Career comparison
Anthropology Professor vs. Curator
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Anthropology professors earn more at the median ($99,650 vs. $63,420), while curators usually get to work faster (2 years after a bachelor’s plus experience of training). Anthropology professors teach how humans and cultures have developed across time and place. Curators build museum collections and plan exhibitions that tell stories.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Anthropology Professor | Curator | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $99,650 | $63,420 ($30.49/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $57,840 – $171,310 | $40,470 – $107,140 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +2.6% (about as fast as average) | +4.9% (about as fast as average) |
| Openings per year | 400 | 1,600 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Master's degree |
| Training time | 6–8 years after a bachelor’s | 2 years after a bachelor’s plus experience |
| Key credential | Ph.D. in anthropology | Master’s |
| Work setting | Faculty work in classrooms, labs, museums and field sites around the world.. | Curators work in museums, galleries and historic sites.. |
What each job does
Anthropology Professor
- Teach anthropology courses
- Lead field schools
- Conduct fieldwork
- Analyze artifacts or interviews
- Mentor students
Curator
- Research collections
- Recommend acquisitions
- Plan exhibitions
- Write labels and catalogs
- Work with donors
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working independently, working with people, and creative work. They sit in different fields, education & childcare and arts, media & design, but share transferable skills such as cultural sensitivity and storytelling.
Which should you choose?
Choose anthropology professor if…
- I’m fascinated by cultures
- I want to do fieldwork
- I enjoy teaching
Choose curator if…
- I love art or history
- I like research
- I tell good stories
Still torn? Take the Anthropology Professor fit quiz and the Curator fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, anthropology professor or curator?
Anthropology Professors earn more at the median: $99,650 versus $63,420 for curators, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Curators typically train faster (2 years after a bachelor’s plus experience) than anthropology professors (6–8 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects curators to grow +4.9% from 2025–35, compared with +2.6% for anthropology professors.