mentioned in 2.29% Job Postings): Guest relations are responsible for greeting & welcoming the guest in a friendly and professional manner when they arrive, escorting the guest to the room.
  • Billing (Mentioned in 1.47% Job Postings): Billing refers to the aspect of banking, whereby someone is charged accurately for what item they purchased.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 6.13%
Guest Relations 2.29%
Billing 1.47%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Museum Administrator's salary.
  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Team Management: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Collaboration
 $43,872
8%
Team Management
 $43,466
7%
Analysis
 $43,059
6%
Sustainability
 $43,059
6%
Coordination
 $42,653
5%
Accountability
 $42,653
5%
Get Latest Data

Museum Administrator Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Museum Administrator roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Hospitality & Leisure, offers compensation 10% above the average. Conversely, Museum Administrator positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Museum Administrator as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Museum Administrator

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Hospitality & Leisure$44,684$21.010%

How Education impacts a Museum Administrator's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Museum Administrators enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Museum Administrator with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $38,752 and $41,282).

Museum Administrator Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Museum Administrator
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.3%
High School 26.6%
Associates 16.5%
Bachelors 46.8%
Masters 8.9%
Doctorate 0.0%
view as graph

Museum Administrator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Museum Administrator's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on July 01, 2026
$35,554
Average $40,622/year
$45,573
$2,963
Average $3,385/month
$3,798
$684
Average $781/week
$876
$17
Average $20/hour
$22
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $45,573 $3,798 $876 $22
Average $40,622 $3,385 $781 $20
25th Percentile $35,554 $2,963 $684 $17

Salaries of jobs related to Museum Administrator

Salary Trends for Museum Administrator

Salaries for a Museum Administrator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $43,115 in 2023 to around $43,289 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Museum Administrator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Museum Administrator Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$43,115
2024
$43,631
2025
$43,289
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $43,115
2024 $43,631
2025 $43,289
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Museum Administrator

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Museum Administrator

Here are companies hiring for Museum Administrator and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Museum Administrator Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Museum Administrator job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst