- Salary statistics
- Antiquarian salary
Antiquarian salary
Latest available salary statistics are for 2025. Compare average pay, salary range and related job listings.
28 500 - 49 500 SEK / month
Women earn 98% of what men do.
Kultur, media, design
Related tools
Salary progression Antiquarian
What does an antiquarian do? – Tasks and work environment
An antiquarian works with preserving, documenting, and communicating cultural heritage within museums, archives, authorities, and cultural environment organizations. Tasks often include inventory of collections, exhibition work, research, advising on restoration and care of historical objects, as well as educational activities aimed at the public. The work environment varies between office settings, museum facilities, archives, and sometimes fieldwork at excavations or building surveys. The role requires precision, analytical skills, and a strong interest in cultural history.
Salary development over time
The salary for antiquarians has shown steady growth in recent years. In 2022, the average salary was 36,700 SEK per month, increasing to 38 900 in 2023 and further to 41 400 in 2024. This represents a salary increase of just over 6% over the three-year period. This development reflects an increased demand for qualified skills in the cultural heritage sector, while employers, especially within the public sector, have invested in raising salaries to attract and retain educated staff. Despite salary increases, the antiquarian profession still remains moderate compared to other academic careers, possibly due to limited resources within the cultural sector and competition for positions.
Antiquarian salary – comprehensive overview
- Average salary: 41 400 SEK/month
- Lowest salary: 26,600 SEK/month (female, public sector, pre-university education)
- Highest salary: 47,000 SEK/month (male, public sector, doctoral degree)
- Hourly wage (average): 234 SEK/hour
- Men's average salary: 41 900 SEK/month
- Women's average salary: 41 100 SEK/month
- Women earn: 98% of men's salary
Education and qualifications
The path to becoming an antiquarian usually involves higher academic studies in fields such as archaeology, cultural heritage, art history, or ethnology. A relevant bachelor's or master's degree is often a requirement, especially for work within government institutions. Practical experience through internships or project work is highly valued, as are advanced subject knowledge and skills in documentation and digital tools.
- Formal degree: Bachelor's or master's degree in archaeology, cultural heritage, art history, or similar (3–5 years)
- Internships: Internships or trainee positions at museums, archives, or cultural heritage agencies
- Certifications: Courses in collection management, conservation, or digital documentation
- Prerequisites: Basic university eligibility and subject studies in relevant fields
- Tips for choosing specialization: Select based on interests and labor market needs, e.g., building preservation or museum education
Many antiquarians have the opportunity to work with unique objects or historical environments rarely accessible to the public. Those with curiosity and an eye for detail can sometimes be the first to discover unexpected connections in the material – a special aspect of the profession’s appeal.
Common benefits and compensations
Antiquarians are often offered collective agreement benefits such as occupational pension, wellness allowances, and generous vacation. Within the public sector, there are also opportunities for professional development, flexible working hours, and some remote work possibilities. The profession’s connection to museums and cultural institutions sometimes includes benefits like free entry to exhibitions and discounts on courses.
Competition and challenges
The competition for positions as an antiquarian is high, as the number of qualified candidates often exceeds the number of advertised jobs. Many employers seek specialized skills and experience, meaning recent graduates may need to take temporary project positions before securing a permanent role. Limited financial resources within the cultural sector can create uncertainty regarding long-term funding for positions. At the same time, increasing demands for digital competence and interdisciplinary work require continuous further education. Geographically, job availability varies, with more positions in larger cities and major institutions.
Tips for those aspiring to become an antiquarian
To succeed as an antiquarian, it’s beneficial to combine an analytical mindset with practical experience. A genuine interest in history and cultural heritage makes it easier to choose specialization areas or internships during studies. Precision and patience are valuable, especially during inventory and documentation work. Good collaboration skills are needed as many projects are team-based and involve dialogue with other professionals. Finally, an open and communicative personality provides advantages in educational work, exhibitions, and public engagement, which are often part of the role.
Key facts about the antiquarian profession
- Educational level: Master’s degree is commonly required
- Work environment: Museums, archives, authorities, and fieldwork
- Job market: 620 available jobs within the profession
- Gender distribution: Women earn 98% of men's salaries
- Professional group: Museum directors, etc.
Career paths and future prospects
After three to five years in the profession, an antiquarian can advance to leadership roles such as collection manager, project leader, or department head within museums, county administrative boards, or cultural heritage units. Specializations in areas like building preservation, digital documentation, or conservation can lead to expert roles and consultancy opportunities. According to the Swedish Public Employment Service’s job forecast, it is difficult to give an exact assessment for antiquarians, as the profession is part of the broader group of museum curators. In this group, there were 620 available jobs at the latest measurement, but competition for permanent positions remains high. Future prospects are influenced by public investments in cultural heritage and the financial situation of institutions.
