I feel that this horse is just about dead now, but I would like to offer
an explanation for the low salaries. I have arrived at this line of
thinking more from dealing in HR then in museums, but I too have
experienced the frustration of feeling devalued.

Part of the problem with this field is that various circumstances in the
1980's economy created a need for museums to become more competative.
The field of museum studies exploded with programs strouting at many
colleges and universties around the country in order to answer the call
for a better trained museum staffer. Prior to this change, many people
working in museums were contributing the second (smaller) salary to a
two income family. While we (listers) genuinely enjoy our work and
therefore accept less than our perceived worth, these people were the
ones who did it because they love it, and in their case, money actually
wasn't very important.

Over the last 15 years, the perception has been that museum careers are
becoming more technically demanding as competition for money and
audience grows. The fact remains though that many of the jobs in smaller
museums can still be done very well by soccer moms/dads and retirees in
the community working part-time. The switch to a need of Museum Studies
professionals never happened and many museums make the mistake of
thinking that they need to require this degree, and way too many people
make the mistake of thinking that it's going to open the door to
unlimited career growth.

The competition for jobs from the wave of museums studies degree holders
has created a situation in which the institutions are at a much greater
advantage, and in that circumstance, why pay more? This situation may
level out if people who enjoy the field work hard and people who are
unhappy with the pay develop their transferable skills and make a career
change. No one is twisting their arm to love museum work.

This is not unique to the museums field. What would help fix the
situation is if institutions would stop requiring Museum Studies degrees
for all positions, and if museum studies programs could weed down their
numbers a bit. I've spoken with many who have said that if they
understood the job situation better they would not have felt like this
piece of paper entitled them to a lot more money and speedy career
advancement. And increasingly, not all Museum Studies programs are
created the same.

I guess I'd like to believe that the museum field is still in this
transitional phase; away from reliable sources of funding and into a
more competative business environment. For now though I encourage you
all to do what you can and seek out the local museum studies program in
your area to offer your time to speak to a class about the realities of
this field. The low pay is generally not as much an insult as it is a
surprise to many entering the field.

Don't be too proud to scare people away from the field by telling them
salary horror stories. If we only share them on the list then we're just
feeling sorry for ourselves.

Rob Lopata
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