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Education

Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary

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.

Median salary (BLS)

$78,620

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$48k – $163k

Job outlook

+2% (about average)

AI exposure

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $85,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.

Plan a path to Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary

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Education

Typical entry: Master's degree

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$64,100–$230,700

Time to qualify

6.3 yr

Renewal

$20/yr

  1. 1

    Bachelor's degree

    Degree

    Four years at public in-state rates — average published tuition & fees ≈ $11,610/yr, plus books. Private and out-of-state run higher; grant aid lowers most students' actual net price.

    $40,000–$150,000 · 4 years source

  2. 2

    Master's degree

    Degree

    Typically two years; average graduate tuition ≈ $20,000/yr at public universities (NCES).

    $24,000–$80,000 · 2 years source

  3. 3

    State teaching certification

    License

    Approved educator-prep program, pedagogy & subject exams, background check, and a state application.

    $100–$700 · 3 months · varies by state · renews every 5 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary

    Entry / Junior

    $47,570

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary

    Established

    $78,620

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary

    Senior

    $120,985

Key skills

A typical day

  • •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.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Education

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.