Best Art programs in District of Columbia, ranked by enrollment
Teach courses in drama, music, and the arts including fine and applied art, such as painting and sculpture, or design and crafts.
8 schools in District of Columbia run programs that feed this job, graduating 445 people a year. The job pays a median of $96,900 in District of Columbia across about 350 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in District of Columbia that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
27 programs in District of Columbia that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in District of Columbia (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own District of Columbia page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 50.0601In District of Columbia → | 70 | 15.7% | 2 | $25,014 | $24,650 |
| 2 | CIP 50.0701In District of Columbia → | 53 | 11.9% | 4 | $24,447 | $25,294 |
| 3 | CIP 50.0703In District of Columbia → | 53 | 11.9% | 4 | $24,447 | $25,294 |
| 4 | CIP 50.1004In District of Columbia → | 42 | 9.4% | 1 | $28,050 | $25,468 |
| 5 | CIP 50.0409In District of Columbia → | 31 | 7.0% | 3 | $31,611 | $26,000 |
| 6 | CIP 50.0702In District of Columbia → | 29 | 6.5% | 2 | $24,447 | $25,294 |
| 7 | CIP 50.0501In District of Columbia → | 27 | 6.1% | 4 | $20,667 | $24,994 |
| 8 | CIP 50.0506In District of Columbia → | 17 | 3.8% | 2 | $20,667 | $24,994 |
| 9 | CIP 50.0602In District of Columbia → | 17 | 3.8% | 1 | $25,014 | $24,650 |
| 10 | CIP 50.0509In District of Columbia → | 16 | 3.6% | 2 | $20,667 | $24,994 |
| 11 | CIP 50.0903In District of Columbia → | 12 | 2.7% | 1 | $25,929 | $25,980 |
| 12 | CIP 50.0301In District of Columbia → | 11 | 2.5% | 2 | $21,877 | $25,000 |
| 13 | CIP 50.0101In District of Columbia → | 10 | 2.2% | 1 | $24,752 | $25,963 |
| 14 | CIP 50.1001In District of Columbia → | 9 | 2.0% | 1 | $28,050 | $25,468 |
| 15 | CIP 50.0599In District of Columbia → | 8 | 1.8% | 1 | $20,667 | $24,994 |
| 16 | CIP 13.1302In District of Columbia → | 7 | 1.6% | 1 | $43,033 | $26,044 |
| 17 | CIP 50.0908In District of Columbia → | 7 | 1.6% | 1 | $25,929 | $25,980 |
| 18 | CIP 50.0912In District of Columbia → | 5 | 1.1% | 1 | $25,929 | $25,980 |
| 19 | CIP 50.0401In District of Columbia → | 4 | 0.9% | 1 | $31,611 | $26,000 |
| 20 | CIP 50.0102In District of Columbia → | 3 | 0.7% | 1 | $24,752 | $25,963 |
| 21 | CIP 50.0507In District of Columbia → | 3 | 0.7% | 1 | $20,667 | $24,994 |
| 22 | CIP 50.0605In District of Columbia → | 3 | 0.7% | 1 | $25,014 | $24,650 |
| 23 | CIP 50.0907In District of Columbia → | 3 | 0.7% | 1 | $25,929 | $25,980 |
| 24 | CIP 50.0906In District of Columbia → | 2 | 0.4% | 1 | $25,929 | $25,980 |
| 25 | CIP 50.0799In District of Columbia → | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | $24,447 | $25,294 |
| 26 | CIP 50.0902In District of Columbia → | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | $25,929 | $25,980 |
| 27 | CIP 50.1101In District of Columbia → | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | — | — |
Top 8 schools in District of Columbia
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 3 of the 8 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American University Washington, DC Private not-for-profit · 11 feeder programs | 176 | Film/Cinema/Media Studies | $26,767 | 75% | $30,225 | 62% |
| 2 | Howard University Washington, DC Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 92 | Theatre/Theatre Arts Management | $17,095 | 70% | $48,194 | 41% |
| 3 | George Washington University Washington, DC Private not-for-profit · 8 feeder programs | 70 | Art History, Criticism and Conservation | — | 84% | $29,789 | 47% |
| 4 | The Catholic University of America Washington, DC Private not-for-profit · 13 feeder programs | 55 | Music Performance, General | $23,856 | 79% | $27,724 | 83% |
| 5 | Georgetown University Washington, DC Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 16 | Art History, Criticism and Conservation | — | 95% | $22,242 | 13% |
| 6 | University of the District of Columbia Washington, DC Public · 2 feeder programs | 15 | Art/Art Studies, General | — | 33% | — | — |
| 7 | Gallaudet University Washington, DC Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 13 | Visual and Performing Arts, General | — | 47% | $14,382 | 58% |
| 8 | National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts Washington, DC Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 8 | Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Other | — | 33% | — | 100% |
All 8 schools in District of Columbia
Every school in District of Columbia with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American University | Washington | Private not-for-profit | 176 | 11 |
| Howard University | Washington | Private not-for-profit | 92 | 3 |
| George Washington University | Washington | Private not-for-profit | 70 | 8 |
| The Catholic University of America | Washington | Private not-for-profit | 55 | 13 |
| Georgetown University | Washington | Private not-for-profit | 16 | 3 |
| University of the District of Columbia | Washington | Public | 15 | 2 |
| Gallaudet University | Washington | Private not-for-profit | 13 | 2 |
| National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts | Washington | Private not-for-profit | 8 | 1 |
What art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary earn in District of Columbia
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $78,620. District of Columbia pays above the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Metro areas in District of Columbia
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary page.
How to become a Art
Job zone 5 of 5 · SVP 8.0 and above- Typical entry education
- Master's degree
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in District of Columbia
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 25 majors mapped to Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary25 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 13.1302Art Teacher Education
- 13.1312Music Teacher Education
- 13.1324Drama and Dance Teacher Education
- 50.0101Visual and Performing Arts, General
- 50.0102Digital Arts
- 50.0201Crafts/Craft Design, Folk Art and Artisanry
- 50.0301Dance, General
- 50.0302Ballet
- 50.0399Dance, Other
- 50.0401Design and Visual Communications, General
- 50.0404Industrial and Product Design
- 50.0406Commercial Photography
- 50.0407Fashion/Apparel Design
- 50.0409Graphic Design
- 50.0410Illustration
- 50.0501Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
- 50.0502Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology
- 50.0504Playwriting and Screenwriting
- 50.0505Theatre Literature, History and Criticism
- 50.0506Acting
- 50.0507Directing and Theatrical Production
- 50.0509Musical Theatre
- 50.0510Costume Design
- 50.0511Comedy Writing and Performance
- 50.0512Theatre and Dance
Common questions
Answers for people weighing art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary programs in District of Columbia.
What degree do you need to become an Art?+
Master's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Film/Cinema/Media Studies, which awarded 70 degrees in District of Columbia in 2024-25, 15.7% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming an Art?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 27 programs to this occupation. The largest are Fine and Studio Arts, Film/Video and Photographic Arts, Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Arts, plus 6 more. Together they graduate about 445 people a year in District of Columbia.
How much do art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary earn in District of Columbia?+
The median is $96,900 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 23.3% above the U.S. median of $78,620. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary growing?+
BLS projects a +1.7% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, little or no change, with roughly 9,000 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in District of Columbia?+
8 institutions in District of Columbia reported graduates from at least one of the 27 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Professor, Art Professor, Music Professor, Theater Professor among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 25-1121.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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