Museum Assistant Salary in the United States

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

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Museum Assistant in the United States is $66,807 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $32.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $87,334
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $54,694 to $77,552
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $43,666
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View as table View as graph 25% $54,694 10% $43,666 90% $87,334 75% $77,552 $66,807 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Museum Assistant Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $77,552 $6,463 $1,491 $37
Average $66,807 $5,567 $1,285 $32
25th Percentile $54,694 $4,558 $1,052 $26
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Key Factors That Influence Museum Assistant Salaries

A Museum Assistant'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 Assistant Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Museum Assistant'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): $65,629
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $66,471
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $70,169
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $73,525
  • Expert (over 8 years): $74,364
Levels Salary
Entry Level Museum Assistant$65,629
Intermediate Level Museum Assistant$66,471
Senior Level Museum Assistant$70,169
Specialist Level Museum Assistant$73,525
Expert Level Museum Assistant$74,364
$65,629 0 yr
$66,471 < 2 yrs
$70,169 2-4 yrs
$73,525 5-8 yrs
$74,364 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Museum Assistant 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 Assistants. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $73,969.
  • California: $73,688.
  • Massachusetts: $72,706.

Top Paying Cities for Museum Assistants

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: $84,264
  • San Francisco: $83,341
  • Oakland: $81,585

What Skills Can Increase a Museum Assistant's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Collaboration (Mentioned in 4.32% Job Postings): Works cooperatively and shares ideas with coworkers and managers to achieve common goals and objectives.
  • CAD (Mentioned in 2.66% Job Postings): Computer-aided design is the use of computers to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer
  • CNC (Mentioned in 1.33% Job Postings): Numerical control is the automated control of machining tools by means of a computer. A CNC machine processes a piece of material to meet specifications by following coded programmed instructions
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Collaboration 4.32%
CAD 2.66%
CNC 1.33%
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 Assistant's salary.
  • Team Development: Can increase your salary by up to 25%.
  • Computer Aided Design: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • Troubleshooting: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Team Development
$83,509
25%
Computer Aided Design
$77,496
16%
Troubleshooting
$73,488
10%
Negotiating
$73,488
10%
Collaboration
$73,488
10%
Conceptualization
$73,488
10%
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How Education impacts a Museum Assistant's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Museum Assistants enter the field with a No Diploma 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 Assistant with a No Diploma is between $73,139 and $77,420).

Museum Assistant Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Museum Assistant
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.6%
High School 3.1%
Associates 2.5%
Bachelors 48.4%
Masters 40.9%
Doctorate 4.4%
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Museum Assistant Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Museum Assistant'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.

Last Updated on May 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Museum Assistant

Salaries for a Museum Assistant can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $54,391 in 2023 to around $53,949 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Museum Assistant salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Museum Assistant Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$54,391
2024
$54,221
2025
$53,949
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $54,391
2024 $54,221
2025 $53,949
2026
View More
2027
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Most common benefits for Museum Assistant

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Museum Assistant

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

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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.

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