Curators pay range in Durham
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,390 a year or less, while the top 10% make $77,730 or more. The middle half of curators in Durham earn between $44,060 and $71,840.
- $36K10th
- $44K25th
- $49KMedian
- $72K75th
- $78K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $57,390 | $4,782 | $27.59 |
| Median | $49,240 | $4,103 | $23.67 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $44,060 | $3,672 | $21.18 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $71,840 | $5,987 | $34.54 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Curators pay in Durham vs. North Carolina and the U.S.
Curators in Durham earn about the same as the North Carolina average ($57,490) and 20% less 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham | $57,390 | $49,240 | $36,390 | $77,730 | 80 |
| North Carolina | $57,490 | $49,470 | $42,240 | $76,890 | 600 |
| 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 Durham
On the average salary of $57,390, a single filer in Durham takes home about $46,512 a year, or $3,876 a month and $1,789 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Durham a good place for curators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Durham area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.6), so the average $57,390 buys what about $58,818 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Durham ($60,720). A typical home costs $414,340, or 7.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Curators salary in other North Carolina cities
Durham ranks 4th of 5 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Raleigh pays the most ($63,090).
- Raleigh$63,090
- Greensboro$59,680
- Charlotte$58,080
- Durham$57,390
- Wilmington$53,050
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 Durham: questions
How much do curators make an hour in Durham?
$27.59 an hour on average, and $23.68 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level curators salary in Durham?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,390 a year and the 25th percentile is $44,060, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the curators take-home pay in Durham?
About $46,512 a year ($3,876 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $57,390.
Do curators earn more in Durham than elsewhere?
The average here is 20% less 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 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC (20500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.9%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 3.07, this job is 3.1 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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