Archivists, conservators and curators roles in the UK earn a median of £34,000 per year, equivalent to £17.53 per hour as of 2025. Pay increased 7.4% compared to the previous year. Regionally, pay ranges from £31,000 in South West to £36,500 in London. Pay has risen over the past 5 years. The ONS national median for this occupation is £34,237/yr (1% below our computed national average).
Median Annual Pay
£34,000
as of 2025
High confidenceMedian Hourly Pay
£17.53
per hour
Year-on-Year Change
+7.4%
vs 2024
Annual Pay Range
£30,500 – £
25th – 75th percentile
There is currently not sufficient data available for this occupation to say anything about the labour market.
Median annual pay for Archivists, conservators and curators across UK regions.
Source: ONS ASHE. Based on broad UK regions (NUTS1).
| Region | Median Pay |
|---|---|
| London | £36,500 |
| South East | £36,000 |
| East | £35,000 |
| Scotland | £34,500 |
| North West | £32,500 |
| East Midlands | £32,500 |
| West Midlands | £32,500 |
| Wales | £32,500 |
| North East | £32,000 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £32,000 |
| South West | £31,000 |
| UK | £34,000 |
Annual pay grew by +7.4% from 2024 to 2025.
National average (NUTS1 actuals) based on ONS ASHE April snapshot.
Annual percentage change in median pay for Archivists, conservators and curators.
Percentage change from the prior year's April figure.
The median salary for a Archivists, conservators and curators in the UK is £34,000 per year (about £17.53 per hour), based on official ONS data for 2025.
Most Archivists, conservators and curators earn between £30,500 and £ a year (the 25th to 75th percentile of UK pay).
Archivists, conservators and curators pay rose by 7.4% from 2024 to 2025.
The highest median pay for Archivists, conservators and curators is in London, at £36,500 per year.
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For employers & recruiters
Archivists, conservators and curators collect, appraise and preserve collections of recorded and other material of historical interest.
Entrants require a good first degree in order to gain entry to a relevant postgraduate course. Many postgraduate courses also require applicants to have gained relevant practical experience prior to entry. Training is typically received on-the-job.
Salary data is sourced from official UK pay datasets and updated periodically.