Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary in the U.S. is $78,620, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $78,620
- Mean annual wage
- $94,700
- Median hourly wage
- —
- Employment
- 93,560
93,560 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,570 | — |
| 25th percentile | $61,620 | — |
| Median (50th) | $78,620 | — |
| 75th percentile | $103,850 | — |
| 90th percentile | $163,350 | — |
Highest-paying states for art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $103,320 | 150 |
| California | $99,410 | 9,820 |
| New York | $98,850 | 14,920 |
| Vermont | $97,980 | 180 |
| Rhode Island | $97,580 | 440 |
| District of Columbia | $96,900 | 350 |
| Massachusetts | $85,820 | 4,960 |
| Maryland | $85,590 | 1,280 |
| Michigan | $82,990 | 2,410 |
| New Jersey | $80,100 | 3,300 |
Lowest-paying states
- Nevada: $52,870 median annual wage
- Wyoming: $59,190 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $60,580 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $60,650 median annual wage
- Kansas: $61,260 median annual wage
About this occupation
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.
Typical tasks
- Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as acting techniques, fundamentals of music, and art history.
- Explain and demonstrate artistic techniques.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Master's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 0.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.7% |
| Some college, no degree | 2.0% |
| Associate's degree | 1.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 15.1% |
| Master's degree | 30.6% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 48.5% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$36,780
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$63,970
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$72,040
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$64,370
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$41,670
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$38,140
- Self-Enrichment Teachers$46,800
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$65,120
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.