Photo: Савина Наталия Александровна (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Job description
Teaching in these fields is hands-on: professors demonstrate techniques directly and then evaluate work that's often a performance or a finished creative piece rather than a written exam. A recurring part of the job is preparing students for public performances, exhibitions, or juried assessments, which adds a production dimension beyond typical lecture-based teaching. Professors also stay current in their art form through reading, conferences, and conversations with colleagues, and many take part in recruiting and placing students into the program. The typical credential is a PhD or a terminal degree specific to the art form, such as an MFA for studio artists.
Pros
- High upside earning potential, up to $163k, above many humanities teaching fields
- Large field with 9,000 positions nationwide, more openings than most specialized academic areas
- Hands-on, creative teaching preparing students for real performances and exhibitions, not just lectures
Cons
- Above-average hours, expect more than a standard 40-hour work week
- Slower than average projected job growth (1.7%)
- Requires a PhD or terminal degree like an MFA, a long and often costly credentialing path
A typical day
A voice professor's Tuesday: three one-hour private lessons in the morning, each a micro-diagnosis of breath, placement, and confidence, followed by a diction class conjugating Italian vowels with twelve undergraduates. The afternoon holds studio class — students performing for each other, the professor modeling how to give critique that sharpens without wounding — then rehearsal coaching for the spring opera. Threaded through: recruitment auditions to adjudicate, a committee meeting, and the professor's own artistry, because performance faculty are typically working artists whose recitals and exhibitions are the research record. Evenings often belong to concerts, rehearsals, or grading portfolios.
Tasks at the job
- Explain and demonstrate artistic techniques.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, performances, projects, assignments, and papers.
- Prepare students for performances, exams, or assessments.
- 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.
- Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
Workplace & working conditions
Work happens indoors in a climate-controlled setting, and you work in close physical proximity to coworkers or the public for much of the shift.
There's a regular, moderate amount of time pressure, and you're expected to exercise significant independent judgment day to day. The work is highly structured, following set procedures.
Education necessary or common
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or a terminal degree in the specific art form (e.g. MFA)
Common college majors
Career path
Related fields
Courses to take
- Advanced courses in your art form — band, orchestra, choir, theater, studio art, taken all four years
- AP Music Theory (for music paths)
- AP English Literature — analysis and criticism
- AP Art History (for visual arts paths)
- A world language — essential for vocalists especially
Clubs, activities & competitions
- All-State ensembles, honor bands/choirs, or juried exhibitions — the competitive track matters
- Lead roles or leadership in school productions and ensembles
- Teach: give younger students lessons in your instrument or medium
- Community theater, youth orchestra, or portfolio programs outside school
First steps you can take now
- Start teaching now — one younger student, weekly, and keep notes on what works
- Audition for the most selective ensemble or program available to you this year
- Ask a professor at a nearby college for a sample lesson in your discipline
- Research what MFA versus DMA versus PhD means in your field, since the terminal degree is the union card
