Museum Technicians and Conservators Salary
The median pay for a museum technicians and conservators in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA is $61,370/year ($29.5/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.13), so that salary is closer to $55,224 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,501/month, about 58.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $61K get you in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue’s Regional Price Parity (111.13). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About museum technicians and conservators
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What this looks like in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue sits well above the national pay line for museum technicians and conservators, local pay runs about 19% higher than the U.S. median of $51K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,501/month, which is 58.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 11% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.13), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for museum technicians and conservators in metros near Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $52K | $49K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Entry-level museum technicians and conservators (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Museum Technicians and Conservators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Museum Technicians and Conservators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $77K | +49% | 450 |
| District of Columbia | $76K | +48% | 520 |
| New York | $75K | +45% | 1,050 |
| Connecticut | $62K | +21% | 280 |
| California | $62K | +20% | 1,610 |
| Alaska | $61K | +18% | 60 |
| Washington | $60K | +16% | 280 |
| Massachusetts | $59K | +14% | 440 |
| Illinois | $57K | +10% | 400 |
| New Mexico | $57K | +10% | 100 |
| Nevada | $56K | +10% | 70 |
| Wyoming | $56K | +10% | 60 |
| Rhode Island | $55K | +8% | 70 |
| Florida | $53K | +4% | 250 |
| Virginia | $52K | +1% | 310 |
| Colorado | $52K | +1% | 290 |
| Iowa | $52K | +1% | 100 |
| Minnesota | $50K | -3% | 170 |
| Kentucky | $50K | -3% | 80 |
| Georgia | $49K | -4% | 150 |
| Missouri | $49K | -4% | 850 |
| Maine | $48K | -6% | 60 |
| Oklahoma | $48K | -7% | 190 |
| Ohio | $48K | -8% | 350 |
| Pennsylvania | $47K | -8% | 310 |
| Arizona | $47K | -9% | 90 |
| Indiana | $46K | -10% | 290 |
| Kansas | $46K | -10% | 130 |
| Texas | $46K | -11% | 670 |
| Oregon | $46K | -11% | 170 |
| Tennessee | $45K | -13% | 210 |
| New Jersey | $44K | -15% | 110 |
| Idaho | $44K | -15% | 40 |
| Montana | $42K | -18% | 120 |
| Nebraska | $42K | -18% | 60 |
| Arkansas | $41K | -20% | 110 |
| Hawaii | $40K | -22% | 140 |
| North Carolina | $39K | -24% | 450 |
| Michigan | $39K | -24% | 340 |
| Wisconsin | $39K | -24% | 160 |
| Alabama | $38K | -25% | 130 |
| South Carolina | $38K | -26% | 90 |
| Delaware | $38K | -26% | 60 |
| Utah | $35K | -31% | 100 |
| Louisiana | $32K | -37% | 200 |
Showing 1–10 of 45 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track museum technicians and conservators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a museum technicians and conservator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 58.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,501/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new museum technicians and conservators typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,774/month. At HUD’s $2,501/month FMR, rent would take 90% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Local pay is 19% above the national median — $61K here vs. $51K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 11% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue compare to the national average for museum technicians and conservators?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s +19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.13), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do museum technicians and conservators make in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?
The median is $61,370 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,240, and experienced museum technicians and conservators can clear $78,180. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,279/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,501/month, which eats 58.4% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue has a Regional Price Parity of 111.13 (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 museum technicians and conservators salary is worth about $55,224 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.