Tom hit the nail on the head.  The money isn't there but the personal
rewards are.  Another approach, the one I took, is to have another career
and make enough money to then go into the museum field. I "retired" from my
own business, had a Masters in Humanities, then went to NYU's Museum
Studies, finished there and interned at an historic site.  Proved myself
during the internship working hard for free, was offered a full time
position there in exactly what I wanted and now am happy in my third
historic site.  I must admit, though, the salaries around the country really
differ.  The money in our "industry" seems to be with the development
people. And of course there is the arguement just how much of the Director's
time should be taken up with fund raising.  Most museum folk didn't chose
the career to raise money - hey, it just works out that way!
New York State has put out a large booklet with the salaries of the
different levels within the state. Mine is at the office, maybe someone can
reference for Adrienne.
(Tom, how do you manage to get five weeks vacation?)
Bill Maurer
www.gomez.org

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
> Behalf Of Andover Historical Society
> Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 1999 9:50 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: salary
>
>
> I would definately NOT reccommend it financially.  I am a curator
> in a small
> history museum in Massachusetts, USA.  I was lucky in that I got a job
> before I had finished school in museum studies (most of my
> college mates had
> to wait years).  I started out at $22,000 and now make $26,500.  I have
> perks such as free housing, 5 weeks vacation and 3/4 insurance
> coverage for
> my wife and myself.  Also, being a community leader gives you a certain
> status unavailable to other professions.  But it is a calling,
> similar to a
> being a minister.  At times I am bitter about the low pay and wish I had
> chosen another field.  But I don't dread going to work, like a lot of my
> friends, and enjoy the creativity.  Its a hard choice, good luck.
> Tom Edmonds, Andover Historical Society
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Adrienne Roberts <[log in to unmask]>
> Newsgroups: bit.listserv.museum-l
> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Sunday, April 18, 1999 2:07 PM
> Subject: salary
>
>
> >hi everyone
> >
> >i've looked at a couple of sources on museum jobs, etc but i was
> wondering
> >if anyone could advise me about salaries, etc that i should expect if i
> >decide to enter the museum field?  alhtough i'm aware that is a broad
> >question and there are a lot of factors, generally, what shoudl i expect?
> >even though i enjoy museums and am passionate about the heritage
> industry,
> >in this day and age would you still recommend it financially?
> >
> >thanks
> >adrienne
> >
> >*************************************
> >Adrienne Roberts
> >Archaeology Unit
> >Queen's College
> >Memorial University of Newfoundland
> >St. John's, NF
> >Canada
> >(709) 737-8869
> >(709) 726-3703 (home)
> >[log in to unmask]
> >*************************************
> >
>