Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary Career, Salary and Skills
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $78,620 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 93,560. Wage data is published for 199 locations.
Occupation description
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.
O*NET code
25-1121.00
Job zone
5
Typical education
Master's Degree
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$78,620
Hourly median
Not published
Employment
93,560
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking | 4.62 | 4.75 |
| Instructing | 4.38 | 4.75 |
| Learning Strategies | 4.12 | 4.25 |
| Active Listening | 4.00 | 4.12 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.00 | 4.62 |
| Active Learning | 4.00 | 4.25 |
| Writing | 3.88 | 4.12 |
| Monitoring | 3.75 | 3.88 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.62 | 3.88 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.62 | 3.75 |
Typical tasks
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, performances, projects, assignments, and papers.
- Prepare students for performances, exams, or assessments.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as acting techniques, fundamentals of music, and art history.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Explain and demonstrate artistic techniques.
Technology
- Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe After Effects
- Adobe Audition
- Adobe Creative Cloud software
- Adobe Dreamweaver
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Photoshop
- Apple DVD Studio Pro
- Apple Final Cut Pro
- Apple Logic Pro
- Autodesk Maya
- Autodesk MotionBuilder
- Blackboard Learn
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary Salary in NYMedian $98,850 · Employment 14,920
- Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary Salary in New York, NYMedian $100,950 · Employment 13,080
- Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary Salary in CAMedian $99,410 · Employment 9,820
- Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary Salary in TXMedian $77,560 · Employment 6,730
- Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $91,490 · Employment 5,200
- Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary Salary in MAMedian $85,820 · Employment 4,960
- Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary Salary in ILMedian $62,960 · Employment 4,170
- Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary Salary in PAMedian $77,280 · Employment 4,170
- Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary Salary in OHMedian $78,050 · Employment 3,940
- Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary Salary in Boston, MAMedian $96,170 · Employment 3,820
- Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary Salary in NJMedian $80,100 · Employment 3,300
- Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $62,960 · Employment 2,950
Related careers
- Philosophy and Religion Teachers, PostsecondaryNational median $80,260
- History Teachers, PostsecondaryNational median $83,820
- Library Science Teachers, PostsecondaryNational median $80,340
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle SchoolNational median $65,030
- Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language InstructorsNational median $61,540
- Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, PostsecondaryNational median $99,650
- TutorsNational median $43,350
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationNational median $64,370
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.