How long does the training take?

Typically no schooling after high school, then more than a year of training on the job. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.

How much do artists and related workers, all other make?

The US median is $71,240 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.

Do you need a degree for this work?

No. Most people are hired and trained on the job; a program is optional.

Where can you train for this work?

1,354 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

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Artists and related workers, all other: pay, training and the programs that lead there

Arts, design, media & film · SOC 27-1019

$71,240US median pay, 2025

+2%Projected growth, 2025–35

1,100Openings per year

On the jobUsual way in

How you get in

Most people are hired and trained on the job, so school is optional. A program can still help you stand out.

No formal educational credential (a program is optional for this job)
Long-term on-the-job training
Work in: artists and related workers, all other

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

Program	Code	Schools
Fine/Studio Arts, General	CIP 50.0702	625
Graphic Design	CIP 50.0409	561
Visual and Performing Arts, General	CIP 50.0101	270
Commercial and Advertising Art	CIP 50.0402	174
Digital Arts	CIP 50.0102	156
Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other	CIP 50.0799	77
Illustration	CIP 50.0410	65
Crafts/Craft Design, Folk Art and Artisanry	CIP 50.0201	12
Community/Environmental/Socially-Engaged Art	CIP 50.1101	0

See the 1,354 schools that offer these programs →

Common questions

How long does the training take?: Typically no schooling after high school, then more than a year of training on the job. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.
How much do artists and related workers, all other make?: The US median is $71,240 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.
Do you need a degree for this work?: No. Most people are hired and trained on the job; a program is optional.
Where can you train for this work?: 1,354 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

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