Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1121) earn a median $78,620 a year in the United States, with 93,560 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Delaware.
What art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary do
Art, drama, and music teachers at colleges teach in the performing and visual arts, from painting and sculpture to design and crafts, as well as drama and music. Instruction is hands-on: they explain and demonstrate artistic techniques, prepare students for performances, exams, or assessments, and grade class work, performances, and projects. Lecture topics include acting techniques, fundamentals of music, and art history. Teachers of English, communications, and other humanities are classified separately. They also moderate classroom discussions, prepare syllabi and other course materials, keep attendance and grade records, and follow developments in their field through current literature, colleagues, and professional organizations. Alternate titles include adjunct graphic design instructor, adjunct music instructor, art educator, and art history professor. Whether a post is mostly teaching or combines teaching with research, it is counted here.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is a master's degree.
Also called: Adjunct Art Instructor, Adjunct College Instructor, Adjunct Graphic Design Instructor, Adjunct Instructor, Adjunct Music Instructor.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 93,560 |
| Annual | $47,570 | $61,620 | $78,620 | $103,850 | $163,350 | $94,700 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Delaware | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 150 | 0.31 | 0.51 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $61,510 | $103,320 | $129,660 | $158,900 | $105,430 | ||||
| California | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 9,820 | 0.54 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $60,420 | $74,960 | $99,410 | $143,070 | $202,740 | $114,430 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 14,920 | 1.54 | 2.56 |
| Annual | $58,140 | $72,380 | $98,850 | $166,070 | $272,120 | $128,810 | ||||
| Vermont | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 180 | 0.60 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $53,190 | $67,070 | $97,980 | $126,390 | $134,690 | $98,590 | ||||
| Rhode Island | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 440 | 0.87 | 1.45 |
| Annual | $62,820 | $77,300 | $97,580 | $127,100 | $158,850 | $99,410 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 14,920 | 1.54 | 2.56 |
| Annual | $58,140 | $72,380 | $98,850 | $166,070 | $272,120 | $128,810 | ||||
| California | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 9,820 | 0.54 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $60,420 | $74,960 | $99,410 | $143,070 | $202,740 | $114,430 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 6,730 | 0.48 | 0.79 |
| Annual | $40,170 | $59,410 | $77,560 | $99,890 | $128,210 | $84,800 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 4,960 | 1.36 | 2.27 |
| Annual | $59,920 | $65,760 | $85,820 | $111,710 | $156,070 | $102,790 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 4,170 | 0.68 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $47,230 | $62,960 | $85,620 | $118,270 | $72,810 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 560 | 0.33 | 0.54 |
| Annual | $55,940 | $76,510 | $163,750 | $209,650 | $250,700 | $152,090 | ||||
| Fresno, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 170 | 0.37 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $66,610 | $104,490 | $135,970 | $170,770 | $171,190 | $135,810 | ||||
| Visalia, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 40 | 0.22 | 0.37 |
| Annual | $70,180 | $128,910 | $128,910 | $157,470 | $157,470 | $131,310 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,050 | 0.44 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $63,140 | $79,030 | $127,800 | $176,030 | $221,530 | $139,080 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 370 | 0.34 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $73,070 | $98,210 | $124,680 | $160,150 | $206,530 | $126,560 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 13,080 | 1.38 | 2.29 |
| Annual | $61,140 | $76,680 | $100,950 | $171,170 | $330,390 | $135,980 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 5,200 | 0.83 | 1.38 |
| Annual | $60,420 | $72,180 | $91,490 | $128,660 | $179,390 | $105,260 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 3,820 | 1.41 | 2.35 |
| Annual | $61,800 | $67,180 | $96,170 | $126,340 | $157,100 | $104,830 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,950 | 0.65 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $36,360 | $62,960 | $84,610 | $122,740 | $68,840 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,770 | 0.44 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $47,380 | $61,350 | $76,810 | $97,740 | $124,440 | $81,080 | ||||
Top industries employing art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools employ 79.4% of art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary nationally (74,280 jobs) at a median $78,770 a year, followed by Junior Colleges (17.5%) and Other Schools and Instruction (2.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 74,280 | 79.4% | $78,770 | * |
| Junior Colleges NAICS 611200 | 16,330 | 17.5% | $77,730 | * |
| Other Schools and Instruction NAICS 611600 | 2,320 | 2.5% | $78,940 | * |
