Museum Technicians and Conservators

Education & Training · Professional Support Services

Bright outlookJob zone 4: considerable preparationO*NET 25-4013.00

Pay and outlook shown for

median pay per year, San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX

$25k10th$37kMedian$59k90th

New workers start near $24,770; experienced workers reach $59,020. About 60 people do this job in San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX.

Job outlook

Alamo region (San Antonio and 12 surrounding counties), Texas Workforce Commission projection 2024 to 2034; U.S. figures from the BLS.

Employment change: +14.0%; Alamo region, 150 to 171 jobs · U.S. +5%
Openings a year: 20; in the Alamo region, from growth and people leaving · U.S. 1,900
Employed in 2024: 150; in the Alamo region · U.S. 15,700

Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree

Alamo Colleges programs that lead here

1 program, with the college that teaches each.

History Courses
Transfer pre-major · Creative & Communication Arts

Apply to Alamo Colleges

Skills this career uses

The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.

Active Listening3.9
Reading Comprehension4.1
Speaking3.5
Writing3.8
Critical Thinking3.4
Monitoring3.3
Judgment and Decision Making3.1
Complex Problem Solving3.0

What the work is

Restore, maintain, or prepare objects in museum collections for storage, research, or exhibit. May work with specimens such as fossils, skeletal parts, or botanicals; or artifacts, textiles, or art. May identify and record objects or install and arrange them in exhibits. Includes book or document conservators.

Install, arrange, assemble, and prepare artifacts for exhibition, ensuring the artifacts' safety, reporting their status and condition, and identifying and correcting any problems with the set up.
Determine whether objects need repair and choose the safest and most effective method of repair.
Clean objects, such as paper, textiles, wood, metal, glass, rock, pottery, and furniture, using cleansers, solvents, soap solutions, and polishes.
Prepare artifacts for storage and shipping.
Supervise and work with volunteers.
Recommend preservation procedures, such as control of temperature and humidity, to curatorial and building staff.

Education people in this job have

Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.

High school or less1%
Certificate20%
Associate degree7%
Bachelor's degree24%
Master's degree47%

Job zone 4, considerable preparation: Usually a bachelor's degree, sometimes a strong associate plus experience.

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