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Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary

Also called: Art Professor, Music Professor, Professor, Theater Professor

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.

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Median pay BLS, 2025$78,620
Openings a year BLS, 2025–358,000
Typical education to start BLSMaster's degree
AI exposure BLS, Aug 2026 Very high
Projected job growth BLS, 2025–35 +2.2%

What the data says: AI could halve the time on 22 of its 28 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 2.2% by 2035. In the most exposed occupations, the squeeze shows up first among early-career workers. How to think about this →

About this projection

BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”

It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”

On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”

Recent conditions

  • In 2024, 2.1% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Postsecondary teachers”
  • From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 7.8 hires for every 10 job openings in private educational services, which employs about 100% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.

How to read these

Pay compared with all occupations BLS median wages Pays more than 71% of 825 occupations
lowest-paidhighest-paid

Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates

$53k$103knot published

Median pay in every state
StateMedianMiddle half earnJobs
Alabama$63,540$59,990 to $77,540900
Arizona$72,060$71,230 to $79,1901,040
Arkansas$60,650$49,950 to $78,340360
California$99,410$74,960 to $143,0709,820
Colorado$70,060$51,880 to $91,6201,950
Connecticut$78,600$61,270 to $106,4001,430
Delaware$103,320$61,510 to $129,660150
District of Columbia$96,900$76,500 to $119,340350
Florida$63,820$60,700 to $90,5202,490
Georgia$79,870$59,560 to $99,7101,910
Idaho$72,300$60,090 to $83,220250
Illinois$62,960$47,230 to $85,6204,170
Indiana$76,050$59,660 to $105,9301,920
Iowa$77,740$61,370 to $102,090910
Kansas$61,260$49,150 to $83,880640
Kentucky$64,440$47,510 to $83,410900
Louisiana$78,710$60,360 to $102,020720
Maine$79,860$61,530 to $108,730340
Maryland$85,590$66,500 to $110,8001,280
Massachusetts$85,820$65,760 to $111,7104,960
Michigan$82,990$62,100 to $107,6102,410
Minnesota$77,760$61,900 to $95,4901,310
Mississippi$60,580$50,490 to $74,110540
Missouri$75,960$60,510 to $99,2501,450
Montana$78,420$61,320 to $98,830190
Nebraska$75,200$58,510 to $93,700490
Nevada$52,870$52,870 to $78,950260
New Hampshire$79,090$61,210 to $101,940440
New Jersey$80,100$62,780 to $126,5203,300
New Mexico$76,240$62,880 to $103,350380
New York$98,850$72,380 to $166,07014,920
North Carolina$73,800$55,390 to $84,7102,880
North Dakota$67,190$55,450 to $81,010130
Ohio$78,050$58,280 to $100,6303,940
Oklahoma$62,200$40,120 to $74,160760
Oregon$76,770$65,500 to $113,0301,440
Pennsylvania$77,280$58,300 to $94,3004,170
Puerto Rico$63,500$55,020 to $104,500110
Rhode Island$97,580$77,300 to $127,100440
South Carolina$62,420$48,320 to $82,5201,290
South Dakota$63,380$61,080 to $76,290200
Tennessee$72,030$58,060 to $81,8301,370
Texas$77,560$59,410 to $99,8906,730
Utah$66,220$59,470 to $95,700790
Vermont$97,980$67,070 to $126,390180
Virginia$74,870$52,900 to $96,3002,840
Washington$77,950$62,030 to $96,7501,400
West Virginia$73,280$61,890 to $75,930340
Wisconsin$77,560$63,050 to $80,4701,840
Wyoming$59,190$52,150 to $75,830180

Nationally: $78,620. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this

How AI touches the work

What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.

