Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary

Education and TrainingO*NET 25-1121.00United States

Teach courses in drama, music, and the arts including fine and applied art, such as painting and sculpture, or design and crafts. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning

Median annual earnings: $84,440
Projected change: +9.1%
Typical education: Master's or Professional degree
Employment: 1.78M jobs

Explore this career by location

Compare nationwide estimates with state or county job-market data.

Showing United States

State

County

Loading available locations…

Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

The work

What art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

Explain and demonstrate artistic techniques.
Evaluate and grade students' class work, performances, projects, assignments, and papers.
Prepare students for performances, exams, or assessments.
Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as acting techniques, fundamentals of music, and art history.
Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks and performance pieces.
Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
Display students' work in schools, galleries, and exhibitions.
Participate in campus and community events.
Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
Keep students informed of community events, such as plays and concerts.
Act as advisers to student organizations.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile: $49,147
25th percentile: $62,814
50th percentile: $84,440
75th percentile: $118,952
90th percentile: $175,749

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $84,440 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+9.1%faster than average

20251,782,325 jobs

2035 projected1,944,527 jobs

162,202 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

Master's or Professional degree: 52.3%
Doctoral degree or more: 31.7%
Bachelor's degree: 14.6%
Associate degree: 1.4%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

Pedagogy
Art History
Drawing
Curriculum Development
Painting
Music Education
Graphic Design
Learning Management Systems
Photography
Syllabus Development
Visual Arts
Sculpture
Talent Management
Lecturing
Music Theory
Music Instruction
Ceramic Art
Animations
Art Education
Student Engagement

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Management of Personnel Resources: Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Operations Analysis: Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

01Adjunct Art Faculties319 postings
02Adjunct Music Faculties281 postings
03Adjunct Faculties219 postings
04Lecturers in Music181 postings
05Faculties109 postings
06Lecturers99 postings
07Music Faculties95 postings
08Adjuncts79 postings
09Adjunct Instructors54 postings
10Adjunct Professors of Music44 postings
11Art Faculties44 postings
12Non-Tenure Track Faculties36 postings
13Adjunct Lecturers33 postings
14Faculty Managers33 postings
15Adjunct Music Instructors29 postings
16Graphic Design Faculties26 postings
17Visiting Faculties25 postings
18Adjunct Voice Faculties23 postings
19Lecturers in Hospitality23 postings
20Piano Faculties23 postings

Top employers

01Herc116 postings
02Syracuse University70 postings
03Tennessee Board of Regents52 postings
04The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley47 postings
05California State University-Chancellors Office40 postings
06Lone Star College System39 postings
07DePaul University36 postings
08Alamo Colleges District33 postings
09Austin Community College District27 postings
10Dallas College27 postings
11Edjoin.Org27 postings
12Northeastern University27 postings
13University of Miami26 postings
14Georgia Southern University24 postings
15University of Hawaii System Office21 postings
16Georgia State University19 postings
17Indiana University-Bloomington19 postings
18Kern Community College District19 postings
19Dallas County Community College18 postings
20Berklee College of Music16 postings

Keep looking

Adapted Physical Education Specialists

Median pay: $76,231
Employment outlook: +4.6%

Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors

Median pay: $61,283
Employment outlook: −9.8%

Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary

Median pay: $84,440
Employment outlook: +9.1%

Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary

Median pay: $84,440
Employment outlook: +9.1%