Best degree programs for Artists and Related Workers, All Other, ranked by enrollment
9 college programs and 1,359 schools train Artists and Related Workers, All Other. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $71,240 median wage, 6,930 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
9 college programs at 1,359 schools train artists and related workers, all other, graduating 37,304 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Fine/Studio Arts, General. The job pays a median of $71,240 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About artists and related workers, all other
All artists and related workers not listed separately.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
9 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 50.0702 | 11,751 | 31.5% | 637 | $24,447 | $25,294 |
| 2 | CIP 50.0409 | 10,754 | 28.8% | 580 | $31,611 | $26,000 |
| 3 | CIP 50.0102 | 4,316 | 11.6% | 183 | $24,752 | $25,963 |
| 4 | CIP 50.0101 | 3,397 | 9.1% | 270 | $24,752 | $25,963 |
| 5 | CIP 50.0410 | 3,166 | 8.5% | 68 | $31,611 | $26,000 |
| 6 | CIP 50.0402 | 3,097 | 8.3% | 161 | $31,611 | $26,000 |
| 7 | CIP 50.0799 | 771 | 2.1% | 69 | $24,447 | $25,294 |
| 8 | CIP 50.0201 | 45 | 0.1% | 9 | $25,027 | $27,000 |
| 9 | CIP 50.1101 | 7 | 0.0% | 6 | — | — |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 970 | Graphic Design | 43% | $34,565 | 100% |
| 2 | School of the Art Institute of Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 790 | Fine/Studio Arts, General | 67% | $48,998 | 77% |
| 3 | Fashion Institute of Technology New York, NY Public · 5 feeder programs | 591 | Illustration | 81% | — | 60% |
| 4 | Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, GA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 557 | Illustration | 69% | $44,902 | 83% |
| 5 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FL Public · 2 feeder programs | 535 | Digital Arts | 78% | — | 40% |
| 6 | Full Sail University Winter Park, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 519 | Digital Arts | 44% | $32,163 | — |
| 7 | The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, TX Public · 2 feeder programs | 441 | Digital Arts | 76% | — | 65% |
| 8 | School of Visual Arts New York, NY Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 384 | Illustration | 76% | $58,518 | 93% |
| 9 | California State University - Fullerton Fullerton, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 303 | Fine/Studio Arts, General | 70% | — | 91% |
| 10 | Brigham Young University - Idaho Rexburg, ID Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 296 | Graphic Design | 55% | $6,760 | 96% |
| 11 | Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA Public · 4 feeder programs | 261 | Illustration | 63% | — | 93% |
| 12 | Art Center College of Design Pasadena, CA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 259 | Illustration | 79% | $48,578 | 75% |
| 13 | Wake Technical Community College Raleigh, NC Public · 2 feeder programs | 257 | Commercial and Advertising Art | 33% | — | — |
| 14 | NUC University Bayamon, PR Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 233 | Graphic Design | 54% | $9,377 | — |
| 15 | The New School New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 228 | Illustration | 69% | $54,185 | 63% |
| 16 | Academy of Art University San Francisco, CA Private for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 215 | Illustration | 34% | $40,294 | — |
| 17 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 215 | Fine/Studio Arts, General | 69% | — | 46% |
| 18 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL Public · 4 feeder programs | 215 | Fine/Studio Arts, General | 91% | — | 24% |
| 19 | Otis College of Art and Design Los Angeles, CA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 214 | Digital Arts | 66% | $44,867 | 82% |
| 20 | Santa Monica College Santa Monica, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 205 | Graphic Design | 36% | — | — |
| 21 | San Jose State University San Jose, CA Public · 4 feeder programs | 201 | Fine/Studio Arts, General | 69% | — | 85% |
| 22 | Connecticut State Community College New Britain, CT Public · 3 feeder programs | 188 | Graphic Design | 24% | — | — |
| 23 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 183 | Graphic Design | 65% | $28,911 | 99% |
| 24 | Ana G. Mendez University Orlando, FL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 176 | Graphic Design | — | — | — |
| 25 | Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 163 | Graphic Design | 52% | $28,087 | 89% |
| 26 | Ringling College of Art and Design Sarasota, FL Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 157 | Illustration | 72% | $54,693 | 70% |
| 27 | Bard College Annandale-On-Hudson, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 155 | Fine/Studio Arts, General | 68% | $24,278 | 52% |
| 28 | Wichita State University Wichita, KS Public · 4 feeder programs | 155 | Digital Arts | 51% | — | 94% |
| 29 | University of North Texas Denton, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 152 | Fine/Studio Arts, General | 61% | — | 72% |
| 30 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Kutztown, PA Public · 3 feeder programs | 149 | Commercial and Advertising Art | 54% | — | 91% |
| 31 | Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Milwaukee, WI Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 147 | Illustration | 67% | $26,078 | 61% |
| 32 | Florida International University Miami, FL Public · 2 feeder programs | 142 | Digital Arts | 74% | — | 55% |
| 33 | Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 142 | Graphic Design | 43% | $21,535 | 79% |
