What Can You Earn With a Performing and Visual Arts Degree?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes data each year about career growth in thousands of occupations in its Occupational Outlook Handbook, including the minimum level of education required and the annual median earnings for specific careers. The organization also features a Career Outlook publication, which includes projected openings in different industries over a 10-year span. 

According to Zippia, the national average salary for a performing and visual arts graduate (with a bachelor’s degree) is $52,654. The bottom 10% in this field earn $29,000 annually, and the top 10% earn over $93,000. Industrial designers, for example, can earn six figures.

More good news for the performing and visual arts industry was announced in early 2025 by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Arts and cultural goods production added $1,2 trillion to the U.S. economy in 2023 — that's 4% of the GDP!

Top arts and cultural industries

According to the NEA, in 2022 (the most recent year for which data is available), the web publishing and streaming industry led the arts and cultural sector, followed by broadcasting, government services, traditional publishing, and motion pictures. Over 70% of the 35 arts industries surpassed their 2019 value, with notable growth in areas like agents and managers, sound recording, computer systems design, and interior design services.

These figures highlight the dynamic nature of the arts and cultural landscape and its significant contribution to the U.S. economy.

Arts and cultural employment

Several years post-pandemic, this sector has shown resilience, with employment returning to pre-COVID levels. About 5.2 million workers contributed to the industry, generating a combined $540.9 billion in pay. Top employment sectors within this industry included government sectors, arts retail, film and television, broadcasting, and digital media.

Average PVA salaries by state 

Highest:

• New York: $62,936
• Washington: $61,454
• California: $60,639
• Massachusetts: $58,417
• New Jersey: $57,538

Lowest:

• Louisiana: $41,057
• Mississippi: $40,758
• South Carolina: $40,597
• Oklahoma: $38,915
• South Dakota: $38,548

Highest-paying PVA jobs

• User experience designer: $91,159 average salary
• Storyboard artist: $90,053 average salary
• Visual designer: $86,494 average salary
• Senior graphic designer: $78,135 average salary
• News photographer: $76,013 average salary

2025 median annual wage of PVA occupations

We sourced updated salaries from several different databases, which we’ve linked, including ZipRecruiter, Zippia, GlassDoor, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Note that these are national averages and will vary based on level of education, experience, and location. Keep reading for more information about different visual and performing arts careers, and check out our Guide to Performing & Visual Arts Colleges and Programs and Your Future in Arts publications. Click on any title below for additional information about the job profile.

Art Directors

Industry profile: BLS anticipates 5% growth for art director roles between 2023 and 2033, with an average of 11,700 openings projected annually.

Job description: These creative professionals oversee the visual style and images in various media, including advertising, film, video games, television, and publishing. They're responsible for a project's overall aesthetic, guiding the visual direction from initial concept through completion. Their role involves making key decisions about design, layout, and visual strategy, while managing teams of artists and designers.

Entry-level education: Bachelor’s Degree | 2025 median pay: $121,757

Art Therapist

Industry profile: The visual arts therapy market is experiencing rapid growth, fueled by increased recognition of art as a healing tool and greater mental health awareness. The market size grew to $1.65 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $1.95 billion in 2025, with an impressive compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.3%.

Job description: An art therapist uses different art forms to help patients express emotions, resolve conflicts, and improve their mental and emotional well-being. Some patients who need occupational therapy also benefit from working with an art therapist.

Entry-level education: Master's Degree | 2025 median pay: $63,735

Camera Operators

Industry profile: BLS predicts 3% annual growth for camera operators in the next seven years. The bulk of camera operators work in California, followed by New York and Texas. Work environments include the motion picture and video industries, TV broadcasting, professional, scientific, and technical services, with emerging areas including live streaming, e-sports, virtual events, and content creation for social media platforms.

Job description: Camera operators capture a broad, visual spectrum of content for motion pictures, TV, and more. From movies and documentaries to music videos, news, training sessions, and special events, camera operators work for independent television stations, cable/TV networks, and film studios or production companies.

Entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree | 2025 median pay: $52,240

Editors

Industry profile: Depending on what type of editor you become, the outlook varies. Book editors will see a stronger market. Copy editors may see a decline, as may communications editors, but it does depend on the industry.

Job description: Editors refine content to ensure accuracy, clarity, and quality before publication. They review material for grammar, style, and coherence, often collaborating with writers to improve the overall message and impact for the intended audience.

Entry-level education: Bachelor's Degree | 2025 median pay: $64,031

Best-paying editor positions include communications editor ($88,970) and book editor ($63,060). The global market for book editing services is set to see strong expansion, with an estimated worth of $271 million in 2025. Experts predict a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.8% for this market from 2025 through 2033.

