Repairs and preserves rare books, manuscripts, maps and documents using traditional bookbinding skills and conservation science. BLS does not publish separate figures for museum technicians and conservators; it counts them within museum technician and conservator (SOC 25-4013), whose median pay is $51,440 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 25-4013
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Book Conservator in four numbers
- Median pay
- $51,440a year, or $24.73/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $34KTop 10% $88K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.6%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3.6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3.6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 1,60014,000 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202514K
- Projected 203514.5K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 14K Projected 2035 14.5K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Rare Book Conservator, Library Conservator, Book and Paper Conservator, Paper Conservator, Conservation Bookbinder.
Pay
How much do Museum Technicians and Conservators make?
Every book conservator in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$51,440
Middle half earn $41,050 to $67,640
- 10th
- $33,780
- 25th
- $41,050
- 75th
- $67,640
- 90th
- $87,530
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $33,780 |
| 25th | $41,050 |
| Median | $51,440 |
| 75th | $67,640 |
| 90th | $87,530 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $51,440
- Median hourly wage
- $24.73/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $57,410
- People employed
- 12,310
Versus all US occupations
At $51,440, the median for Museum Technicians and Conservators sits in line with the $50,980 median across all US occupations.
Versus educational instruction and library occupations
Inside the Educational Instruction and Library group, where the middle occupation pays $68,270, this is 25% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $87,530 or more while the bottom 10% earn $33,780, a gap of 2.6×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 24% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Maryland pays the most at $76,900, and still leads at $73,267 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Museum Technicians and Conservators the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Maryland | $76,900 | $73,267 | 450 |
| 2District of Columbia | $76,110 | $69,253 | 520 |
| 3New York | $74,550 | $69,078 | 1,050 |
| 4Connecticut | $62,030 | $59,869 | 280 |
| 5California | $61,550 | $55,591 | 1,610 |
| 6Alaska | $60,840 | $59,438 | 60 |
| 7Washington | $59,610 | $55,704 | 280 |
| 8Massachusetts | $58,530 | $55,344 | 440 |
| 9Illinois | $56,720 | $56,744 | 400 |
| 10New Mexico | $56,670 | $61,456 | 100 |
Job outlook
Is Book Conservator a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.6% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Museum Technicians and Conservators | +3.6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Museum Technicians and Conservators to change 3.6% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 500 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 1,600 openings are projected each year, 11.4% of the 14,000 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Book Conservator
There are two main routes. Graduate conservation programs, such as those at Winterthur and the University of Delaware, SUNY Buffalo State and New York University, train conservators in chemistry, materials science and treatment through a multi-year master's degree that ends with an internship. Admission usually requires chemistry and art history coursework and pre-program lab experience.
The other route is bench training in bookbinding, for example the two-year bookbinding program at North Bennet Street School in Boston, followed by apprenticeships and work in library labs. The American Institute for Conservation sets the Code of Ethics and offers a Professional Associate and Fellow peer review, and the Guild of Book Workers connects binders and conservators.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Considerable preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does a Book Conservator do?
Book conservators keep fragile books and paper objects usable for future generations. In library and museum labs, they examine damaged items, document their condition, and decide on the least invasive treatment. Work ranges from mending torn pages with Japanese tissue and wheat starch paste to rebuilding broken spines, washing and deacidifying paper, and making custom protective enclosures.
Conservators also think about whole collections. They advise on storage temperature and humidity, train staff in safe handling, prepare items for exhibition and loans, plan disaster recovery for water-damaged materials, and work with digitization teams. Every treatment is documented with photographs and reports so future conservators know what was done.
Day-to-day tasks
- Examine and document the condition of books and paper objects
- Repair torn pages, broken spines and damaged bindings
- Wash, deacidify and flatten paper using conservation methods
- Construct custom boxes and protective enclosures
- Prepare rare items for exhibitions and loans
- Advise on storage environments and handling practices
- Plan and carry out recovery of water-damaged collections
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Book conservators work in conservation labs at research libraries, archives, museums and regional conservation centers, and some run private studios. The work is detailed bench work, often seated for long periods with fine hand tools and magnification. Labs are quiet and climate-controlled. Some exposure to solvents and adhesives requires proper ventilation and safety practices.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Active Listening3.9
- Speaking3.6
- Writing3.4
- Critical Thinking3.4
- Monitoring3.4
- Active Learning3.1
- Learning Strategies2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.9 |
| Speaking | 3.6 |
| Writing | 3.4 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.4 |
| Monitoring | 3.4 |
| Active Learning | 3.1 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving3.3
- Judgment and Decision Making3.3
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
- Coordination3.0
- Instructing3.0
- Time Management2.9
- Service Orientation2.8
- Quality Control Analysis2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.3 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Instructing | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 2.9 |
| Service Orientation | 2.8 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Desktop publishing software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web platform development software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software
- Object oriented data base management software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Book Conservator?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code RAI) built on O*NET's Museum Technician and Conservator profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Book Conservator |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 4 |
| Social | 3 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic5.8
- Conventional4.5
- Artistic3.8
- Investigative3.7
- Social2.6
- Enterprising1.5
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Book Conservator
O*NET related occupations
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
More educational instruction and library careers
Median annual pay, with museum technicians and conservators highlighted
- Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary$80,250
- Special Education Teacher, Secondary School$74,260
- Librarian$68,270
- Career/Technical Education Teacher, Secondary School$66,270
- Kindergarten Teacher$62,680
- Book Conservator$51,440
- Library Technician$44,580
- Tutor$43,350
- Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education$38,140
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary | $80,250 |
| Special Education Teacher, Secondary School | $74,260 |
| Librarian | $68,270 |
| Career/Technical Education Teacher, Secondary School | $66,270 |
| Kindergarten Teacher | $62,680 |
| Book Conservator | $51,440 |
| Library Technician | $44,580 |
| Tutor | $43,350 |
| Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education | $38,140 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Book Conservator appears on
Questions
Book Conservator: frequently asked questions
How much do Museum Technicians and Conservators make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for museum technicians and conservators. It counts them within museum technician and conservator, whose median pay is $51,440 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $41,050 and $67,640, and the top 10% earn $87,530 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Book Conservator?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Museum Technicians and Conservators, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as considerable preparation.
Is Book Conservator a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.6% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 1,600 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Book Conservator do?
Book conservators keep fragile books and paper objects usable for future generations. A typical task: examine and document the condition of books and paper objects. Employers most often ask for Computer aided design CAD software, Desktop publishing software, Document management software.
Which states pay Museum Technicians and Conservators the most?
The highest state medians for Museum Technicians and Conservators are Maryland ($76,900), District of Columbia ($76,110), New York ($74,550) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Book Conservator?
O*NET scores Museum Technicians and Conservators highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Artistic interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, ISTP. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.