Museum Technicians and Conservators Salary
The median pay for a museum technicians and conservators in New Jersey is $43,780/year ($21.05/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $77K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.34), that's roughly $44,071 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,067/month, about 68.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of New Jersey. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $44K get you in New Jersey?
About museum technicians and conservators
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in New Jersey
Pay for museum technicians and conservators in New Jersey runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $51K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,067/month, which is 68.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 99.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for museum technicians and conservatorss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Jersey
Entry-level museum technicians and conservators (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $77K or more, a $45K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track museum technicians and conservators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Jersey numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a museum technicians and conservator afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Jersey?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 68.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,067/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for museum technicians and conservators in New Jersey?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new museum technicians and conservators typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,933/month. At HUD’s $2,067/month FMR, rent would take 107% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is museum technicians and conservator a high-paying job in New Jersey?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $44K here vs. $51K nationally.
How does New Jersey compare to the national average for museum technicians and conservators?
New Jersey pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — below the national median.
How much do museum technicians and conservators make in New Jersey?
The median is $43,780 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,220, and experienced museum technicians and conservators can clear $76,770. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in New Jersey?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,024/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,067/month, which eats 68.4% 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 museum technicians and conservators salary go in New Jersey?
New Jersey has a Regional Price Parity of 99.34 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median museum technicians and conservators salary is worth about $44,071 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do museum technicians and conservators 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.