Preservation & Museum Specialist 3 pay range
State of Washington · class code 260K
- Class code
- 260K
- Salary range
- 44
- Pay unit
- Year
- State
- Washington
- The State of Washington published pay range for Preservation & Museum Specialist 3 is $48,048 to $64,512 per year.
- Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) keys this classification as class code 260K.
- This is the range the plan authorises, not the salary of any individual employee.
Step progression
Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) assigns this class to salary range 44 in the General Service Salary Schedule. The range pays 13 steps; a step is normally earned on a periodic increment date, not negotiated.
| Basis | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $48,048 | $49,296 | $50,412 | $51,600 | $52,872 | $54,204 | $55,596 | $56,952 | $58,392 | $59,760 | $61,332 | $62,880 | $64,512 |
| Monthly | $4,004 | $4,108 | $4,201 | $4,300 | $4,406 | $4,517 | $4,633 | $4,746 | $4,866 | $4,980 | $5,111 | $5,240 | $5,376 |
| Hourly | $23.01 | $23.61 | $24.14 | $24.71 | $25.32 | $25.96 | $26.63 | $27.28 | $27.97 | $28.62 | $29.37 | $30.11 | $30.90 |
Steps as published. The monthly and hourly rows are the state's own, not conversions of the annual row.
Class specification
The OFM classified job specification for this class is published by Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM). The passages below are quoted from it as published, not paraphrased, and cut to their opening sentences; the full specification is the authority on duties and qualifications.
What the state says the job is
Functions as a fully qualified curator. Some positions research, develop and implement site interpretive master plans and programs. Positions identify, preserve, catalogue and make recommendations for restoration of specimens, art objects or records. Positions work independently and exercise judgment and discretion in determining the scope or level of service. Work is typically reviewed on a spot check basis after decisions have been made. Unusual problems that may occur are brought to a higher level manager with probable outcomes and solutions. May supervise lower level positions.
Examples of the work
Provide object research assistance; recommend collection management policy and procedures; lead and/or train volunteers; assists in reviewing exhibit design concepts, detailed exhibit design drawings, audio-visual component, and computer software programs; Provides written and oral reports to board, staff and outside groups; give s addresses and lectures to students and/or visiting groups; Select, identify, preserve and catalog materials in a specialty field; Negotiates for and appraises artifacts for historical value and accession for museum retention; Construct, install and dismantle museum or gallery exhibits or displays; Coordinates public lectures, workshops, seminars and conferences.
Minimum qualifications
Positions typically require a Bachelor’s degree in history, anthropology, archaeology, museum studies, fine arts, education or closely related field AND Two years experience as a museum curator or equivalent. Some positions require a Bachelor’s degree related to an assigned collection specialty. Some positions allow experience in natural science research or interpretation to be substituted, year for year, for education. Equivalent education/experience.
Quoted from the OFM classified job specification, read 2026-10-21.
Where this comes from
Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) publishes this figure in Classified Job Listing joined to the OFM salary schedules effective July 1, 2026. Every number on this page is read from that document; nothing is estimated, modelled or averaged.
The dollar figures come from the salary schedule the listing assigns this range to.