by our College Data Analytics TeamDo you enjoy spending afternoons in a museum exploring history or gazing at beautiful artwork? Is it your dream to someday work in a museum? If so, then Museum Studies could be the major for you!
A major in Museum Studies involves history and art studies, as well as the practical side of how a museum operates. Curators, directors, conservators, collection managers, and exhibit designers are all extremely important museum staff. Part of your studies will involve learning how technology can be used to reach a wider audience. You will also learn about cataloging, research, and fundraising. This major will teach you how to preserve and store artwork, how to transport valuable pieces, and how to evaluate the condition of various specimens.
Courses you should expect to take are management, conservation, museum exhibition, collections and curation, preservation, museum education, information technology, museum environment, museum planning and management, public programs, and fundraising.
Museum Studies was the 275th most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 816 degrees in this year alone. This 43 less than the prior year, a decrease of 5.3%.
This year's Best Museum Studies Schools ranking compares 17 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Explore this or one of our many other custom museum studies rankings further below.
Students who choose this major should have a driving interest in the arts and enjoy visiting museums and galleries. Be ready to use your writing, research and analytical skills to describe art and complete research papers. Your classes will teach you how to evaluate art and other pieces to determine the origin, history, and importance of the piece. You will need to master specific terminology and vocabulary to accurately describe specimens. You will be tested on logical ways to place art together and will need to create displays that are appealing to the eye.
Many Museum Studies majors will get jobs describing and explain art work to the general public. It is important to have a good memory and remember details in order to accurately explain cultural, historical, and political context for pieces of art. This career field involves continual learning and research.
museum studies degree applicants generally need have finished high school or their GED. Many schools may also have GPA and SAT/ACT score minimums that must be met. In addition to these basic museum studies program qualifications, to serve in some museum studies careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
There are many different museum studies degree levels. You can spend many years getting as high as a in museum studies to something that takes less time like a . Museum Studies programs can take anywhere between one to four or more years for a full-time student to complete.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A master's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to museum studies, with approximately 55.3% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to museum studies tend obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 56.2% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 13.5% |
| Doctoral Degree | 13.2% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 5.7% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 4.2% |
70.6% of museum studies workers have at least a master's. View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in museum studies careers have.
This of course varies depending on which museum studies career you choose.
This major well prepares students to work in museum in various capacities. You will be able to lead tours, give lectures, and interact with the public. You may also design exhibits or decide to follow a more business route help with the museum marketing. Research and updating artifacts in a collection is also an option. Many jobs in the museum field require an advanced degree.
Want a job when you graduate with your museum studies degree? Museum Studies careers are expected to grow 13.5% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to museum studies.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Curators | 14,100 | 13.7% |
| Museum Technicians and Conservators | 13,300 | 12.7% |
| Archivists | 7,800 | 14.7% |
Recently graduated museum studies students earned an average of $35,286 in 2019-2020. Earnings can range from as low as $21,159 to as high as $47,608. As you might expect, salaries for museum studies graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for museum studies graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers museum studies grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Curators | $58,490 |
| Archivists | $56,400 |
| Museum Technicians and Conservators | $46,870 |
With over 115 different museum studies degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased museum studies school rankings to help you with this.
One of 44 majors within the Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies area of study, Museum Studies has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Other Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies | 34,975 |
| Biological & Physical Science | 30,075 |
| Interdisciplinary Studies | 9,074 |
| International Studies | 7,368 |
| Nutrition Science | 5,330 |