| 34 | San Jacinto Community College Pasadena, TX Public · 2 feeder programs | 141 | Visual and Performing Arts, General | 30% | — | — |
| 35 | CUNY Hunter College New York, NY Public · 2 feeder programs | 140 | Fine/Studio Arts, General | 57% | — | 54% |
| 36 | George Mason University Fairfax, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 136 | Visual and Performing Arts, General | 68% | — | 87% |
| 37 | Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA Public · 2 feeder programs | 136 | Digital Arts | 52% | — | 69% |
| 38 | Rhode Island School of Design Providence, RI Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 136 | Illustration | 89% | $41,764 | 19% |
| 39 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MI Public · 3 feeder programs | 131 | Digital Arts | 81% | — | 85% |
| 40 | Massachusetts College of Art and Design Boston, MA Public · 4 feeder programs | 129 | Illustration | 69% | — | 76% |
| 41 | Maryland Institute College of Art Baltimore, MD Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 128 | Illustration | 72% | $37,659 | 77% |
| 42 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX Public · 2 feeder programs | 128 | Digital Arts | 89% | — | 27% |
| 43 | Collin County Community College District McKinney, TX Public · 2 feeder programs | 125 | Commercial and Advertising Art | 20% | — | — |
| 44 | Portland State University Portland, OR Public · 2 feeder programs | 125 | Graphic Design | 53% | — | 91% |
| 45 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA Public · 1 feeder programs | 121 | Fine/Studio Arts, General | 69% | — | 73% |
| 46 | Mohave Community College Kingman, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs | 121 | Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other | 38% | — | — |
| 47 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TX Public · 2 feeder programs | 121 | Fine/Studio Arts, General | 51% | — | 94% |
| 48 | Pennsylvania Western University California, PA Public · 3 feeder programs | 120 | Fine/Studio Arts, General | 52% | — | 94% |
| 49 | University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NE Public · 3 feeder programs | 120 | Graphic Design | 67% | — | 87% |
| 50 | CUNY City College New York, NY Public · 2 feeder programs | 119 | Fine/Studio Arts, General | 57% | — | 60% |
What artists and related workers, all other earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $60,540 | 740 | 0.92× | 161 | 5,068 |
| Florida | $45,870 | — | — | 43 | 2,584 |
| Texas | $64,060 | 260 | 0.41× | 61 | 2,413 |
| North Carolina | $81,850 | 80 | 0.34× | 51 | 1,416 |
| Ohio | $82,280 | 120 | 0.48× | 49 | 1,257 |
| Pennsylvania | $86,260 | 100 | 0.37× | 67 | 1,155 |
| New Hampshire | $58,640 | 50 | 1.50× | 12 | 1,080 |
| Massachusetts | $94,890 | 50 | 0.29× | 44 | 1,006 |
| Georgia | $119,680 | 360 | 1.67× | 27 | 999 |
| Colorado | $69,860 | — | — | 25 | 844 |
| Michigan | $63,830 | 230 | 1.18× | 42 | 795 |
| Virginia | $111,530 | 180 | 0.98× | 27 | 792 |
| Maryland | $128,610 | 470 | 3.79× | 21 | 682 |
| New Jersey | $85,500 | — | — | 31 | 673 |
| Missouri | $63,130 | 100 | 0.73× | 31 | 566 |
| Tennessee | $43,030 | — | — | 36 | 527 |
| Oregon | $71,490 | 140 | 1.54× | 16 | 465 |
| Kentucky | — | 120 | 1.29× | 23 | 464 |
| Connecticut | $103,740 | — | — | 15 | 450 |
| Indiana | $65,530 | 110 | 0.74× | 30 | 368 |
| Iowa | $39,550 | 70 | 0.98× | 26 | 342 |
| Utah | $43,190 | 190 | 2.49× | 8 | 289 |
| Washington | — | 130 | 0.81× | 17 | 272 |
| West Virginia | $101,400 | 50 | 1.50× | 8 | 64 |
| North Dakotamoderate | $64,470 | — | — | 3 | 28 |
| Alaskalimited | $63,080 | 40 | 2.76× | 2 | 15 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
How to get in
How to become a Artist
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 9 majors mapped to Artists and Related Workers, All Other9 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 50.0101Visual and Performing Arts, General
- 50.0102Digital Arts
- 50.0201Crafts/Craft Design, Folk Art and Artisanry
- 50.0402Commercial and Advertising Art
- 50.0409Graphic Design
- 50.0410Illustration
- 50.0702Fine/Studio Arts, General
- 50.0799Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other
- 50.1101Community/Environmental/Socially-Engaged Art
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become an Artist?+
No formal educational credential is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Fine/Studio Arts, General, which awarded 11,751 degrees in 2024-25, 31.5% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming an Artist?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 9 programs to this occupation. The largest are Design and Applied Arts, Fine and Studio Arts, Visual and Performing Arts, Crafts/Craft Design, plus 1 more. Together they graduate about 37,304 people a year.
How much do artists and related workers, all other earn?+
The median is $71,240 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $36,580 at the 10th percentile to $136,660 at the 90th. 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 artists and related workers, all other growing?+
BLS projects a +0.8% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, little or no change, with roughly 1,200 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
1,359 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 9 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.
Do you need training or experience beyond a degree?+
BLS lists 'None' for related work experience and 'Long-term on-the-job training' for on-the-job training typically needed to reach competency.
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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