AI could halve the time on 22 of its 28 tasks

11 · AI alone could halve the time 11 · AI + software built on it could 6 · Not much
AI ratingIts main tasks Share of Claude conversations
May 2026
AI + software Explain and demonstrate artistic techniques. Not published
AI alone Prepare students for performances, exams, or assessments. 0.20%
AI + software Evaluate and grade students' class work, performances, projects, assignments, and papers. under 0.01%
Not much Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions. Not published
AI + software Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records. Not published
AI alone Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts. Not published
See all 28 tasks
AI alone Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences. Not published
AI + software Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction. Not published
AI alone Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as acting techniques, fundamentals of music, and art history. Not published
AI + software Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students. Not published
AI + software Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks and performance pieces. Not published
AI + software Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues. Not published
AI alone Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues. Not published
Not much Participate in campus and community events. Not published
AI + software Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities. Not published
AI + software Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others. Not published
AI alone Keep students informed of community events, such as plays and concerts. Not published
Not much Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues. Not published
AI alone Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments. Not published
AI + software Display students' work in schools, galleries, and exhibitions. Not published
Not much Maintain or repair studio facilities. Not published
AI + software Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head. Not published
AI alone Act as advisers to student organizations. Not published
Not much Organize performance groups and direct their rehearsals. Not published
AI alone Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media. Not published
Not much Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work. Not published
AI alone Write grant proposals to procure external research funding. Not published
AI alone Provide professional consulting services to government or industry. Not published

Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 2 of the 28 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.

Where people already use AI

The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 28 tasks fall under 22 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.

Tasks AI could speed up22 of 28 tasksEloundou et al. ratings (2023)
Its activities among the 50 people ask AI for help with most7 of 22 activities
  • #4 Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise
  • #10 Write material for artistic or commercial purposes
  • #23 Prepare informational or instructional materials
  • and 4 more, in the table below
Microsoft Copilot (2024), ranked among all 332 activities. The cut-off of 50 is ours.
Work activity This occupation's tasks under it People asked AI for help
in 10,000 conversations		 AI did it for them
in 10,000 conversations
Teach academic or vocational subjects 22#54 143#14
Advise others on educational or vocational matters 14#74 34#36
Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise 408#4 247#8
Coordinate group, community, or public activities 3.24#162 1.26#151
Assess student capabilities, needs, or performance 2.31#189 0.62#188
Write material for artistic or commercial purposes 149#10 105#18
Prepare informational or instructional materials 73#23 195#11
Perform administrative or clerical activities 58#30 25#44
Show all 22 activities
Compile records, documentation, or other data 52#33 33#37
Purchase goods or services 47#36 0.39#220
Select materials or equipment for operations or projects 45#38 19#49
Evaluate programs, practices, or processes 15#67 5.67#80
Promote products, services, or programs 14#72 85#20
Maintain facilities or equipment 7.62#106 1.58#138
Plan events or programs 5.26#123 1.90#133
Maintain operational records 2.92#170 0.49#209
Develop educational programs, plans, or procedures 2.52#181 2.47#121
Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures 1.85#204 0.36#225
Prepare proposals or grant applications 1.47#214 0.60#190
Set up classrooms, facilities, educational materials, or equipment 0.80#250 0.24#237
Supervise personnel activities 0.56#266 0.05#283
Serve on organizational committees 0.21#294 0.04#288
Task: AI alone Task: AI + software Task: not much #: rank among all 332 activities Microsoft measured (#1 = most common; activities that never came up share last place, shown as “tied”)
Where the two sources differ: “Assess student capabilities, needs, or performance” holds 2 tasks rated AI + software, yet people asked AI for help with it in 2.31 of every 10,000 conversations, #189 of 332.

How people in this work use Claude

What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations

  • Teaching material32%
  • An explanation or answer22%
  • A document or report10%
  • Advice or a recommendation7%
  • A plan or strategy6%

How they worked with Claude

34% handed the task off66% worked on it together

11% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.

How to read this

Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.

The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.

More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude

High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs

BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.

