U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense) / Department of Interior / Museum Curator

Job-title file

Museum Curator

Carry out the duties of this position in support of the agency's public mission.

168 employees hold this title in Department of Interior. Median total compensation for the role is $94,317, above the department median of $87,331.

Employees: 168
Total payroll: $16.4M
Role median: $94,317
Agency median: $87,331
Comparison: Above

What the records show

Role pay distribution

Pay distribution for this role

$57,594$156,377+

Hover a bar for its range; click to filter the list below.

How total compensation varies among the 168 people in this role. Even for one job title, pay differs with seniority, step, overtime, and tenure. Each bar is a pay range; the far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Compared with the local labor market

Museum Curator pay vs. the United States

Across all employers in the United States, the median wage for Curators — about 12,150 people — is $63,420. Department of Interior pays a median base salary of $94,317 for this role, 49% above that figure — about the 82nd percentile of local pay for the occupation.

Where Department of Interior sits in the local pay range

10th

25th

Median

75th

90th

$40,470

$48,870

$63,420

$83,080

$107,140

Department of Interior median · $94,317

The bar is the range of annual wages for Curators across every employer in the United States, from the 10th to the 90th percentile, with the middle 50% highlighted. The marker shows Department of Interior’s median base salary for this role. Both figures are base pay only.

Median total compensation for this role at Department of Interior is $94,317, which includes overtime and employer-paid benefits. The benchmark above excludes both, so total compensation is deliberately not compared against it.

Benchmark: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025). BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) covers all employers in the area — private, non-profit, and government alike — so this is a comparison against the whole local labor market for the occupation, not against private-sector pay. OEWS wages are straight-time pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials, and employer-paid benefits, so the government figure shown here is base pay on the same basis. Total compensation is not comparable to it. Job titles are matched to the closest standard occupation, so the comparison is between similar work rather than an identical job classification.

Compare departments

This role across U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense)

Museum Curator is held in 11 U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense) departments. In Department of Interior, the median of $94,317 ranks #11 of 11.

Highest-paying departments for this role

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum

$181,216 · 4

Department of State

$152,093 · 12

Department of Veterans Affairs

$150,713 · 1

Department of Treasury

$149,422 · 3

Smithsonian Institution

$145,489 · 134

Department of Commerce

$144,127 · 1

Presidio Trust

$133,864 · 1

Nat Archives and Records Administration

$127,902 · 12

Department of Health and Human Services

$123,478 · 4

Department of Homeland Security

$114,078 · 2

Median total compensation for the Museum Curator role in other U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense)departments (highest first). Each bar links to that department’s page for this role.

Compare jurisdictions

Museum Curator beyond U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense)

This role is reported in 3 jurisdictions. In U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense), the median of $117,681 ranks #1 of 3. See Museum Curator across all of U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense) →

Highest-paying jurisdictions for this role

California

$77,573 · 30

Tennessee

$60,441 · 6

Median total compensation for comparable Museum Curatorroles in other jurisdictions. Titles are matched by normalized name across sources, not identical job classification, and pay is not cost-of-living adjusted. Each bar links to that jurisdiction’s page for the role.

Record list

Employees with this title

Page 1

Timothy Everhart

Museum Curator/Department of Interior

2024 total comp

$62,522

Sub-department: National Park Service
Base pay: $62,522
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $62,522
Pay grade: 09
Work city: Chillicothe
Work county: Ross
Work state: Ohio

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $62,522
Basic Pay (before locality): $51,332
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 391580141
Length of Service (Years): 5
Occupation Code (OPM): 1015
Pay Plan (OPM): GS

At Department of Interior, Timothy Everhart serves as a Museum Curator based in Chillicothe, Ohio. Their 2024 pay totaled $62,522. They are classified at grade 09.

Meghan Turtle

Museum Curator/Department of Interior

2024 total comp

$61,999

Sub-department: National Park Service
Base pay: $61,999
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $61,999
Pay grade: 09
Work city: Gallitzin
Work county: Cambria
Work state: Pennsylvania

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $61,999
Basic Pay (before locality): $51,332
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 423120021
Length of Service (Years): 0
Occupation Code (OPM): 1015
Pay Plan (OPM): GS

Meghan Turtle is a Museum Curator at Department of Interior based in Gallitzin, Pennsylvania. 2024 total compensation came to $61,999. They are classified at grade 09.

Mary Messer

Museum Curator/Department of Interior

2024 total comp

$61,965

Sub-department: National Park Service
Base pay: $61,965
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $61,965
Pay grade: 09
Work city: Fort Oglethorpe
Work county: Catoosa
Work state: Georgia

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $61,965
Basic Pay (before locality): $53,043
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 132210047
Length of Service (Years): 1
Occupation Code (OPM): 1015
Pay Plan (OPM): GS

At Department of Interior, Mary Messer serves as a Museum Curator based in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. Their 2024 pay totaled $61,965. They are classified at grade 09.