Frequently asked questions about the antiquarian profession
- What does an antiquarian earn?
- An antiquarian has an average salary of 41 400 SEK per month. - What education is required to become an antiquarian?
- Typically, a bachelor’s or master’s degree in archaeology, cultural heritage, or similar subjects. - Are there salary differences between women and men?
- Yes, women earn on average 98% of men’s salaries within the profession. - What is the job market like for antiquarians?
- There are approximately 620 available jobs, but competition for permanent positions is high. - Which workplaces hire antiquarians?
- Common employers are museums, archives, county administrative boards, and cultural heritage agencies.
li>What is the highest salary for an antiquarian? - What does an antiquarian do at work?
- Tasks include preservation, documentation, research, and educational work related to cultural heritage.
- The highest salary is 47,000 SEK per month.
Salary distributed by age and sector
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 95% | 35000 kr | 36200 kr |
| 35-44 | 105% | 43400 kr | 43600 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 41600 kr | 42000 kr |
| 55-64 | 93% | 42600 kr | 42900 kr |
| Snitt | 98% | 40800 kr | 41400 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 101% | 26100 kr | 31000 kr |
| 25-34 | 103% | 32300 kr | 34100 kr |
| 35-44 | 101% | 38000 kr | 38600 kr |
| 45-54 | 99% | 40600 kr | 40900 kr |
| 55-64 | 99% | 40800 kr | 41100 kr |
| 65-68 | 103% | 37900 kr | 39100 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 38000 kr | 38800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 36000 kr | 36000 kr | |
| 25-34 | 104% | 36900 kr | 37000 kr |
| 35-44 | 100% | 41300 kr | 41400 kr |
| 45-54 | 99% | 43500 kr | 43600 kr |
| 55-64 | 101% | 44600 kr | 44700 kr |
| 65-68 | 106% | 42100 kr | 42100 kr |
| Snitt | 100% | 42600 kr | 42700 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 101% | 25400 kr | 30800 kr |
| 25-34 | 101% | 30300 kr | 32900 kr |
| 35-44 | 102% | 35800 kr | 36700 kr |
| 45-54 | 103% | 37500 kr | 38200 kr |
| 55-64 | 99% | 37100 kr | 37600 kr |
| 65-68 | 105% | 34800 kr | 36900 kr |
| Snitt | 102% | 34500 kr | 36000 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 28100 kr | 29000 kr | |
| 25-34 | 110% | 33700 kr | 34500 kr |
| 35-44 | 98% | 38800 kr | 39300 kr |
| 45-54 | 95% | 40100 kr | 40300 kr |
| 55-64 | 102% | 39200 kr | 39400 kr |
| 65-68 | 99% | 39600 kr | 40700 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 38100 kr | 38500 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 39500 kr | 39800 kr | |
| Snitt | 93% | 44500 kr | 44700 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 39500 kr | 39800 kr | |
| Snitt | 93% | 44500 kr | 44700 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 95% | 36700 kr | 37600 kr |
| 35-44 | 105% | 41300 kr | 41700 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 42800 kr | 43000 kr |
| 55-64 | 93% | 44600 kr | 44800 kr |
| Snitt | 98% | 41400 kr | 41900 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 101% | 25500 kr | 30700 kr |
| 25-34 | 103% | 31600 kr | 33200 kr |
| 35-44 | 101% | 37700 kr | 38400 kr |
| 45-54 | 99% | 40900 kr | 41300 kr |
| 55-64 | 99% | 41300 kr | 41400 kr |
| 65-68 | 103% | 36900 kr | 38400 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 38300 kr | 39000 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 104% | 35900 kr | 35900 kr |
| 35-44 | 100% | 41400 kr | 41400 kr |
| 45-54 | 99% | 43800 kr | 43800 kr |
| 55-64 | 101% | 44200 kr | 44300 kr |
| 65-68 | 106% | 40600 kr | 40600 kr |
| Snitt | 100% | 42700 kr | 42800 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 101% | 24800 kr | 30500 kr |
| 25-34 | 101% | 30500 kr | 32600 kr |
| 35-44 | 102% | 35100 kr | 36100 kr |
| 45-54 | 103% | 36500 kr | 37300 kr |
| 55-64 | 99% | 37800 kr | 38100 kr |
| 65-68 | 105% | 32300 kr | 35500 kr |
| Snitt | 102% | 34200 kr | 35600 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 110% | 30100 kr | 32100 kr |
| 35-44 | 98% | 39200 kr | 39900 kr |
