Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary

These educators teach college-level courses in fine arts, music, drama, design, and crafts. On a daily basis, their work involves training and teaching others, coaching students, and thinking creatively to develop lessons. They guide and motivate students while establishing strong interpersonal relationships. Instructors must communicate regularly with university peers and supervisors, organize and prioritize their coursework, and solve instructional problems as they arise.

Succeeding in this role requires strong skills in speaking, instructing, and active listening. Teachers must use critical thinking and social perceptiveness to understand student needs. They rely heavily on deep knowledge of the fine arts, education, English, and communications. Because this is a social career, instructors must show empathy, cooperation, and dependability. They also need a high degree of innovation and intellectual curiosity to keep their teaching methods fresh and engaging.

Entering this career typically requires a high level of preparation. Most instructors need a graduate degree, such as a master's degree, a PhD, an MD, or a JD.

Students preparing for this path often major in visual and performing arts, fine and studio arts, music, or design and applied arts. Other relevant majors include drama, theater arts, stagecraft, dance, film, video, and photographic arts. Some prospective teachers also pursue degrees in teacher education and professional development for specific subject areas.

The median annual pay for these postsecondary teachers was $78,620 in 2025. Salaries can vary widely based on experience and the institution; the lowest 10% of earners made less than $47,570, while the highest 10% earned more than $163,350.

With 93,560 people employed in this field, employment is projected to grow by 2.2% from 2025 to 2035, which is as fast as the average for all occupations. Despite this modest growth rate, about 8,000 job openings are expected to become available each year.