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Art valuer

Art valuers give advice on how much a piece of art or a collection of art is worth.

Annual Salary

£20,000 to £40,000

Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)

Working hours

38 to 40 irregular

You could work: evenings / weekends; as customers demand

2.9%
Future employment

There will be 2.9% more Art valuer jobs in 2027.

Day to day tasks

As an art valuer, you might:

  • assess the condition, quality and age of the art
  • check if objects have been restored or changed in any way
  • carry out research and speak with specialists and historians
  • keep up to date with current prices and demand
  • prepare written valuations for clients
  • lead auctions and make sure goods are sold for the best price
  • act as an expert witness in disputed cases that have gone to court

Working environment

You could work at a client's home, in an office or at a client's business.

Your working environment may be dusty and you'll travel often.

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • working towards this role
  • a graduate training scheme
University

You could complete a degree in a subject, such as art history, fine arts and restoration or fine arts conservation.

After your degree if you could then take professional training in valuation. You could also do a specialist postgraduate course, like art market and appraisal or arts business.

Internships

Some large auction houses offer internship programmes for university students.

You can view information on placements and work experience from the Museums Association.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
Work

You could work in an auction house or antiques business as an assistant, porter or cataloguer. This is a great opportunity to learn through experience and part time study.

Volunteering and work experience

You might find it useful to get some work experience as getting in to this work can be competitive. Volunteering can also help you to get started in this career.

Other routes

You could join a graduate training scheme with a large auction house. Employers only offer a few of these each year.

You'll usually need a degree in a subject like history of art or fine art, along with relevant art and business experience.

More information

Further information

You can find out more about careers in art valuation from the Museums Association.

You can also get information about working in creative careers from Discover Creative Careers.

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You could become a specialist in a particular period or type of art, move from small to large auction houses or work in a high profile gallery.

With experience you could set up your own business, offering a valuation service as well as buying and selling fine arts and antiques.

Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

You'll need:

  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • customer service skills
  • administration skills
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • the ability to use your judgement and make decisions
  • maths knowledge
  • legal knowledge including court procedures and government regulations
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
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