Shapes the story, content and visitor experience of museum exhibitions, from the big idea to the words on every label. BLS does not publish separate figures for curators; it counts them within curator (SOC 25-4012), whose median pay is $63,420 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.
- SOC 25-4012
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Exhibit Developer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $63,420a year, or $30.49/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $40KTop 10% $107K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +4.9%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+4.9%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +4.9% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 1,60014,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202514.2K
- Projected 203514.9K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 14.2K Projected 2035 14.9K - Typical education
- Master'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Some college3.4%
- Bachelor's6.1%
- Post-bacc certificate8.1%
- Master's44.1%
- Doctorate34.8%
- Post-doctoral training2.1%
Highest education held by curators Segment Value Some college 3.4% Bachelor's 6.1% Post-bacc certificate 8.1% Master's 44.1% Doctorate 34.8% Post-doctoral training 2.1%
Also advertised as: Exhibition Developer, Interpretive Planner, Exhibit Content Developer, Interpretive Writer, Exhibition Planner.
Pay
How much do Curators make?
Every exhibit developer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$63,420
Middle half earn $48,870 to $83,080
- 10th
- $40,470
- 25th
- $48,870
- 75th
- $83,080
- 90th
- $107,140
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $40,470 |
| 25th | $48,870 |
| Median | $63,420 |
| 75th | $83,080 |
| 90th | $107,140 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $63,420
- Median hourly wage
- $30.49/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $71,560
- People employed
- 12,150
Versus all US occupations
At $63,420, Curators earn 24% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $12,440 a year.
Versus educational instruction and library occupations
Inside the Educational Instruction and Library group, where the middle occupation pays $68,270, this is 7% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $107,140 or more while the bottom 10% earn $40,470, a gap of 2.6×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 38% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
District of Columbia pays the most at $93,310, and still leads at $84,904 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Curators 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1District of Columbia | $93,310 | $84,904 | 140 |
| 2New Hampshire | $82,490 | $79,192 | 60 |
| 3New York | $79,120 | $73,313 | 1,330 |
| 4California | $78,740 | $71,116 | 1,140 |
| 5Rhode Island | $77,930 | $76,193 | 70 |
| 6New Jersey | $77,800 | $71,504 | 120 |
| 7Massachusetts | $77,790 | $73,555 | 370 |
| 8Connecticut | $76,510 | $73,844 | 190 |
| 9South Dakota | $74,990 | $84,652 | 50 |
| 10Washington | $74,030 | $69,179 | 260 |
Job outlook
Is Exhibit Developer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +4.9% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Curators | +4.9% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Curators to change 4.9% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 700 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 1,600 openings are projected each year, 11.3% of the 14,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become an Exhibit Developer
Most exhibit developers have a bachelor's degree in history, a science, communications, education or museum studies, and many hold a master's in museum studies, public history or museum education. Writing skill is essential, and a portfolio of label copy or exhibit plans is often requested.
The American Alliance of Museums and its National Association for Museum Exhibition professional network share standards and run conferences for exhibition professionals. Many developers start as exhibit assistants, educators or writers at museums or at exhibit design firms that serve museums and visitor centers. The National Association for Interpretation offers certifications for interpretive planners and guides.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Master'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.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as curators.
- Master's Degree44.1%
- Doctoral Degree34.8%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate8.1%
- Bachelor's Degree6.1%
- Some College Courses3.4%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | 44.1% |
| Doctoral Degree | 34.8% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 8.1% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 6.1% |
| Some College Courses | 3.4% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an Exhibit Developer do?
Exhibit developers decide what a museum exhibition says and how visitors will experience it. Working with curators, designers and educators, they define the main message, research content, choose objects and images, and plan the sequence of sections and interactive experiences. They are often the advocate for the visitor, asking what a family or a first-time visitor will understand.
Much of the job is writing and testing. Developers write label text, panel copy, audio scripts and interactive content at the right reading level, then run front-end and formative evaluation, such as prototyping an interactive on the museum floor and watching how visitors use it. At science centers, children's museums and national parks, interpretive planners do similar work for whole buildings or trails.
Day-to-day tasks
- Define the main ideas and storyline of an exhibition
- Research content and select objects, images and media
- Write label text, panels and audio or interactive scripts
- Prototype interactive elements and test them with visitors
- Coordinate with curators, designers and fabricators
- Review content for accuracy, accessibility and reading level
- Plan visitor flow and experience through exhibit spaces
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Exhibit developers work at museums, science centers, zoos, national parks and exhibit design firms. Work is mostly office-based, with time on the museum floor testing prototypes and during installation. Projects run for many months or years, with intense periods before an opening. Some firm-based developers travel to client sites.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors 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 importantDealing with customers or the public is very 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
- Speaking4.0
- Active Listening3.9
- Writing3.9
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Active Learning3.5
- Monitoring3.4
- Learning Strategies3.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.9 |
| Writing | 3.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 |
| Active Learning | 3.5 |
| Monitoring | 3.4 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving3.6
- Judgment and Decision Making3.5
- Systems Analysis3.4
- Social Perceptiveness3.3
- Systems Evaluation3.3
- Coordination3.1
- Time Management3.1
- Persuasion3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.6 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.5 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.4 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.3 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.3 |
| Coordination | 3.1 |
| Time Management | 3.1 |
| Persuasion | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Desktop publishing software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise application integration software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
“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 an Exhibit Developer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code AIS) built on O*NET's Curator profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Exhibit Developer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 2 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 4 |
| Social | 4 |
| Enterprising | 4 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with teaching, helping and working directly with other people.
- Conventional5.0
- Social4.1
- Investigative4.0
- Artistic3.9
- Enterprising3.8
- Realistic2.5
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 Exhibit Developer
O*NET related occupations
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$99,650median a year
Most earn $58K to $171K
+2.6%Doctorate
More educational instruction and library careers
Median annual pay, with curators 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
- Exhibit Developer$63,420
- Kindergarten Teacher$62,680
- 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 |
| Exhibit Developer | $63,420 |
| Kindergarten Teacher | $62,680 |
| Library Technician | $44,580 |
| Tutor | $43,350 |
| Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education | $38,140 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Exhibit Developer appears on
Questions
Exhibit Developer: frequently asked questions
How much do Curators make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for curators. It counts them within curator, whose median pay is $63,420 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $48,870 and $83,080, and the top 10% earn $107,140 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Exhibit Developer?
Yes. BLS reports a master's degree as the typical entry-level education for Curators, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as considerable preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 44.1% hold master's degree.
Is Exhibit Developer a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4.9% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for 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 an Exhibit Developer do?
Exhibit developers decide what a museum exhibition says and how visitors will experience it. A typical task: define the main ideas and storyline of an exhibition. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Computer aided design CAD software, Data base user interface and query software.
Which states pay Curators the most?
The highest state medians for Curators are District of Columbia ($93,310), New Hampshire ($82,490), New York ($79,120) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an Exhibit Developer?
O*NET scores Curators highest on the Conventional, Social and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with teaching, helping and working directly with other people. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ENFJ, ESFJ, INFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.