Museology/Museum Studies graduates earn $36,787 four years out. The middle 50% of earners fall between $29,731 and $50,482. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and how far you advance in the field.
Museology/Museum Studies is a focused area of study within Interdisciplinary Studies. Graduates typically earn around $36,787 four years out, a modest return for a focused credential. The program is available at 95 colleges across the U.S., from community colleges to research universities. About 892 students complete this program each year, most earning a master's. The focus is on writing, analysis, and communication that transfer across industries.
Median Earnings · 4yr
$36,787
Colleges Offering
95
Graduates / Year
892
Avg Net Price / yr
$23,878
How Much Do Museology/Museum Studies Graduates Earn?
Museology/Museum Studies graduates earn $36,787 four years out, significantly below average for bachelor's degree holders. The middle 50% of earners fall between $29,731 and $50,482.
$36,787
4-Year National Median
Significantly below average. Graduate credentials or high-demand roles can raise this considerably.
Earnings Range
There is a moderate earnings spread across Museology/Museum Studies graduates. Career path divergence explains most of the range. Law, consulting, and tech-adjacent roles pull the top end up; writing, education, and nonprofit roles tend to sit near the bottom.
$29,73125th pct.
$36,787Median
$50,48275th pct.
Is the Cost Worth It?
At median 4-year earnings of $36,787 and an estimated $95,512 four-year net cost, earnings breakeven against a baseline wage takes approximately 14.1 years. Compare specific programs before committing to a high-cost option.
Based on outcomes from 21 schools.
Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.
Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown
Of the 892 students who complete Museology/Museum Studies programs each year, the majority (68%) earn a master's degree.
The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
23%68%
Master's68%
Post-Bacc Cert.23%
Bachelor's4%
What Can You Do With a Museology/Museum Studies Degree?
Museology/Museum Studies connects to 3 occupations in the job market. Archivists leads at $64,550/yr median. Expand any card to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.
Appraise, edit, and direct safekeeping of permanent records and historically valuable documents. Participate in research activities based on archival materials.
Organize archival records and develop classification systems to facilitate access to archival materials.
Provide reference services and assistance for users needing archival materials.
Prepare archival records, such as document descriptions, to allow easy access to information.
Administer collections, such as artwork, collectibles, historic items, or scientific specimens of museums or other institutions. May conduct instructional, research, or public service activities of institution.
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.
Develop and maintain an institution's registration, cataloging, and basic record-keeping systems, using computer databases.
Plan and conduct special research projects in area of interest or expertise.
Active ListeningReading ComprehensionSpeakingCritical ThinkingWriting
Day-to-day responsibilities
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.
Repair, restore, and reassemble artifacts, designing and fabricating missing or broken parts, to restore them to their original appearance and prevent deterioration.
Clean objects, such as paper, textiles, wood, metal, glass, rock, pottery, and furniture, using cleansers, solvents, soap solutions, and polishes.
Top Colleges for Museology/Museum Studies
The 20 colleges below are ranked by how many Museology/Museum Studies students they graduate each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.
Ranked by Museology/Museum Studies graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats.
Read our methodology →
Related Interdisciplinary Studies Programs
Museology/Museum Studies is one of 39 specializations within Interdisciplinary Studies. The comparison below shows where this program ranks by 4-year median earnings.
Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page
into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Museology/Museum Studies program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find
schools that match your profile.
Museology/Museum Studies carries financial trade-offs prospective students should weigh carefully. The 1 strengths and 3 concerns below are drawn from College Scorecard earnings, BLS job growth data, and IPEDS completion counts.
PROS
Positive job outlookRelated careers project up to +7.0% job growth over the next 10 years, a solid signal for long-term demand.
CONS
Below-average earningsFour-year median of $36,787 falls below the national median for bachelor's degree holders.
Advanced degree often expectedTop roles in this field typically expect a master's degree or higher. A bachelor's may be a starting point rather than a terminal credential for the most competitive positions.
Long earnings breakevenAt median salary and average net price, recovering education costs versus a baseline wage takes roughly 14.1 years.
How much do Museology/Museum Studies graduates earn?
Museology/Museum Studies graduates earn a national median of $36,787 four years after completing their program. The middle 50% of earners fall between $29,731 and $50,482. Where you land typically depends on employer, role, and location.
What jobs can you get with a Museology/Museum Studies degree?
Museology/Museum Studies degree holders pursue careers including Archivists, which pays a median of $64,550/yr. Scroll down to the Career Paths section to see wages and job growth projections for every related occupation.
How long does a Museology/Museum Studies program take?
While a bachelor's in this area takes four years, many Museology/Museum Studies students continue to a master's degree, adding one to two years. Some schools offer accelerated 5-year combined programs.
How many colleges offer Museology/Museum Studies?
95 colleges and universities in the United States offer Museology/Museum Studies programs. Options range from community colleges with certificates and associate degrees to research universities with doctoral tracks.
Is a Museology/Museum Studies degree worth it?
With a median 4-year salary of $36,787 and an average net price of roughly $23,878/yr, a Museology/Museum Studies degree can pay off well, especially at lower-cost schools and in high-demand roles. Use the Top Colleges section below to compare specific programs before deciding.
What is the difference between Museology/Museum Studies and Interdisciplinary Studies?
Museology/Museum Studies is a focused concentration within the broader Interdisciplinary Studies field. The Interdisciplinary Studies major covers the full discipline; this program narrows the curriculum to Museology/Museum Studies-specific courses, skills, and career tracks. If you already know this is the direction you want, the specialized program gives you a more targeted credential.
What skills do employers look for in Museology/Museum Studies graduates?
Employers hiring Museology/Museum Studies graduates consistently prioritize writing, critical analysis, and cross-cultural communication. Employers value the ability to synthesize complex information clearly, skills that transfer into communications, law, consulting, and content roles.
What is the job outlook for Museology/Museum Studies graduates?
The job outlook for Museology/Museum Studies graduates is moderate overall. Related occupations project an average of +5.4% job growth over the next 10 years. Curators is among the strongest-growth roles at +7.0%. Growth varies by role and location, so check the Career Paths section for projections on each specific occupation.
Related Interdisciplinary Studies Programs
Other programs in Interdisciplinary Studies. Compare earnings, credentials, and career paths before committing to a specialization.
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H
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