Curators pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $51,900 a year or less, while the top 10% make $127,100 or more. The middle half of curators in Los Angeles earn between $68,600 and $99,430.
- $52K10th
- $69K25th
- $77KMedian
- $99K75th
- $127K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $85,350 | $7,112 | $41.03 |
| Median | $77,160 | $6,430 | $37.10 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $68,600 | $5,717 | $32.98 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $99,430 | $8,286 | $47.80 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Curators pay in Los Angeles vs. California and the U.S.
Curators in Los Angeles earn about the same as the California average ($86,330) and 19% more than the U.S. average ($71,560). At the median the gap is +22% against the U.S. median of $63,420.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $85,350 | $77,160 | $51,900 | $127,100 | 390 |
| California | $86,330 | $78,740 | $53,390 | $125,670 | 1,140 |
| United States | $71,560 | $63,420 | $40,470 | $107,140 | 12,150 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Curators salary after taxes in Los Angeles
On the average salary of $85,350, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $65,028 a year, or $5,419 a month and $2,501 every two weeks. Taxes take 24% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Los Angeles a good place for curators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $85,350 buys what about $75,155 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 11.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Curators salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 3rd of 6 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($98,200).
- San Francisco$98,200
- San Diego$88,290
- Los Angeles$85,350
- Sacramento$84,900
- Riverside$75,370
- Santa Maria$72,660
Highest-paying cities for curators
New York, NY pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($99,910).
- New York, NY$99,910
- New Haven, CT$99,830
- San Francisco, CA$98,200
- Ann Arbor, MI$95,110
- Washington, DC$93,030
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Curators salary in Los Angeles: questions
How much do curators make an hour in Los Angeles?
$41.03 an hour on average, and $37.09 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level curators salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $51,900 a year and the 25th percentile is $68,600, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the curators take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $65,028 a year ($5,419 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $85,350. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do curators earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is 19% more than the U.S. average for this job ($71,560).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 25-4012; area Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.3%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.79, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.79).
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