| 45-54 | 95% | 41300 kr | 41300 kr |
| 55-64 | 102% | 38900 kr | 39000 kr |
| 65-68 | 99% | 40900 kr | 40900 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 38200 kr | 38700 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snitt | 93% | 47000 kr | 47100 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snitt | 93% | 47000 kr | 47100 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 95% | 34200 kr | 35500 kr |
| 35-44 | 105% | 43800 kr | 44000 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 41000 kr | 41400 kr |
| 55-64 | 93% | 41500 kr | 41800 kr |
| Snitt | 98% | 40600 kr | 41100 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 101% | 26300 kr | 31100 kr |
| 25-34 | 103% | 32600 kr | 34400 kr |
| 35-44 | 101% | 38100 kr | 38700 kr |
| 45-54 | 99% | 40400 kr | 40800 kr |
| 55-64 | 99% | 40500 kr | 40900 kr |
| 65-68 | 103% | 38400 kr | 39500 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 37900 kr | 38700 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 104% | 37300 kr | 37400 kr |
| 35-44 | 100% | 41300 kr | 41300 kr |
| 45-54 | 99% | 43400 kr | 43400 kr |
| 55-64 | 101% | 44900 kr | 44900 kr |
| 65-68 | 106% | 43000 kr | 43000 kr |
| Snitt | 100% | 42600 kr | 42600 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 101% | 25600 kr | 30900 kr |
| 25-34 | 101% | 30200 kr | 33000 kr |
| 35-44 | 102% | 36000 kr | 36900 kr |
| 45-54 | 103% | 37900 kr | 38600 kr |
| 55-64 | 99% | 36800 kr | 37500 kr |
| 65-68 | 105% | 35800 kr | 37400 kr |
| Snitt | 102% | 34700 kr | 36200 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 110% | 35000 kr | 35400 kr |
| 35-44 | 98% | 38700 kr | 39000 kr |
| 45-54 | 95% | 39200 kr | 39400 kr |
| 55-64 | 102% | 39300 kr | 39600 kr |
| 65-68 | 99% | 38300 kr | 40500 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 38000 kr | 38300 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snitt | 93% | 43800 kr | 44000 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snitt | 93% | 43800 kr | 44000 kr |
About the data
All information displayed on this page is based on data from the Swedish Central Bureau of Statistics (SCB), the Swedish Tax Agency and the Swedish employment agency. Learn more about our data and data sources here.
All figures are gross salaries, meaning salaries before tax. The average salary, or mean salary, is calculated by adding up the total salary for all individuals within the profession and dividing it by the number of individuals. For specific job categories, we have also considered various criteria such as experience and education.
Profession Antiquarian has the SSYK code 2621, which we use to match against the SCB database to obtain the latest salary statistics.
-
Case Worker in Investment Support and Supervision – Stockholm County Administrative Board
Museum curators etc.
Fri, 3 Jul 2026 - 23:21 -
Cultural Coordinator with a focus on Art at Sandviken Art Hall
Museum curators etc.
Tue, 30 Jun 2026 - 06:40 -
Building Archaeologist for the Societal Planning and Cultural Environment Unit
Museum curators etc.
Wed, 24 Jun 2026 - 21:35
Compare salary, work tasks and job outlook in adjacent occupations to find roles with similar skills or pay levels.
-
Average salary: 51 700 SEK/month • Kultur, media, design
Other designers and creators
Compare with Antiquarian
Sat, 4 Jul 2026 - 19:36 -
Coupling technician, scanner salary
Average salary: 42 300 SEK/month • Kultur, media, design
Image and broadcast technicians
Compare with Antiquarian
Sat, 4 Jul 2026 - 11:43 -
Average salary: 44 900 SEK/month • Kultur, media, design
Graphic designers etc.
Compare with Antiquarian
Sat, 4 Jul 2026 - 14:36 -
Average salary: 36 700 SEK/month • Kultur, media, design
Stage managers and script supervisors etc.
Compare with Antiquarian
Fri, 3 Jul 2026 - 01:01 -
Average salary: 36 700 SEK/month • Kultur, media, design
Stage managers and script supervisors etc.
Compare with Antiquarian
Sat, 4 Jul 2026 - 20:08 -
Average salary: 36 700 SEK/month • Kultur, media, design
Stage managers and script supervisors etc.
Compare with Antiquarian
Sat, 4 Jul 2026 - 22:42