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.
Studying Museum Studies covers Museology/museum Studies. Read on to learn the essential details every museum studies major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering museum studies programs.
Across the country, museum studies draws strong interest, with 838 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Museum Studies Schools ranking analyzes these 77 schools to determine the best overall colleges for museum studies students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of museum studies programs later in this article.
Programs in Museum Studies develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations museum studies graduates commonly enter.
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.
The skill set emphasized by a museum studies program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a museum studies major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several museum studies degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 18 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 2 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 56 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 762 |
People currently working in careers related to museum studies tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 57.5% |
| Doctoral degree | 15.6% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 9.8% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 4.8% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 4.0% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 3.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.1% |
| Some college courses | 1.5% |
| Post-doctoral training | 1.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.3% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in museum studies careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
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.
Studying museum studies opens doors to a variety of career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to museum studies.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to museum studies.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Curators | 1,554,871 | 4.1% |
| Archivists | 1,193,221 | 1.6% |
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | 964,215 | -0.1% |
| Museum Technicians and Conservators | 663,221 | 0.0% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of museum studies graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $37,423 |
| 4 years | $48,087 |
| 5 years | $52,441 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for museum studies graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers museum studies grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Museum Technicians and Conservators | $96,273 |
| Curators | $79,764 |
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | $68,967 |
| Archivists | $53,759 |
With 77 different museum studies programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased museum studies school rankings to help you.
Students interested in museum studies, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Museology/Museum Studies | 838 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 30,141 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 28,033 |
| Data Analytics | 12,891 |
| MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES | 10,355 |
| Data Science | 7,716 |
| International/Globalization Studies | 5,740 |
| Nutrition Sciences | 5,456 |
| Behavioral Sciences | 5,391 |
| Sustainability Studies | 4,374 |
| Cognitive Science | 3,121 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
