Museum Technician Careers Information
Museum technicians are responsible for a variety of tasks. They may be called upon by curators to assist in the day to day administrative activities of the museum, such as the preparation and assembly of exhibits, working with the public, and answering inquiries from scholars looking to use the collection. Archives technicians help archivists preserve or retrieve archival items. Often, these professionals are aspiring curators or archivists who are currently in or just out of school and looking to gain experience in museum technician careers.
Museum Technician Careers & Degrees
- Art Institute of Pittsburgh: Online
- Associate of Science in Graphic Design
- Bachelor of Science in Fashion & Retail Management
- Bachelor of Science in Game Art & Design
- Bachelor of Science in Photography
American Intercontinental University: Online
Museum Technician Careers Path
Museum technicians need to have a Bachelor’s degree in a field related to the museum’s collection and/or previous experience working in a similar museum. Any additional museum training, in the form of classwork or internship, is a plus.
Museum Technician Careers Compatible Personality Traits
Attention to detail, passion for certain field of knowledge, able to work with extreme care, likes working a project from beginning to end, able to work well alone or with others, good communicator.
Museum Technician Interview
For advice on how to become a museum technician, Read More from a Professional Museum Technician…
Museum Technician Careers Salary Expectations
The average salary for a museum technician is $36,660 a year, with the middle fifty percent earning $28,030 and $49,170 a year. Those employed by the Federal Government, however, earn an average salary of $62,520 a year.
Museum Technician Careers Job Outlook
Like for archivists and curators, job openings for museum technicians are often fewer than the number of qualified applicants. This means that competition for these jobs can be stiff. Aspiring curators and archivists may find themselves taking museum technician positions for little or even no money in order to gain the experience they need to be hired at a later date. Those with more specialization, education, and experience are the most likely to find jobs.
However, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job market for museum technicians is expected to grow 26% by 2018, which is significantly higher than the national average for careers.
Slightly off the Footpath
- Museum Curator
- Research Analyst
- Archivist
- Librarian
- Teacher
- Artist
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Psychologists, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos065.htm (visited November 3, 2011).
