Museum Technicians and Conservators pay range in San Francisco
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,480 a year or less, while the top 10% make $99,740 or more. The middle half of museum technicians and conservators in San Francisco earn between $61,010 and $78,460.
- $48K10th
- $61K25th
- $75KMedian
- $78K75th
- $100K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $74,400 | $6,200 | $35.77 |
| Median | $75,020 | $6,252 | $36.07 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $61,010 | $5,084 | $29.33 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $78,460 | $6,538 | $37.72 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Museum Technicians and Conservators pay in San Francisco vs. California and the U.S.
Museum technicians and conservators in San Francisco earn 16% more than the California average ($64,000) and 30% more than the U.S. average ($57,410). At the median the gap is +46% against the U.S. median of $51,440.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $74,400 | $75,020 | $48,480 | $99,740 | 420 |
| California | $64,000 | $61,550 | $39,660 | $86,200 | 1,610 |
| United States | $57,410 | $51,440 | $33,780 | $87,530 | 12,310 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Museum Technicians and Conservators salary after taxes in San Francisco
On the average salary of $74,400, a single filer in San Francisco takes home about $58,291 a year, or $4,858 a month and $2,242 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 (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Francisco a good place for museum technicians and conservators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Francisco area are 16% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 115.6), so the average $74,400 buys what about $64,353 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in San Francisco ($74,260). A typical home costs $1,149,215, or 15.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Museum Technicians and Conservators salary in other California cities
San Francisco ranks 1st of 9 California metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- San Francisco$74,400
- Santa Cruz$69,180
- Riverside$67,070
- San Jose$64,200
- Los Angeles$63,560
- Sacramento$59,710
- Santa Maria$58,660
- San Diego$56,350
- Fresno$44,580
All Museum Technicians and Conservators salaries in California
Highest-paying cities for museum technicians and conservators
Washington, DC pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($82,630).
- Washington, DC$82,630
- New York, NY$76,720
- San Francisco, CA$74,400
- Albany, NY$70,470
- Santa Cruz, CA$69,180
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Museum Technicians and Conservators salary in San Francisco: questions
How much do museum technicians and conservators make an hour in San Francisco?
$35.77 an hour on average, and $36.07 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level museum technicians and conservators salary in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,480 a year and the 25th percentile is $61,010, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the museum technicians and conservators take-home pay in San Francisco?
About $58,291 a year ($4,858 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $74,400. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do museum technicians and conservators earn more in San Francisco than elsewhere?
The average here is 30% more than the U.S. average for this job ($57,410).
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 25-4013; area San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (41860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.8%.
- 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 2.22, this job is 2.2 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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