Curators pay range in Denver
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $55,450 a year or less, while the top 10% make $107,380 or more. The middle half of curators in Denver earn between $63,090 and $96,600.
- $55K10th
- $63K25th
- $78KMedian
- $97K75th
- $107K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $80,070 | $6,672 | $38.50 |
| Median | $77,700 | $6,475 | $37.36 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $63,090 | $5,258 | $30.33 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $96,600 | $8,050 | $46.44 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Curators pay in Denver vs. Colorado and the U.S.
Curators in Denver earn 5% more than the Colorado average ($76,150) and 12% more than the U.S. average ($71,560). At the median the gap is +23% against the U.S. median of $63,420.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | $80,070 | $77,700 | $55,450 | $107,380 | 180 |
| Colorado | $76,150 | $73,630 | $51,940 | $104,530 | 300 |
| 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 Denver
On the average salary of $80,070, a single filer in Denver takes home about $62,345 a year, or $5,195 a month and $2,398 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Is Denver a good place for curators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Denver area are 6% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.8), so the average $80,070 buys what about $75,693 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Denver ($62,320). A typical home costs $573,221, or 7.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Curators salary in nearby metro areas
- Santa Fe, NM$65,090
- Albuquerque, NM$62,350
- Lincoln, NE$61,150
- Omaha, NE$77,430
- Oklahoma City, OK$66,920
- Tulsa, OK$65,730
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 Denver: questions
How much do curators make an hour in Denver?
$38.50 an hour on average, and $37.36 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level curators salary in Denver?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $55,450 a year and the 25th percentile is $63,090, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the curators take-home pay in Denver?
About $62,345 a year ($5,195 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $80,070. Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Do curators earn more in Denver than elsewhere?
The average here is 12% 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (19740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.1%.
- 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 (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.43, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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