Earnings of archivists and curators vary considerably by type and size of employer and often by specialty. Median annual earnings of archivists, curators, and museum technicians in 2002 were $33,720 in museums, historical sites, and similar institutions.. Salaries, though, of curators in large, well-funded museums can be several times higher than those in small ones. The average annual salary for archivists in the Federal Government in nonsupervisory, supervisory, and managerial positions was $69,706 in 2003; for museum curators, $70,100; museum specialists and technicians, $48,414; and for archives technicians, $37,067.