Rachel Pierson-Medina

Museum Curator/Department of Interior

2024 total comp

$61,593

Sub-department: National Park Service
Base pay: $61,593
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $61,593
Pay grade: 09
Work city: Johnson City
Work county: Blanco
Work state: Texas

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $61,593
Basic Pay (before locality): $51,332
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 483530031
Length of Service (Years): 6
Occupation Code (OPM): 1015
Pay Plan (OPM): GS

Rachel Pierson-Medina is a Museum Curator at Department of Interior based in Johnson City, Texas. 2024 total compensation came to $61,593. They are classified at grade 09.

Amy Mckinney

Museum Curator/Department of Interior

2024 total comp

$60,875

Sub-department: National Park Service
Base pay: $59,966
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $909
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $60,875
Pay grade: 09
Work city: Keystone
Work county: Pennington
Work state: South Dakota

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $59,966
Basic Pay (before locality): $51,332
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 461515103
Length of Service (Years): 3
Occupation Code (OPM): 1015
Pay Plan (OPM): GS

Amy Mckinney works as a Museum Curator for Department of Interior based in Keystone, South Dakota. Amy earned $60,875 in 2024. Their pay grade is 09.

Melissa Hurtado

Museum Curator/Department of Interior

2024 total comp

$60,823

Sub-department: National Park Service
Base pay: $60,823
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $60,823
Pay grade: 09
Work city: San Antonio
Work county: Bexar
Work state: Texas

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $60,823
Basic Pay (before locality): $51,332
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 486090029
Length of Service (Years): 0
Occupation Code (OPM): 1015
Pay Plan (OPM): GS

Melissa Hurtado holds the role of Museum Curator at Department of Interior based in San Antonio, Texas. In 2024, their total compensation was $60,823. Their pay grade is 09.

Medicine Bear

Museum Curator/Department of Interior

2024 total comp

$59,966

Sub-department: Office of the Secretary of the Interior
Base pay: $59,966
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $59,966
Pay grade: 09
Work city: Browning
Work county: Glacier
Work state: Montana

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $59,966
Basic Pay (before locality): $51,332
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 300170035
Length of Service (Years): 6
Occupation Code (OPM): 1015
Pay Plan (OPM): GS

Medicine Bear holds the role of Museum Curator at Department of Interior based in Browning, Montana. In 2024, their total compensation was $59,966. Their pay grade is 09.

Melissa Buchanan

Museum Curator/Department of Interior

2024 total comp

$59,966

Sub-department: National Park Service
Base pay: $59,966
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $59,966
Pay grade: 09
Work city: Sullivans Island
Work county: Charleston
Work state: South Carolina

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $59,966
Basic Pay (before locality): $51,332
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 452515019
Length of Service (Years): 0
Occupation Code (OPM): 1015
Pay Plan (OPM): GS

At Department of Interior, Melissa Buchanan serves as a Museum Curator based in Sullivans Island, South Carolina. Their 2024 pay totaled $59,966. They are classified at grade 09.

Kathlyn Guttman

Museum Curator/Department of Interior

2024 total comp

$59,966

Sub-department: National Park Service
Base pay: $59,966
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $59,966
Pay grade: 09
Work city: Death Valley
Work county: Inyo
Work state: California

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $59,966
Basic Pay (before locality): $51,332
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 060985027
Length of Service (Years): 0
Occupation Code (OPM): 1015
Pay Plan (OPM): GS

At Department of Interior, Kathlyn Guttman serves as a Museum Curator based in Death Valley, California. Their 2024 pay totaled $59,966. They are classified at grade 09.

Rebecca Pachlhofer

Museum Curator/Department of Interior

2024 total comp

$59,966

Sub-department: National Park Service
Base pay: $59,966
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $59,966
Pay grade: 09
Work city: Sullivans Island
Work county: Charleston
Work state: South Carolina

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $59,966
Basic Pay (before locality): $51,332
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 452515019
Length of Service (Years): 3
Occupation Code (OPM): 1015
Pay Plan (OPM): GS

Rebecca Pachlhofer holds the role of Museum Curator at Department of Interior based in Sullivans Island, South Carolina. In 2024, their total compensation was $59,966. Their pay grade is 09.

Elizabeth Poland

Museum Curator/Department of Interior

2024 total comp

$57,594

Sub-department: National Park Service
Base pay: $57,594
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $57,594
Pay grade: 07
Work city: Invalid
Work county: Invalid
Work state: Invalid

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $57,594
Basic Pay (before locality): $41,966
Country: Invalid
Duty Station Code: *
Length of Service (Years): 0
Occupation Code (OPM): 1015
Pay Plan (OPM): GS

At Department of Interior, Elizabeth Poland serves as a Museum Curator based in Invalid, Invalid. Their 2024 pay totaled $57,594. They are classified at grade 07.