by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 79 U.S. colleges awarded 904 degrees and certificates in Museum Studies. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 91% of graduates. College Factual ranks 22 schools in its 2027 Best Museum Studies Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $37,423 one year after completing, rising to $55,132 after four years.
Do 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.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, museum studies draws strong interest, with 904 degrees awarded annually. 79 colleges award museum studies degrees, an average of 11 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 83.
By level, the 904 awards include 21 certificates, 4 associate degrees, 56 bachelor’s degrees and 823 master’s degrees.
Women earned 82% of museum studies degrees and certificates in the latest year (741 of 904). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (600) and Hispanic or Latino (103), and international students earned 55.
College Factual ranks 22 schools in its 2027 Best Museum Studies Schools ranking, including 15 for master’s degrees. It also ranks museum studies schools within 7 states. In all, 79 colleges offer museum studies programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Museum Studies Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common museum studies credential is the master’s degree: 823 of the 904 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to museum studies call most for Reading Comprehension, Active Listening and Writing, and for knowledge of History and Archeology, English Language and Administration and Management, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Near Vision.
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.
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How long a museum studies degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 21 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 4 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 56 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 823 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to museum studies, at 57.5%.
| 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% |
Source: O*NET Online.
4 occupations are related to Museum Studies, with an average median salary of $74,691; the strongest outlook belongs to Curators, at 4.1% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Museum Registrar, Preparator, Art Handler and Exhibits Curator.
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.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to museum studies, at 1,554,871.
| 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% |
Museum Studies graduates earn a median $37,423 one year after completing their program, $55,132 after four years and $52,441 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $37,423 |
| 4 years | $55,132 |
| 5 years | $52,441 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to museum studies is Museum Technicians and Conservators, with a median salary of $96,273.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Museum Technicians and Conservators | $96,273 |
| Curators | $79,764 |
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | $68,967 |
| Archivists | $53,759 |
Museum Studies includes 1 concentration; by graduates, the largest is Museology/Museum Studies (904). It has 48 similar majors in the Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies field, which together award 149,518 degrees a year; the largest are Biological and Physical Sciences (29,811), Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (29,665) and Data Analytics (17,572). Browse all Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Museology/Museum Studies | 904 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 29,811 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 29,665 |
| Data Analytics | 17,572 |
| Data Science | 11,772 |
| MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES | 11,175 |
| Behavioral Sciences | 6,906 |
| International/Globalization Studies | 5,644 |
| Nutrition Sciences | 5,569 |
| Sustainability Studies | 4,567 |
| Cognitive Science | 3,911 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
