9 Highest Paying Art Careers
#1 Art Director
MedianSalary: $94,220
Experience: 5 or more years
Art directors guide the visual appearance and layout of magazines, product packaging, magazines, and many other elements. They determine visual concepts, then guide teams to develop the final products. Many are self employed, although they also work for advertising companies and media businesses.
Although most people working in these careers only have a bachelor’s degree, you’ll need at least five years of experience to land one of these high-paying jobs. They earn a top-quality income, and the top 10% in the field can expect salaries over $188,000, making this one of the highest-paying art careers. The only downside, which we will see with a many of these careers, is negative job growth.
Popular Pick: Master of Arts in Arts Administration from Winthrop University
#2 Producer & Director
MedianSalary: $74,420
Experience: Less than 5 years
Behind your favorite movies and television shows, there is a talented and hard-working director and a producer. Of course, these professionals don’t all work on summer blockbusters, as many are busy making small productions, documentaries, theater works, and more. A producer is involved in the selection of scripts and stories, as well as the financial and organizational aspects of a production, while the director takes a more artistic role, making creative decisions for the final work.
With a strong median salary and 10% expected growth, this is a lucrative and stable career choice. And if you stick with it and work your way into the top 10%, you can expect a salary over $173,680.
Popular Pick: Bachelor of Arts in Digital Film / Production from Grand Canyon University
#3 Landscape Architect
MedianSalary: $69,360
Experience: None
When you think of landscaping, you probably don’t think art careers. You probably think of hard-working, dust-covered laborers moving rocks, dirt, and concrete; you don’t think of artistic designs. But landscaping is an art. Creating an elegant yet useful space and combining shapes and colors to enhance an outdoor space is a critical part of landscape architecture, and it’s an art that is hard to master.
Landscape architects work on private properties, public spaces, and commercial areas. Technologies will improve efficiency in this career, which means fewer landscape architects will be needed. Despite the reduction, the top 10% of landscape architects can expect a salary over $112,000.
Popular Pick: Bachelor of Fine Arts in Landscape Architecture from Academy of Art University
#4 Video Editor
MedianSalary: $63,780
Experience: None
Video editing is both a science job and one of the highest paying art jobs. Of course, you need to understand the technical details for recording video and creating a finished product, but you also need to understand artistic concepts such as pacing, tone, color, and angles.
Few art careers are showing a high growth, and many have negative growth. But that is not the case for film and video editors, who record programs of all varieties, including movies, TV shows, documentaries, and sporting events. This engaging career has a strong salary, and a 22% expected growth rate, driven by an expanding number of internet-only entertainment platforms.
Popular Pick: Bachelor of Science in Digital Filmmaking from Los Angeles Film School
#5 Graphic Designer
MedianSalary: $52,110
Experience: None
Like video editing, graphics design combines science with art. Graphics designers understand how to use a variety of software platforms to create visual concepts. But they also need to understand how art can be used as a communication tool.
Graphics designers earn a strong salary, but the growth rate is expected to be -4%. Many factors are at play, including the reduction of newspapers, which employed many graphics designers in the past.
Popular Pick: Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design & Media Arts from Southern New Hampshire University
#6 Drafter
MedianSalary: $56,830
Experience: None
A drafter is someone that uses software to create technical drawings based on the designs of architects and engineers. Using a variety of technologies, they work off of rough sketches to help design products, which can range from extremely small microchips to massive buildings.
This career may have a negative growth rate over the next decade, but it offers an excellent salary with only an associate’s degree, and the top 10% can expect salaries over $87,000. The education for this career includes design fundamentals, drawing, and computer-based design.
Popular Pick: Associate of Applied Science in CAD Drafting Technologies from Minnesota State College – Southeast
#7 Art Curator
MedianSalary: $54,570
Experience: None
How do art museums find pieces for display? How are these items purchased or borrowed, then preserved for future generations? This is the work of an art curator. These are the people who acquire, store, and display works of art, and they may also be involved in the day-to-day aspects, including cleaning objects.
Art curators may not be artists themselves, but they need a wide knowledge on how art is made, what gives art value, and what art forms are popular in modern society. Management and business education also helps in this career. Curators are expected to rise 13%, well above the national average, although it is a small group, with only 14,500 curators in the U.S. This makes it a stable career, and the top 10% can expect salaries over $87,000.
Popular Pick: Master of Arts in Museum Studies / Certificate in Digital Curation from John Hopkins University
#8 Interior Designer
MedianSalary: $56,040
Experience: None
To fully utilize an interior space, both from a functionality and visual standpoint, many people turn to interior designers. Trained in the use of lighting, furniture, decor, color, and other aspects, interior designers often use artistic principles to create the best possible results for their clients. They often use both software and rough sketches to create a high-quality design that can then be executed in a commercial or residential space.
Interior design brings a solid salary, and only a bachelor’s degree is required. However, the career is expected to decline by 5%, and professionals in this field will have the best chance at finding gainful employment in limited areas, particularly high-wealth areas where interior design is in demand.
Sponsored Pick: Could not look up school using "23944"! from Penn Foster College
#9 Artist
MedianSalary: $48,760
Experience: None (long-term training required)
If you’re going to talk about art careers, you have to talk about the artists! Whether you work with paintings, sculptures, pottery, or another engaging form of artwork, this is a rewarding profession that is enjoyed by people all across the country.
The top 10% of artists earn over $106,000 annually, so there is room for excellent earnings, although people rarely become artists for the money. Fine arts and craft artist create gorgeous, impactful pieces that are appreciated by many, bringing a level of satisfaction that few other careers hold.
Sponsored Pick: from Lindenwood University