| Technical and Trade Schools NAICS 611500 | 350 | 0.4% | $72,180 | * |
| Performing Arts Companies NAICS 711100 | 90 | 0.1% | $72,070 | * |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (93,560). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $75,940 for art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary in May 2021 and $78,620 in May 2025, with employment of 94,720 and 93,560.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $75,940 | * | 94,720 |
| May 2022 | $77,280 | * | 97,830 |
| May 2023 | $80,360 | * | 101,500 |
| May 2024 | $80,190 | * | 97,890 |
| May 2025 | $78,620 | * | 93,560 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
49 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware profile | * | $103,320 | $31,200 | $158,900 | 150 | 0.31 | 0.51 |
| 2 | California profile | * | $99,410 | $60,420 | $202,740 | 9,820 | 0.54 | 0.90 |
| 3 | New York profile | * | $98,850 | $58,140 | $272,120 | 14,920 | 1.54 | 2.56 |
| 4 | Vermont profile | * | $97,980 | $53,190 | $134,690 | 180 | 0.60 | 0.99 |
| 5 | Rhode Island profile | * | $97,580 | $62,820 | $158,850 | 440 | 0.87 | 1.45 |
| 6 | District of Columbia profile | * | $96,900 | $63,380 | $131,090 | 350 | 0.50 | 0.84 |
| 7 | Massachusetts profile | * | $85,820 | $59,920 | $156,070 | 4,960 | 1.36 | 2.27 |
| 8 | Maryland profile | * | $85,590 | $50,900 | $170,120 | 1,280 | 0.46 | 0.77 |
| 9 | Michigan profile | * | $82,990 | $48,820 | $136,690 | 2,410 | 0.55 | 0.91 |
| 10 | New Jersey profile | * | $80,100 | $32,220 | $205,050 | 3,300 | 0.77 | 1.28 |
| 11 | Georgia profile | * | $79,870 | $45,860 | $120,790 | 1,910 | 0.39 | 0.65 |
| 12 | Maine profile | * | $79,860 | $52,570 | $166,410 | 340 | 0.52 | 0.87 |
| 13 | New Hampshire profile | * | $79,090 | $48,200 | $132,250 | 440 | 0.64 | 1.07 |
| 14 | Louisiana profile | * | $78,710 | $45,640 | $190,640 | 720 | 0.37 | 0.62 |
| 15 | Connecticut profile | * | $78,600 | $49,420 | $165,200 | 1,430 | 0.84 | 1.40 |
| 16 | Montana profile | * | $78,420 | $48,460 | $127,950 | 190 | 0.38 | 0.63 |
| 17 | Ohio profile | * | $78,050 | $37,970 | $129,520 | 3,940 | 0.71 | 1.18 |
| 18 | Washington profile | * | $77,950 | $52,230 | $103,170 | 1,400 | 0.40 | 0.66 |
| 19 | Minnesota profile | * | $77,760 | $48,840 | $123,150 | 1,310 | 0.44 | 0.74 |
| 20 | Iowa profile | * | $77,740 | $47,290 | $159,410 | 910 | 0.58 | 0.97 |
| 21 | Texas profile | * | $77,560 | $40,170 | $128,210 | 6,730 | 0.48 | 0.79 |
| 22 | Wisconsin profile | * | $77,560 | $51,280 | $99,530 | 1,840 | 0.63 | 1.04 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania profile | * | $77,280 | $38,460 | $122,210 | 4,170 | 0.69 | 1.14 |
| 24 | Oregon profile | * | $76,770 | $48,580 | $206,120 | 1,440 | 0.73 | 1.22 |
| 25 | New Mexico profile | * | $76,240 | $49,330 | $133,480 | 380 | 0.44 | 0.72 |
| 26 | Indiana profile | * | $76,050 | $49,080 | $140,900 | 1,920 | 0.60 | 1.00 |
| 27 | Missouri profile | * | $75,960 | $46,730 | $126,520 | 1,450 | 0.49 | 0.82 |
| 28 | Nebraska profile | * | $75,200 | $45,820 | $123,620 | 490 | 0.48 | 0.79 |
| 29 | Virginia profile | * | $74,870 | $43,520 | $124,260 | 2,840 | 0.69 | 1.15 |
| 30 | North Carolina profile | * | $73,800 | $45,460 | $104,620 | 2,880 | 0.58 | 0.97 |
| 31 | West Virginia profile | * | $73,280 | $51,280 | $99,250 | 340 | 0.48 | 0.80 |
| 32 | Idaho profile | * | $72,300 | $47,650 | $101,160 | 250 | 0.29 | 0.48 |
| 33 | Arizona profile | * | $72,060 | $62,150 | $110,050 | 1,040 | 0.32 | 0.53 |
| 34 | Tennessee profile | * | $72,030 | $49,000 | $108,110 | 1,370 | 0.42 | 0.69 |
| 35 | Colorado profile | * | $70,060 | $30,910 | $120,380 | 1,950 | 0.68 | 1.13 |
| 36 | North Dakota profile | * | $67,190 | $50,790 | $107,570 | 130 | 0.30 | 0.50 |
| 37 | Utah profile | * | $66,220 | $47,210 | $107,130 | 790 | 0.46 | 0.76 |
| 38 | Kentucky profile | * | $64,440 | $35,470 | $104,850 | 900 | 0.45 | 0.75 |
| 39 | Florida profile | * | $63,820 | $52,830 | $114,310 | 2,490 | 0.25 | 0.42 |
| 40 | Alabama profile | * | $63,540 | $51,000 | $96,320 | 900 | 0.43 | 0.71 |
| 41 | South Dakota profile | * | $63,380 | $51,360 | $81,890 | 200 | 0.44 | 0.73 |
| 42 | Illinois profile | * | $62,960 | $31,200 | $118,270 | 4,170 | 0.68 | 1.14 |
| 43 | South Carolina profile | * | $62,420 | $29,160 | $104,440 | 1,290 | 0.56 | 0.93 |
| 44 | Oklahoma profile | * | $62,200 | $34,570 | $83,650 | 760 | 0.45 | 0.74 |
| 45 | Kansas profile | * | $61,260 | $42,930 | $129,520 | 640 | 0.45 | 0.74 |
| 46 | Arkansas profile | * | $60,650 | $46,640 | $100,340 | 360 | 0.28 | 0.46 |
| 47 | Mississippi profile | * | $60,580 | $40,350 | $79,820 | 540 | 0.46 | 0.77 |
| 48 | Wyoming profile | * | $59,190 | $47,960 | $79,030 | 180 | 0.64 | 1.07 |
| 49 | Nevada profile | * | $52,870 | $49,850 | $107,470 | 260 | 0.17 | 0.28 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (25-1120), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Educational Instruction and Library Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 25-1121 Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked. A withheld or top-coded median in that table shows the marker explained above.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them. A withheld or top-coded cell in that table shows the marker explained above.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 25-1121, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 25-1121.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.