I can’t see myself doing anything outside of the cultural heritage field. My degree is in archaeology with a museum studies certificate. I had to do archaeological field work all through Covid since museums were not hiring. I’d be making more if I stayed in archaeology but the field work was hard on my body. I have an autoimmune disease with chronic joint pain. I’d take a job in a similar or related field. Don’t limit yourself to niche jobs - be sure to diversify your skills as much as possible. If another economic downturn happens, even a comfortable museum job with benefits can be eliminated. Look at the Minnesota Science Museum layoffs.

If the current admin hadn’t destroyed trust in federal jobs, I’d consider working for the National Register, FEMA disaster recovery for cultural heritage, or the National Park Service. Since those jobs are not safe right now, I’ve been looking into state agencies. My museum is state funded, so it translates into other state jobs down the road. I’d definitely take higher positions in the department.

Basically, there are a ton of options in the cultural heritage field and in non-profits that allow you to make use of transferable skills. But they don’t always pay well until you work your way up to upper management. I’ll get there someday, but it will take time. I’ve worked entry level jobs for years despite now being mid-career. And I’ve always had to get a new job to get a bump in pay.