Fashion Designers

Industry profile: Sustainability, technology, and evolving consumer preferences for inclusivity and personalization are heavily influencing the fashion industry. Expect about 5% growth annually from 2023 to 2033, with 2,100 new openings projected each year. High-demand roles include digital fashion designer and sustainable fashion designer.

Job description: Fashion designers conceptualize and create clothing, accessories, and footwear, translating their artistic vision into wearable garments. These designers own the entire process, from sketching initial ideas and selecting fabrics to overseeing production and marketing collections.

Entry-level education: Bachelor’s Degree | 2025 median pay: $69,494

Film and Video Editors

Industry profile: BLS projects a 3% growth for film and video editors from 2023 to 2033, which is about average and translates to approximately 7,100 new job openings annually. Video editors are finding opportunities in marketing agencies, e-commerce companies, educational platforms, gaming and e-sports, news and media outlets, corporate communications, and streaming services.

Job description: In the movie, cable, video, and TV industries, editors shape film and video content. They carefully choose which visual and audio components to incorporate and how to sequence them. Their work requires a combination of sharp observational skills, creative vision, and technical proficiency.

Entry-level education: Bachelor’s Degree | 2025 median pay: $66,560

Graphic Designers

Industry profile: BLS projects a 2% annual growth between 2023 and 2033, resulting in 2,100 new openings each year, which is lower than the average for other occupations. Industry drivers include companies seeking to enhance their digital presence, the booming e-commerce industry, a continuing need for branding and marketing, and the increasing importance of user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design for websites and applications.

Job description: Through a strategic combination of text and visuals, graphic designers tell stories, promote products, and shape perceptions. Their creations appear in various media, including printed materials such as books and brochures, as well as in television, film, and electronic media. They may design signs, corporate logos, and product packaging. Graphic designers may work directly for specific organizations or companies, design agencies, or as self-employed freelancers.

Entry-level education: Bachelor’s Degree | 2025 median pay: $61,568

Industrial Designers

Industry profile: Expect 3% year-over-year growth between 2023 and 2033, with an average of 2,700 new job openings annually. Many industries hire industrial designers, including consumer electronics, automotive and transportation, home appliances, medical and healthcare, toys and recreation, furniture and housewares, and commercial and industrial equipment.

Job description: Industrial designers shape the physical products in our lives — everything from daily use items like microwave ovens and furniture to complex machinery like cars, airplanes, cell phones, and computers. These designers focus on improving usability, aesthetics, and functionality, transforming ideas into tangible products. Industrial designers may specialize in specific product types or aspects of design.

Entry-level education: Bachelor’s Degree | 2025 median pay: $123,907

Interior Designers

Industry profile: The interior design field is expected to experience 4% growth from 2023 to 2033, with approximately 8,800 new job openings annually. The industry has diversified into residential and commercial sectors, with an emphasis on social connection and community (commercial) and high-end, customized solutions (residential).

Job description: Interior designers specialize in conceiving and furnishing indoor spaces for homes, offices, restaurants, stores, hotels, hospitals, and other buildings. They develop comprehensive design solutions by carefully selecting and strategically implementing elements, such as lighting and materials like wood, metal, plastic, fabrics, and paint, to create a specific, appropriate, and effective mood for each setting.

Entry-level education: Associate's Degree | 2025 median pay: $73,024

High School Art, Drama, and Music Teachers

Industry profile: The overall outlook for high school teachers is projected to decline slightly (about 1%) over the next eight years, but this general statistic doesn’t capture the nuances within specific subject areas like the arts. The BLS predicts an average of 64,000 openings each year through 2033.

Job description: High school art, drama, and music teachers cultivate students’ creative expressions and technical skills within their respective disciplines. These teachers design curricula, lead classes and rehearsals, teach fundamental techniques and theories, and assess student progress. They often organize and direct performances, exhibitions, or concerts, fostering a vibrant arts culture within their school communities.

Entry-level education: Bachelor’s Degree | 2025 median pay: $58,836

K-6 Art, Drama and Music Teachers

Industry profile: While elementary positions are expected to decline about 1% between 2023 and 2033, it’s projected that 106,500 jobs will need to be filled each year. Elementary arts roles often see steady demand due to the ongoing need to replace retiring teachers, those leaving the profession, or those transitioning into traditional classroom roles. Job opportunities vary by state and district, influenced by local funding, school priorities, and population growth.

Job description: Elementary art, drama, and music teachers introduce young students to foundational concepts and techniques in their respective art forms. These teachers provide engaging, age-appropriate lessons fostering creativity, self-expression, and appreciation for the arts, often integrating these subjects with other academic areas to support holistic child development.

Entry-level education: Bachelor’s Degree | 2025 median pay: $54,168

Music Directors and Composers

Industry profile: These professions are projected to grow 3% over the next eight years, translating to roughly 5,100 job openings each year, primarily to replace workers who retire or move to other fields. They work in many settings, including performing arts companies, religious organizations, educational entities, within the film, TV, and video game industries, advertising, and music production/libraries.

