The median pay for Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary is $78,620 a year, according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 2.2% through 2035, with about 8,000 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.
- SOC 25-1121
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Art, Drama, and Music Teacher, Postsecondary in four numbers
- Median pay
- $78,620a yearBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $48KTop 10% $163K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +2.2%Slower than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+2.2%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +2.2% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 8,000116,900 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025116.9K
- Projected 2035119.5K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 116.9K Projected 2035 119.5K - Typical education
- Master'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Associate's1.4%
- Bachelor's13.9%
- Post-bacc certificate0.7%
- Master's50.7%
- Post-master’s certificate1.6%
- Doctorate31.7%
Highest education held by art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary Segment Value Associate's 1.4% Bachelor's 13.9% Post-bacc certificate 0.7% Master's 50.7% Post-master’s certificate 1.6% Doctorate 31.7%
Also advertised as: Art History Professor, Art Instructor, Art Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Instructor.
Pay
How much do Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary make?
Every art, drama, and music teacher, postsecondary in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$78,620
Middle half earn $61,620 to $103,850
- 10th
- $47,570
- 25th
- $61,620
- 75th
- $103,850
- 90th
- $163,350
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $47,570 |
| 25th | $61,620 |
| Median | $78,620 |
| 75th | $103,850 |
| 90th | $163,350 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $78,620
- Median hourly wage
- N/A
- Mean annual wage
- $94,700
- People employed
- 93,560
Versus all US occupations
At $78,620, Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary earn 54% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $27,640 a year.
Versus educational instruction and library occupations
Inside the Educational Instruction and Library group, where the middle occupation pays $68,270, this is 15% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $163,350 or more while the bottom 10% earn $47,570, a gap of 3.4×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 56% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Delaware pays the most at $103,320, and still leads at $103,519 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Delaware | $103,320 | $103,519 | 150 |
| 2California | $99,410 | $89,785 | 9,820 |
| 3New York | $98,850 | $91,595 | 14,920 |
| 4Vermont | $97,980 | $100,022 | 180 |
| 5Rhode Island | $97,580 | $95,405 | 440 |
| 6District of Columbia | $96,900 | $88,170 | 350 |
| 7Massachusetts | $85,820 | $81,148 | 4,960 |
| 8Maryland | $85,590 | $81,546 | 1,280 |
| 9Michigan | $82,990 | $86,253 | 2,410 |
| 10New Jersey | $80,100 | $73,618 | 3,300 |
Job outlook
Is Art, Drama, and Music Teacher, Postsecondary a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Slower than average. +2.2% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | +2.2% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary to change 2.2% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 2,600 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 8,000 openings are projected each year, 6.8% of the 116,900 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of postsecondary teachers is projected to grow 7 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of postsecondary teachers varies by occupation (see table). Both part-time and full-time postsecondary teachers are included in these projections.
The number of people attending postsecondary institutions is expected to grow over the projections decade. Students will continue to seek higher education to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to meet their career goals. As more people enter colleges and universities, more postsecondary teachers will be needed to serve these additional students. Colleges and universities are likely to hire more part-time teachers to meet this demand. In all disciplines, there is expected to be a limited number of full-time nontenure and full-time tenure positions.
Getting in
How to become an Art, Drama, and Music Teacher, Postsecondary
Educational requirements vary with the subject taught and the type of educational institution. Typically, postsecondary teachers must have a Ph.D. or other doctoral degree in their field. However, a master's degree may be enough for some postsecondary teachers at community colleges. Other postsecondary teachers may need work experience in their field of expertise.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Master's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Considerable preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary.
- Master's Degree50.7%
- Doctoral Degree31.7%
- Bachelor's Degree13.9%
- Post-Master's Certificate1.6%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree1.4%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | 50.7% |
| Doctoral Degree | 31.7% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 13.9% |
| Post-Master's Certificate | 1.6% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 1.4% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an Art, Drama, and Music Teacher, Postsecondary do?
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.
Postsecondary teachers instruct students in a variety of academic subjects beyond the high school level. They may also conduct research and publish scholarly papers and books.
