Curators pay range in Portland
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $43,140 a year or less, while the top 10% make $106,770 or more. The middle half of curators in Portland earn between $48,020 and $83,290.
- $43K10th
- $48K25th
- $64KMedian
- $83K75th
- $107K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $70,810 | $5,901 | $34.04 |
| Median | $64,060 | $5,338 | $30.80 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $48,020 | $4,002 | $23.09 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $83,290 | $6,941 | $40.04 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Curators pay in Portland vs. Oregon and the U.S.
Curators in Portland earn 8% more than the Oregon average ($65,700) and about the same as the U.S. average ($71,560). At the median the gap is +1% against the U.S. median of $63,420.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | $70,810 | $64,060 | $43,140 | $106,770 | 140 |
| Oregon | $65,700 | $62,790 | $43,100 | $103,880 | 260 |
| 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 Portland
On the average salary of $70,810, a single filer in Portland takes home about $53,597 a year, or $4,466 a month and $2,061 every two weeks. Taxes take 24% of gross pay.
The Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in WA | $58,645 | $4,887 |
| Working in OR | $53,597 | $4,466 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Is Portland a good place for curators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Portland area are 5% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.4), so the average $70,810 buys what about $67,169 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Portland ($60,690). A typical home costs $552,022, or 7.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Curators salary in nearby metro areas
- Seattle, WA$82,120
- Sacramento, CA$84,900
- San Francisco, CA$98,200
- Las Vegas, NV$67,110
- Santa Maria, CA$72,660
- Los Angeles, CA$85,350
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 Portland: questions
How much do curators make an hour in Portland?
$34.04 an hour on average, and $30.80 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level curators salary in Portland?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $43,140 a year and the 25th percentile is $48,020, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the curators take-home pay in Portland?
About $53,597 a year ($4,466 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $70,810. Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Do curators earn more in Portland than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA (38900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.2%.
- 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). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.49, this job is 1.5 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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