IDR recently collected and analysed data on pay and reward from 173 organisations that together operate 316 museums and galleries across the UK. Our detailed analysis was used by the Museums Association to produce an updated set of salary guidelines. 

As well as providing detailed figures on salary levels for a range of occupations, including museum attendants, audio & visual technicians, curators, collections managers, fundraising and museum directors, our analysis examined how museum pay has moved since 2017; how it compares to pay for similar roles in other sectors; and how inflation has impacted the real-terms value of museum pay.

Our research shows that museum pay is generally behind that for comparators employed elsewhere in the economy, the exception being those in front-of-house roles where staff have benefited from the rising statutory minimum under the National Living Wage.