ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Collections Registrar Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Smith College

Collections Registrar

Northampton, MA · On-site

$52K - $71K/yr

The Associate Registrar holds primary responsibility for the administration of the museum's collections database, manages rights and reproductions, and oversees collections digitization. They are ...

Smith College

Collections Registrar

Northampton, MA · On-site

$52K - $71K/yr

The Associate Registrar holds primary responsibility for the administration of the museum's collections database, manages rights and reproductions, and oversees collections digitization. They are ...

Norman Rockwell Museum

Registrar

Stockbridge, MA · On-site

Together, this team organizes all aspects of archives and collections care, housing, and conservation needs, as well as the physical movement of any works in the Museum's care. The Registrar also ...

Norman Rockwell Museum

Registrar

Stockbridge, MA · On-site

$75K - $80K/yr

Together, this team organizes all aspects of archives and collections care, housing, and conservation needs, as well as the physical movement of any works in the Museum's care. The Registrar also ...

Museum of Fine Arts

Registrar Fellow

Boston, MA · On-site

Registrars work closely with Collections Management, Conservation, and Curatorial staff to meet the goals and mission of the Museum. Under the general direction of the Senior Director of Registration ...

Artis--Naples

Registrar

Naples, FL · On-site

Description Job Summary The Registrar leads registration activities supporting The Baker Museum ... collections records. • Coordinates the movement, packing, transportation, installation and ...

Princeton University

Registrar

Princeton, NJ · On-site

The Registrar reports to the Chief Registrar, who reports to the Sr. Associate Director for Collections and Exhibitions. The Registrar mentors the Associate Registrar and provides guidance and ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsCollections Registrar Jobs

Collections Registrar information

See salary details

$23.5K

$53.3K

$84.5K

How much do collections registrar jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 24, 2026, the average yearly pay for collections registrar in the United States is $53,257.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $37,000.00 and $70,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the highest paying job at a museum?

The highest paying job at a museum is typically the Director or Chief Executive Officer, who oversees operations, fundraising, and strategic planning. These roles often require extensive experience, advanced degrees, and leadership skills, and they can earn six-figure salaries depending on the institution's size and budget.

What jobs in the US pay 300,000 a year?

A Collections Registrar typically does not earn $300,000 annually; such high salaries are more common in executive, medical, legal, or specialized financial roles. Positions like senior corporate executives, specialized physicians, or top-tier attorneys often reach or exceed this level, especially with experience and certifications. Salary levels depend on industry, location, and experience, with high-paying roles usually requiring advanced skills and leadership responsibilities.

Is being a registrar a stressful job?

A collections registrar is responsible for managing and preserving collections, which can involve detailed record-keeping and attention to detail. The job can be stressful during busy periods or when handling sensitive items, but workload and stress levels vary depending on the organization and workload management. Strong organizational skills and experience with collection management systems can help mitigate stress.

What is the difference between a collection manager and a registrar?

A collections registrar is responsible for documenting, cataloging, and maintaining records of a collection's items, ensuring proper storage and preservation. A collection manager oversees the overall care, conservation, and display of the collection, often making decisions about acquisitions and exhibitions. Both roles require attention to detail and knowledge of collection policies, but the registrar focuses on record-keeping while the manager handles broader collection management tasks.

What is the difference between Collections Registrar vs Collections Specialist?

AspectCollections RegistrarCollections Specialist
Required CredentialsTypically a high school diploma or associate degree; certifications like Certified Collections Specialist (CCS) are commonHigh school diploma or equivalent; certifications like CCS are also common
Work EnvironmentOffice setting, often in museums, libraries, or archivesOffice environment, often in financial institutions or healthcare
Employer & Industry UsageUsed in museums, libraries, archives for managing collections recordsUsed in finance, healthcare, and retail for debt collection and account management

The Collections Registrar and Collections Specialist roles share some credentials and work environments but differ mainly in industry focus. The Registrar manages records of collections in museums or archives, while the Specialist focuses on debt collection in financial or healthcare sectors. Both roles require organizational skills and certifications like CCS, but their daily tasks and industries vary significantly.

