Museum Attendants

The range of compensation for museum positions depends on the museum's size, mission, operating budget, staffing requirements, and the metropolitan area in which it is located. Depending on full- or part-time employment status, museum attendants' salaries vary greatly, but typically begin at the rate of $7.25 to $10 per hour in institutions with operational budgets below $1 million. In January 2025, the average annual salary for full-time museum attendants was $31,896, according to ZipRecruiter.com. Salaries ranged from $27,000 or less to $40,000 or more.

Salaries for some museum attendants are comparable to those of security guards. The mean annual salary for security guards who were employed by museums, historical sites, and similar institutions was $39,180 in May 2023 according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Receptionists and information clerks who were employed by museums, historical sites, and similar institutions had mean annual earnings of $32,340.

Fringe benefits, including paid vacations and sick leave, medical and dental insurance, and retirement plans, depend on employment status as well as on the operational budget and size of the employing institution. Company-paid medical and health insurance may not be available to part-time workers and may not be available even to full-time staff in small museums. Federal museums are more likely than nonfederal museums to offer health and retirement benefits.