"A higher individual at my institution said being an informal educator is 'a calling' and as such those called to do it should expect not to be paid very much."

– Respondent in a survey administered by Rende et al. (2021)

Kathryn Rende and her colleagues shared this quote about diversity and low pay in the museum field in The Privilege of Low Pay: Informal Educators' Perspectives on Workforce Equity and Diversity. Read their paper, and you'll hear experiences that mirror those of environmental educators and individuals working in the interpretive field.

Through a survey and some interviews, Rende et al. collected responses from 132 informal science educators (paid employees, not volunteers) who learned about the study through member forums of the American Alliance of Museums, Association of Children's Museums, Association of Science and Technology Centers, and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. While the sample described in this paper represents employees belonging to professional networks and not independent professionals from diverse fields, respondents shared experiences that align with what I heard from freelance informal science educators in my initial survey and what I've learned from educators throughout my project. Shared experiences include:

• Working paycheck-to-paycheck.

• Concern about maintaining a career in informal education.

• A need for outside support to continue doing the work they enjoy.

Outside support cited by respondents includes juggling multiple jobs and financial support from "partners, roommates, parents, and generational wealth" (Rende et al., 2021).

These comments made me think of something I heard years ago at a conference: "Why do you have to be married to do interpretation?"

The person speaking these words was frustrated with low pay, how being an employed professional wasn't enough, and that they had to rely on their spouse's income. You may have empathy for this frustration or be living this reality yourself. As unfortunate as this situation is, Rende et al. point out that being able to stay in the museum field, despite its low wages, is a privilege many others cannot afford. They point out that the absence of options provided by external support can prevent other dedicated professionals, more diverse professionals, from beginning their careers in informal science education.

The results of Rende et al. (2021) align with prior studies about the museum field's lack of diversity, low pay, and gender roles. You can view all the data in their paper.

Learn more about The Privilege of Low Pay and the authors' recommendations for the museum field by clicking on the link in the citation below. This paper is available to read and download for free.

Literature Cited

K. Rende, K. Fromson, M. G. Jones & M. Ennes (2021) The Privilege of Low Pay: Informal Educators' Perspectives on Workforce Equity and Diversity, Journal of Museum Education, 46:4, 430-440, DOI: 10.1080/10598650.2021.1975484

Image Credit: monkeybusinessimages on iStock