Job description: A music director leads a group of musicians, not unlike a director for a play or movie. They coordinate each musician’s performance to create a cohesive, harmonious, “joyful noise.”  A composer crafts original music. Some are commissioned to write music for specific uses, like film or TV soundtracks, theatrical productions, or for a particular ensemble.

Entry-level education: Bachelor’s Degree | 2025 median pay: $48,107

Painters, Sculptors and Illustrators

Industry profile: The BLS groups “craft and fine artists” together, projecting an “as fast as average” 8% growth from 2016-2026. Other data, however, suggests a 1% growth for painters and a 6% growth for sculptors through 2028. Often grouped with graphic designers, the outlook for graphic designers/illustrators and artists/illustrators shows a 3% growth through 2028.

Job description: Painters produce 2D visual art, and many undertake commissions for large-scale murals, individual portraits, or contribute to designing and creating sets for stage and film productions. Sculptors craft 3D works of art in various materials such as wood, clay, metal, and stone. Their specialized skills in material manipulation and spatial design enable them to work in many industries, including set design for entertainment, architectural elements, custom fabrication, carpentry, broader construction projects, and even teaching models used in the medical field. Illustrators create pictures and images for a variety of uses. Medical illustrators are specialized artists who generate highly accurate, detailed visual representations of human anatomy, physiological processes, and surgical procedures. Children’s book illustrators collaborate closely with authors to create the engaging, imaginative worlds and images that enhance stories and bring characters and settings to life.

Entry-level education: Bachelor’s Degree | 2025 median pay: $52,000 (painter); $37,440 (sculptor); $59,345 (illustrator)

Producer-Directors

Industry profile: Producer-director (PD) roles are expected to grow 8% between 2023 and 2033 — faster than the average for all occupations and translating to 13,900 job openings annually. Fueling this growth? An insatiable demand for content across traditional and new media. From streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+ and Hulu, branded content for social media and online advertising, the explosion of short-form video, high-quality video for marketing, company needs for internal comms, training, and product launches, and growth in virtual and hybrid events and the use of virtual production (LED walls, real-time rendering), opportunities abound.

Job description: Producer-directors combine the creative vision of a director with the logistical and financial oversight of a producer. They’re responsible for what a production looks and sounds like (the creative side) and how it gets made (the business side), guiding a project from initial concept through to its final delivery across various media.

Entry-level education: Bachelor’s Degree | 2025 median pay: $71,427

Public Relations Specialists

Industry profile: The industry should grow about 6% over the next eight years, which translates into about 27,100 job openings year-over-year. Competitive business environments that require managing companies’ public image and reputation, social media influence, the explosion of digital content, plus the convergence of PR, marketing, and digital communications have propelled this rise.

Job description: PR specialists create and maintain a positive public image for individuals, groups, or organizations by crafting strategic messages, managing media relationships, developing social media strategies, and handling crisis communications to influence public perception and promote their clients’ goals.

Entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree | 2025 median pay: $64,362

Set and Exhibit Designers

Industry profile: Expect about a 5% growth between 2023 and 2033 for set and scenic designers, which translates to approximately 2,400 jobs each year. The resurgence of live entertainment (concerts, theater, sports, corporate events) has increased demand for immersive, captivating scenic environments. Growth in live-action film and TV also drives the need for these professionals. Companies are also increasing investments in immersive experiences, which rely heavily on innovative set design, for their customers and clients.

Job description: Set and scenic designers shape the tangible environments for theatrical productions, TV shows, commercials, and motion pictures. These professionals collaborate closely with the director, choreographer, costume designer, and producer to calculate the spatial requirements and aesthetic needs of a production. They use sketches and scaled models to guide the production crews to build the sets and also source props and furniture to complete the visual world they’re creating.

Entry-level education: Bachelor’s Degree | 2025 median pay: $49,920

Social Media Specialists

Industry profile: From 2018 to 2028, social media jobs are expected to grow about 8% year-over-year, with 22,300 new jobs projected over that decade. This trend reflects the critical need for brands and organizations to maintain a robust, engaging online presence. Companies are seeking professionals who can manage social channels and harness new technologies and trends to drive measurable results.

Job description: Social media specialists manage an organization’s online presence across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. They create and curate engaging content, develop strategic campaigns, interact with online communities, analyze performance data, and stay updated on trends to build brand awareness, foster customer engagement, and achieve business goals.

