by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Museology/Museum Studies involves the study of Museology/museum Studies. A Program That Focuses On The Attitudes, Knowledge, And Skills Required To Develop, Prepare, Organize, Administer, Conserve, Store And Retrieve Artifacts, Exhibits And Entire Collections In Museums And Galleries, And That Prepares Individuals To Assume Curatorial, Technical And Managerial Positions In Museums. Includes Instruction In Institutional Management, Acquisition, Exhibit Design, Conservation, Packing Techniques, And Public Relations. Read on to learn the important information every museology/museum studies major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering museology/museum studies programs.
Across the country, museology/museum studies is a popular field of study, with 838 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Museology/Museum Studies Schools ranking analyzes these 77 schools to determine the best overall colleges for museology/museum studies students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of museology/museum studies programs later in this article.
Programs in Museology/Museum Studies build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations museology/museum studies graduates commonly enter.
Skills emphasized by a museology/museum studies program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a museology/museum studies major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several museology/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 museology/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% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in museology/museum studies careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in museology/museum studies opens doors to many career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to museology/museum studies.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to museology/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% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of museology/museum studies graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow 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 museology/museum studies graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers museology/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 museology/museum studies programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased museology/museum studies school rankings to help you.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
