Museum Technicians and Conservators pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,610 a year or less, while the top 10% make $96,470 or more. The middle half of museum technicians and conservators in Chicago earn between $47,560 and $76,990.
- $39K10th
- $48K25th
- $59KMedian
- $77K75th
- $96K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $61,500 | $5,125 | $29.57 |
| Median | $58,840 | $4,903 | $28.29 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $47,560 | $3,963 | $22.87 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $76,990 | $6,416 | $37.01 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Museum Technicians and Conservators pay in Chicago vs. Illinois and the U.S.
Museum technicians and conservators in Chicago earn about the same as the Illinois average ($59,800) and 7% more than the U.S. average ($57,410). At the median the gap is +14% against the U.S. median of $51,440.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $61,500 | $58,840 | $38,610 | $96,470 | 280 |
| Illinois | $59,800 | $56,720 | $38,610 | $96,470 | 400 |
| 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 Chicago
On the average salary of $61,500, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $48,692 a year, or $4,058 a month and $1,873 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $49,780 | $4,148 |
| Working in IL | $48,692 | $4,058 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for museum technicians and conservators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $61,500 buys what about $59,366 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 5.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Museum Technicians and Conservators salary in nearby metro areas
- Milwaukee, WI$43,920
- Madison, WI$39,910
- Grand Rapids, MI$46,570
- Indianapolis, IN$48,090
- Ann Arbor, MI$39,390
- Dayton, OH$58,340
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 Chicago: questions
How much do museum technicians and conservators make an hour in Chicago?
$29.57 an hour on average, and $28.29 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level museum technicians and conservators salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,610 a year and the 25th percentile is $47,560, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the museum technicians and conservators take-home pay in Chicago?
About $48,692 a year ($4,058 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $61,500.
Do museum technicians and conservators earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.9%.
- 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 (2025 rules).
- 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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