Day-to-day tasks
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Prepare students for performances, exams, or assessments.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- 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.
- Participate in campus and community events.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, performances, projects, assignments, and papers.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most postsecondary teachers work full time, although part-time work is common. Postsecondary teachers who work part time may offer instruction at several colleges or universities. Some have a full-time job in their field of expertise in addition to a part-time teaching position. For example, an active lawyer or judge might teach an evening course at a law school.
College and university courses are generally during the day, although some are offered in the evenings or on weekends to accommodate students who have jobs or other obligations.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes are not usually serious.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Speaking4.6
- Learning Strategies4.1
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Active Learning4.0
- Writing3.9
- Monitoring3.8
- Critical Thinking3.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Speaking | 4.6 |
| Learning Strategies | 4.1 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Active Learning | 4.0 |
| Writing | 3.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.8 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Instructing4.4
- Social Perceptiveness3.6
- Time Management3.6
- Complex Problem Solving3.4
- Judgment and Decision Making3.3
- Coordination3.1
- Systems Analysis3.0
- Service Orientation2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Instructing | 4.4 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.6 |
| Time Management | 3.6 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.4 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 |
| Coordination | 3.1 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.0 |
| Service Orientation | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base management system software · in demand
- Desktop publishing software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Video creation and editing software · in demand
- Web platform development software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Art, Drama, and Music Teacher, Postsecondary?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Art, Drama, and Music Teacher, Postsecondary |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 3 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 6 |
| Social | 7 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules.
- Social7.0
- Artistic5.7
- Investigative4.1
- Realistic3.0
- Conventional2.6
- Enterprising2.1
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Art, Drama, and Music Teacher, Postsecondary
O*NET related occupations
- Educational Instruction and Library
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$78,760median a year
Most earn $48K to $137K
0.0%Doctorate - Educational Instruction and Library
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Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teacher, Postsecondary
$85,020median a year
Most earn $52K to $160K
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More educational instruction and library careers
Median annual pay, with art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary highlighted
- Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary$80,250
- Art, Drama, and Music Teacher, Postsecondary$78,620
- Special Education Teacher, Secondary School$74,260
- Librarian$68,270
- Career/Technical Education Teacher, Secondary School$66,270
- Kindergarten Teacher$62,680
- Library Technician$44,580
- Tutor$43,350
- Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education$38,140
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary | $80,250 |
| Art, Drama, and Music Teacher, Postsecondary | $78,620 |
| Special Education Teacher, Secondary School | $74,260 |
| Librarian | $68,270 |
| Career/Technical Education Teacher, Secondary School | $66,270 |
| Kindergarten Teacher | $62,680 |
| Library Technician | $44,580 |
| Tutor | $43,350 |
| Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education | $38,140 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Specialty careers within art, drama, and music teacher, postsecondary
Distinct careers BLS counts inside this occupation, each with its own profile.
Lists Art, Drama, and Music Teacher, Postsecondary appears on
Questions
Art, Drama, and Music Teacher, Postsecondary: frequently asked questions
How much do Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary make?
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $78,620 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 54% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. The middle half earn between $61,620 and $103,850. The top 10% earn $163,350 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Art, Drama, and Music Teacher, Postsecondary?
Yes. BLS reports a master's degree as the typical entry-level education for Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as considerable preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 50.7% hold master's degree.
Is Art, Drama, and Music Teacher, Postsecondary a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 2.2% over 2025–2035 against 3.5% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 8,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Art, Drama, and Music Teacher, Postsecondary do?
Postsecondary teachers instruct students in a variety of academic subjects beyond the high school level. A core O*NET task: maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records. Employers most often ask for Data base management system software, Desktop publishing software, Development environment software.
Which states pay Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary the most?
The highest state medians for Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary are Delaware ($103,320), California ($99,410), New York ($98,850) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an Art, Drama, and Music Teacher, Postsecondary?
O*NET scores Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary highest on the Social, Artistic and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are INFP, ENFP. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.