AI exposure and projected job growth, 831 occupationsLow exposure: 134 of 213 occupations projected to grow. Moderate exposure: 151 of 206 occupations projected to grow. High exposure: 165 of 206 occupations projected to grow. Very high exposure: 141 of 206 occupations projected to grow.-20%-15%-10%-5%0%+5%+10%+15%+20%+25%Low134 of 213 growingModerate151 of 206 growingHigh165 of 206 growingVery high141 of 206 growing11 occupations outside −20% to +25% are drawn at the edge. Click a dot to see that occupation.Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary: +2.2%Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryAI exposure and projected job growth, 831 occupationsLow exposure: 134 of 213 occupations projected to grow. Moderate exposure: 151 of 206 occupations projected to grow. High exposure: 165 of 206 occupations projected to grow. Very high exposure: 141 of 206 occupations projected to grow.-20%-15%-10%-5%0%+5%+10%+15%+20%+25%Low134 of 213Moderate151 of 206High165 of 206Very high141 of 20611 occupations outside −20% to +25% are drawn at the edge. Tap a dot.Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary: +2.2%Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary

Career moves into and out of this occupation

From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.

Where people moved next

of 20,297 moves out

  1. 1 Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators High -2.9% 6%
  2. 2 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other Very high +2.0% 5%
  3. 3 Teachers and Instructors, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
  4. 4 Graphic Designers Very high -1.7% 4%
  5. 5 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%

Where people moved in from

of 18,994 moves in

  1. 1 Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators High -2.9% 6%
  2. 2 Graphic Designers Very high -1.7% 5%
  3. 3 Teachers and Instructors, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
  4. 4 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
  5. 5 Self-Enrichment Teachers High +3.5% 3%

Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).

Education and training for the occupation

Education people in it hold

O*NET survey of workers in this occupation

  • 1% associate's
  • 14% bachelor's
  • 1% post-bachelor's certificate
  • 51% master's
  • 2% post-master's certificate
  • 32% research doctorate

O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 49 people answered.

Census survey (American Community Survey)

  • 1% less than high school
  • 3% high school
  • 4% some college
  • 2% associate's
  • 16% bachelor's
  • 28% master's
  • 5% professional degree
  • 42% doctorate

Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Postsecondary teachers” · 15,280 people surveyed.

Why the two can differ

O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide

Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Postsecondary teachers”

Programs that prepare people for it (NCES)
67 programs, such as Art Teacher Education, Music Teacher Education and Drama and Dance Teacher Education.
See all
  • Art Teacher Education
  • Music Teacher Education
  • Drama and Dance Teacher Education
  • Visual and Performing Arts, General
  • Digital Arts
  • Crafts/Craft Design, Folk Art and Artisanry
  • Dance, General
  • Ballet
  • Dance, Other
  • Design and Visual Communications, General
  • Industrial and Product Design
  • Commercial Photography
  • Fashion/Apparel Design
  • Graphic Design
  • Illustration
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
  • Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology
  • Playwriting and Screenwriting
  • Theatre Literature, History and Criticism
  • Acting
  • Directing and Theatrical Production
  • Musical Theatre
  • Costume Design
  • Comedy Writing and Performance
  • Theatre and Dance
  • Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Other
  • Film/Cinema/Media Studies
  • Cinematography and Film/Video Production
  • Photography
  • Documentary Production
  • Film/Video and Photographic Arts, Other
  • Art/Art Studies, General
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation
  • Drawing
  • Intermedia/Multimedia
  • Painting
  • Sculpture
  • Printmaking
  • Ceramic Arts and Ceramics
  • Fiber, Textile and Weaving Arts
  • Jewelry Arts
  • Metal Arts
  • Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other
  • Music History, Literature, and Theory
  • Music Performance, General
  • Music Theory and Composition
  • Musicology and Ethnomusicology
  • Conducting
  • Keyboard Instruments
  • Voice and Opera
  • Jazz/Jazz Studies
  • Stringed Instruments
  • Music Pedagogy
  • Music Technology
  • Brass Instruments
  • Woodwind Instruments
  • Percussion Instruments
  • Sound Arts
  • Music, Other
  • Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, General
  • Fine and Studio Arts Management
  • Music Management
  • Theatre/Theatre Arts Management
  • Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, Other
  • Community/Environmental/Socially-Engaged Art
  • Visual and Performing Arts, Other

Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023

<10% this occupation

45.3% all occupations

By kindThis occupationAll occupations
a licensenot published
a certificationnot published
an educational certificatenot published

Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this

Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor

These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide

See where your own career could go Start by uploading your resume Browse careers

BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS · Brynjolfsson, Chandar and Chen, Stanford (Aug 2026)

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