Entry-level education: Bachelor's Degree | 2025 median pay: $54,455

Sound Engineering Technicians

Industry profile: The BLS projects 3% growth for broadcast, sound, and video technicians and 5% growth specifically for sound engineering technicians from 2023 to 2033. The market remains dominated by freelance and independent contractor work, with an estimate of 5 to 8 freelancers for every one salaried audio worker; however, 12,900 jobs open each year, on average. Sound engineers work in music production, at live events, for film, TV, and video game production, in broadcasting, for audio equipment manufacturers, and within the corporate industry, producing audio for marketing, training, and internal communications.

Job description: Sound engineers shape the audio landscape for different media. They may work in a studio environment, designing sound and music combinations to enrich a storyline or atmosphere. In live settings, they ensure optimal sound quality for performers and audiences. When working on a production, a sound engineer partners with the director and producer to build a cohesive soundtrack using musical elements and sound effects. Specializations within the field include creating specific sound effects for TV, film, or theater — or becoming experts in musical studio recording.

Entry-level education: Bachelor’s Degree | 2025 median pay: $84,456

Special Effects Artists and Animators

Industry profile: Expect 8% job growth for special effects artists and animators between 2023 and 2033, with an average of 9,000+ job openings each year. The visual effects (VFX) market is also expected to surpass $12 billion in 2025 and reach $19 billion by 2029 — a boom fueled by several factors, including streaming services, the video game industry, advertising, and VR/AR/metaverse. The greatest area of opportunity for animators? TV, movies, and video games.

Job description: Special effects animators and artists bring the impossible to life on screen. Many professionals in this field concentrate on specific areas, like creating intricate makeup, designing prosthetics, or orchestrating pyrotechnic displays. Advancements in software and computer technology have transformed the industry, enabling special effects artists to achieve nearly any visual spectacle a director can imagine.

Entry-level education: Bachelor’s Degree | 2025 median pay: $81,120 (special effects animators); $62,400 (special effects artists)

Special Effects Makeup Artists (SFX MUA)

Industry profile: The overall job market for makeup artists (which includes SFX MUAs) is expected to grow, with about 10,400 new jobs projected between 2022 and 2033. Theatrical and performance makeup artists may experience a 16% growth rate over the next five years. TV shows, movies, and content for streaming platforms, live performances (theater, opera, live events), social media and DIY culture, commercials, and music videos all rely on SFX MUAs.

Job Summary: Special effects makeup artists transform actors and models into fantastical creatures and aged characters or realistically portray injuries and illnesses by using prosthetics, customizing makeup, and applying other materials to create illusions that enhance storytelling in film, TV, and live performances.

Entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree | 2025 median pay:  $67,955

Technical Writers

Industry profile: Technical writer positions are expected to grow by 4% from 2023 to 2033, resulting in approximately 4,100 job openings each year. Driving factors include product innovation, because as technology evolves and complex new products come to market, there’s a constant need for clear, understandable documentation and digital product support. Technical writers can work in niche markets reliant on regulatory compliance or for companies with a user experience (UX) focus.

Job description: Technical writers translate complex technical information into clear, concise, easily understood content for specific audiences. These writers create a variety of materials like user manuals, online help guides, how-to articles, internal procedures, and more, ensuring that users can effectively understand and use products or processes.

Entry-level education: Bachelor's Degree | 2025 median pay: $81,120

Video Game Designers

Industry profile: The global video game market continues to grow, with reports indicating that 90% of studios will release at least one new title this year. The market is projected to reach over $188 billion in 2025 and surpass $200 billion by 2027. Demand for gaming professionals remains high, with over 109,000 gaming jobs posted in 2025, reflecting sustained hiring needs in game development, design, and engineering.

Job description: Video game designers conceptualize, plan, and refine all aspects of a video game’s experience, from core mechanics and storylines to character progression and user interface. They create detailed design documents, prototype gameplay, and collaborate with artists, programmers, and other team members to bring their vision to life.

Entry-level education: Bachelor’s degree | 2025 median pay: $149,118

Writers and Authors

Industry profile: Industry growth for writers and authors is projected at a steady 5% annual rate from 2023 to 2033, with about 15,100 openings each year. This field offers diverse roles in publishing, professional, scientific, and technical services, information technology, advertising and public relations, entertainment, and more. It’s a competitive landscape, but the insatiable demand for content across websites, social media, streaming services, and podcasts opens up opportunities for writers.

Job description: Writers hold a wide range of jobs, reflecting the diverse and growing need for effective communication in all industries. The digital age has broadened the scope for writers far beyond traditional publishing. Typical roles include copywriter, journalist/reporter, editor/proofreader, grant writer, ghostwriter, screenwriter/playwright, communications specialist, as well as the professions listed below.

Entry-level education: Bachelor's Degree | 2025 median pay: $28,500 (general); $99,230 (full-time freelance); $61,384 (script writer); $32,922 (sports writer); $104,000 (content writer); $60,979 (journalist)