Museum Technicians and Conservators Salary
The median pay for a museum technicians and conservators in Washington is $59,610/year ($28.66/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.01), that's roughly $58,435 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,830/month, about 44.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Washington. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $60K get you in Washington?
About museum technicians and conservators
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What this looks like in Washington
Washington sits well above the national pay line for museum technicians and conservators, local pay runs about 16% 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 $1,830/month, which is 44% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.01) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington
Entry-level museum technicians and conservators (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Museum Technicians and Conservators salary by metro in Washington
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $61K | +3% | 180 |
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Track museum technicians and conservators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Washington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a museum technicians and conservator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 44% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,830/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Washington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new museum technicians and conservators typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,546/month. At HUD’s $1,830/month FMR, rent would take 72% 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 Washington?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $60K here vs. $51K nationally.
How does Washington compare to the national average for museum technicians and conservators?
Washington pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.01), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do museum technicians and conservators make in Washington?
The median is $59,610 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,430, and experienced museum technicians and conservators can clear $77,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Washington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,161/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,830/month, which eats 44% 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 Washington?
Washington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.01 (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 $58,435 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.