On Sat, Dec 15, 2012 at 7:05 AM, Ruth Taylor
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> I think the issue is not that Masters degree programs are artificially depressing wages, but rather that getting the degree does not necessarily help get a higher paying job. So you work hard to increase your credentials and are still competing for the same low wage jobs that you would have without it.

This is pretty much nails it. I also think that many positions require
advance degrees but do not truly need them. But since there are so
many candidates, museums can be choosy and pick the highest qualified
people for the job. For example, an entry-level visitor services type
position should not require a masters degree yet those types of jobs
are what fresh museum studies graduates tend to get. The way it should
work is that new museum people should start at those low paying jobs,
work for a few years, and then get a masters to improve their career.

I also think that since museums started out as mainly philanthropic
endeavors, there's an expectation for people to "serve the community"
and not make a lot of money. I don't know of any other profession
where the education requirements are so high for salaries that are so
low. It's not just the economy as museum salaries are low even in good
economic times.

Deb Fuller

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