Fine Arts Major Guide: Overview and RoEDU™ Opportunities 2025

The Fine Arts major builds core foundations in this discipline and prepares students with practical, career-relevant skills. Use RoEDU™ to find programs that match your goals.

Within Arts, students often explore key subfields and specializations that provide targeted expertise.

Graduates translate classroom knowledge into real-world impact across sectors through hands-on projects and internships.

As part of Arts, this major connects to diverse, high-demand fields and interdisciplinary pathways.

Salary Outlook

Entry-level salary
$44,673

Typical starting pay soon after graduation.

Mid-career salary (10y)
$70,632

Estimated after a decade of experience.

Experienced salary (20y)
$94,924

Seasoned professionals at ~20 years.

Weighted median over last 5 years
CAGR 3.5%

CAGR (compound annual growth rate) summarizes average yearly change across the observed period.

Estimated lifetime earnings

40 years, present value
$1,786,920

Employment-weighted across mapped SOCs; entry ≈ 85% of median; historical CAGR shown for last 5y; projections capped at 3% CAGR; lifetime is 40-year present value at 3% discount.

Career Opportunities & Salaries

Data from Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024) • Median wages, employment, and growth projections

OccupationMedian WageTotal JobsGrowth RateEducation
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary
SOC: 25-1121
Occupation: Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary
$80,190
97,890
N/A
N/A
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
SOC: 25-2031
Occupation: Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
$64,580
1,072,540
N/A
N/A
Archivists
SOC: 25-4011
Occupation: Archivists
$61,570
7,050
N/A
N/A
Curators
SOC: 25-4012
Occupation: Curators
$61,770
12,280
N/A
N/A
Museum Technicians and Conservators
SOC: 25-4013
Occupation: Museum Technicians and Conservators
$47,460
13,070
N/A
N/A
Art Directors
SOC: 27-1011
Occupation: Art Directors
$111,040
50,370
N/A
N/A

Historical Career Trends (2020-2024)

Historical data from Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020-2024) • Salary trends and employment growth over 5 years

Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators

15.7%
5-Year Growth
YearMedian WageEmployment
2024$60,56010,000
2023$59,30010,910
2022$57,56012,080
2021$60,8209,430
2020$52,34011,070

Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers

17.3%
5-Year Growth
YearMedian WageEmployment
2024$49,14023,420
2023$47,45024,060
2022$47,14026,280
2021$46,64024,350
2020$41,90018,650

Colleges offering Fine Arts

Yale University

RoEdu™

999

Net Price

$27k

Earnings

$86k

George Washington University

RoEdu™

999

Net Price

$46k

Earnings

$78k

Claremont McKenna College

RoEdu™

999

Net Price

$30k

Earnings

$83k

University of Southern California

RoEdu™

999

Net Price

$42k

Earnings

$78k

Foothill College

RoEdu™

999

Net Price

$10k

Earnings

$74k