CareerGPS

Curators
Summary Occupational Forecast Data for Curators
Employment Employment Change Average Annual Job Openings Wage & Training Levels
2020 2025 Numerical Percent New Jobs Replacement Jobs Total Median Hourly Median Annual Training Levels
82 101 19 22.87% 4 13 17 $27.97 $58,179 Master's degree
Description: Administer affairs of museum and conduct research programs. Direct instructional, research, and public service activities of institution.
Forecast Data Source: EMSI (4th Quarter 2023)

Occupation Details

The information in this section represents occupational characteristics included in O*NET which defines key features of an occupation as a standardized, measurable set of variables called "descriptors". These distinguishing characteristics of an occupation are described in greater detail in the O*NET Content Model. All items are listed in descending order of importance.

  • Develop and maintain an institution's registration, cataloging, and basic recordkeeping systems, using computer databases.
  • Provide information from the institution's holdings to other curators and to the public.
  • Inspect premises to assess the need for repairs and to ensure that climate and pest-control issues are addressed.
  • Train and supervise curatorial, fiscal, technical, research, and clerical staff, as well as volunteers or interns.
  • Negotiate and authorize purchase, sale, exchange, or loan of collections.
  • Plan and conduct special research projects in area of interest or expertise.
  • Confer with the board of directors to formulate and interpret policies, to determine budget requirements, and to plan overall operations.
  • Attend meetings, conventions, and civic events to promote use of institution's services, to seek financing, and to maintain community alliances.
  • Write and review grant proposals, journal articles, institutional reports, and publicity materials.
  • Plan and organize the acquisition, storage, and exhibition of collections and related materials, including the selection of exhibition themes and designs, and develop or install exhibit materials.
  • Design, organize, or conduct tours, workshops, and instructional or educational sessions to acquaint individuals with an institution's facilities and materials.

Knowledge

86%
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
76%
History and Archeology - Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
66%
Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
64%
Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
63%
Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
61%
Fine Arts - Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
58%
Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
56%
Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
55%
Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

Skills

78%
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
75%
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
72%
Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
72%
Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
65%
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
62%
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
62%
Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
62%
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
60%
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
56%
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
56%
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
56%
Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
53%
Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
53%
Management of Material Resources - Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
53%
Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
53%
Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
53%
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
50%
Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
50%
Management of Financial Resources - Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
50%
Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

Abilities

75%
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
75%
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
72%
Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
69%
Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
69%
Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
69%
Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
65%
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
65%
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
62%
Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
62%
Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
62%
Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
60%
Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
60%
Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
60%
Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
56%
Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
56%
Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
56%
Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
56%
Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

Work Activities

90%
Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
85%
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
84%
Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
84%
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
80%
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
79%
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
78%
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
78%
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
77%
Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
77%
Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
76%
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
75%
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
74%
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
74%
Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
72%
Interacting With Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
71%
Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
67%
Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
66%
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
61%
Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
61%
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
59%
Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
59%
Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
57%
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
56%
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
56%
Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
56%
Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
55%
Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
55%
Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
53%
Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
Title Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Overall Experience Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Job Training Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Job Zone Examples These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include librarians, lawyers, aerospace engineers, wildlife biologists, school psychologists, surgeons, treasurers, and controllers.
Education Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Interests

Enterprising - Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Artistic - Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Work Styles

Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

Work Values

Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.