More about Collections Registrar jobs
What cities are hiring for Collections Registrar jobs? Cities with the most Collections Registrar job openings:
What states have the most Collections Registrar jobs? States with the most job openings for Collections Registrar jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Collections Registrar jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Collections Registrar jobs are:
Collections Registrar jobs near you
Infographic showing various Collections Registrar job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 80% Full Time, 17% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 94% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $53,257 per year, or $25.6 per hour.
Collections Registrar

Collections Registrar

Smith College

Northampton, MA • On-site

$52K - $71K/yr

Full-time

Posted 17 days ago

Smith College rating

8.2

Company rating: 8.2 out of 10

Based on 11 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

120th of 560 rated colleges and universities

Job description

If you have any questions about the position or our application process, reach out to us at recruiting-u@smith.edu.
Department
Museum of Art
Job Description
Job Summary
As a member of the Collections Management team at the Smith College Museum of Art, the Associate Registrar plays a key role in the stewardship, documentation, and accessibility of the museum's collection. The Associate Registrar holds primary responsibility for the administration of the museum's collections database, manages rights and reproductions, and oversees collections digitization. They are responsible for complying with applicable laws, regulations, and professional standards related to collections management, documentation, intellectual property, and the stewardship of culturally sensitive material. Working both independently and collaboratively, they establish and maintain systems that support the collections care, use, and discovery. The Associate Registrar also serves as a critical partner in collections and building management projects and coordinating other essential collections-related activities.
Take appropriate actions to support a diverse workforce and participate in the College's efforts to create a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming work environment.
Essential Functions
Collections Access and Location Control (30%):
  • Facilitate collection access for in-person visits by students, classes, and academic researchers
  • Manage location control for SCMA's collection, overseeing annual inventories for insurance compliance as well as confirming the presence and condition of artworks
  • Oversee Cunningham Center location management in coordination with the Cunningham Center Manager
  • Direct organization of art storage areas to maximize efficient use of storage space
  • Oversee collections objects' location control during moves including major building projects and renovations

Database Administration (30%)
  • Manage SCMA's implementation of the consortial Five College Collections Management System (Qi/Keepthinking)
  • Provide training to SCMA staff and other Smith College stakeholders in both the Qi CMS as well as the Qi public portal
  • Liaise with FCI and Keepthinking to resolve database issues and implement software updates
  • Serve as SCMA liaison to the consortial Collections Management and Access Committee which sets standards for data governance

Collections Documentation (10%):
  • Manage the digitization of the collection including object photography and critical object records
  • Maintain confidential paper files relating to the collection in conjunction with the digital files in the Collections Management System
  • Create acquisition paperwork and documentation. Create and manage workflows for intake of artworks.

Exhibitions (10%):
  • Assist with logistics, paperwork, condition reporting, and installation/deinstallation of exhibitions as needed
  • Work with Exhibitions and Loans Specialist to ensure exhibitions documentation is entered into the Collections Management System in a consistent, timely manner

Rights and reproductions (10%)
  • Oversee external rights and reproductions requests and fulfilment for permanent collections objects
  • Manage copyright permissions and image use for SCMA
  • Update Collections Management System with rights and reproductions information and work with artists and artist representatives to gain copyright permissions for new acquisitions

Collections Stewardship (10%)
  • Oversee processing and disposition of found-in-collections materials, complying with appropriate abandoned property laws
  • Oversee processing of large, previously unprocessed gifts
  • Oversee collections logistics of deaccessioning artworks identified through curatorial assessment, including provenance and title research

Perform other duties as assigned by management.
MINIMUM REQUIRED Qualifications:
  • Graduate Degree, Field: Museum studies, MLIS, or related
  • 5 or more years experience, Area: Museum Collections Management or Registration

Knowledge of:
Museum core standards and best practices for Collections Management, relational databases, museum lexica including Getty AAT, legal regulations governing abandoned property, title and provenance laws and regulations, repatriation and cultural protection ethics and regulations, best practices in digital asset management, project management systems and software
Skills:
Adobe creative suite, organizational skills and attention to detail, ability to work collaboratively with coworkers throughout the museum
Compensation
In addition to a competitive benefits package, annualized pay for this role is typically between $52,845.22 - $71,496.48 covering the middle half of market compensation. Actual compensation will vary based on individual qualifications and work schedule if less than full-time.
Position Type
Regular
Please attach BOTH a current resume and a cover letter in order for your application to be considered for this position . Be sure you have provided all attachments before submitting your application.
You will NOT be able to attach additional files after you have hit the Submit button.
Review of applications will begin
August 3, 2026
About Smith College
Located in Northampton, MA, Smith College is one of the largest women's colleges in the country and is dedicated to excellence in teaching and research across the liberal arts. A faculty of outstanding scholars interact with students in small classes, as advisors, and through student-faculty research projects. The College is a member of the Five College Consortium with Amherst, Hampshire and Mt. Holyoke Colleges, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Students cross-enroll and faculty cross-teach across the Five Colleges.
Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 151B, it is the policy of Smith College to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact our recruiting team at recruiting-u@smith.edu.
As set forth in our mission and values, Smith College is committed to promoting a culture of equity and inclusion among students, staff and faculty. The College will not discriminate in employment on the basis of age, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, genetic information, age, veteran status, physical or mental disability, or any other classification protected by law. Smith College is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all state and federal laws that prohibit discrimination.

What Smith College employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom

Apply