Standards & Practices

The 2012 Salary Survey is the twenty-seventh in a series of annual survey of art museum salaries issued by the Association of Art Museum Directors. The results of this survey represent responses from 204 of 261 museums surveyed—a response rate of 78%.

Among the museums surveyed were both current and former AAMD members. While the response rate of 78% enables this report to be statistically representative of institutions eligible for AAMD membership, one should not assume relevance to museums in other disciplines.

The Salary information derives from positions considered (a) professional and (b) likely to be filled from the national marketplace rather than locally. Comparative statistics on clerical, maintenance, and security are more valid when secured from within a museum’s own region.

The format of the survey reflects metropolitan areas defined as metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) and consolidated metropolitan statistical areas (CMSAs), and primary
metropolitan statistical areas (PMSAs) as of April 1, 2000.

Salary information is based on compensation for FY11. Information is not presented for positions when fewer than five museums reported salary figures. Categories with no reporting museum are denoted by “n.d.” Salaries reported by Canadian art museums are reported in Canadian dollars.

The Salary Survey is available to download on your right. If you have any questions regarding the Salary Survey please call 202-754-8084 or email syao@aamd.org.