Curators Salary
Curators in Hawaii make a median of $50,720 a year, or about $24.39 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 110.17), so that salary is closer to $46,038 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,240/month, about 67.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Hawaii. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $51K get you in Hawaii?
About curators
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What this looks like in Hawaii
Pay for curators in Hawaii runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $63K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,240/month, which is 68% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 10% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.17), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for curatorss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hawaii
Entry-level curators (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $60K spread from bottom to top.
Curators salary by metro in Hawaii
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu | $61K | +19% | 120 |
Compare to other states
Track curators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Hawaii numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a curator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hawaii?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 68% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,240/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for curators in Hawaii?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new curators typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,438/month. At HUD’s $2,240/month FMR, rent would take 92% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is curator a high-paying job in Hawaii?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $51K here vs. $63K nationally.
How does Hawaii compare to the national average for curators?
Hawaii pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $63K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — below the national median.
How much do curators make in Hawaii?
The median is $50,720 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,640, and experienced curators can clear $100,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in Hawaii?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,295/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,240/month, which eats 68% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a curators salary go in Hawaii?
Hawaii has a Regional Price Parity of 110.17 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median curators salary is worth about $46,038 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do curators get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.