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The tables below present the occupations that are most commonly associated with a degree in Fine Arts. We have separated the tables depending on whether we examine graduates who stop their education with the bachelors degree in Fine Arts, and those who get either a masters in Fine Arts, a Ph.D. in Fine Arts.
While the list above describes the occupations of students with advanced degrees in Fine Arts some students with a bachelors degree in Fine Arts will get advanced degrees in other fields. The tables listed below descibe the types of advanced degrees that were chosen by students with a bachelors in Fine Arts.
Since all of the above tables present information on the average salary, it is possible to lose sight of the fact that some majors place students in jobs with a narrow range of salaries near to the mean while others place students in many different income categories. For this reason, we have drawn two frequency distributions (histograms) of Fine Arts Salaries.
The diagram below includes all
students with a major in Fine Arts who received no degree beyond the bachelors.
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The diagram below includes all
students with a major in Fine Arts while an undergraduate. The data includes students who
subsequently earned degrees beyond the bachelors. 
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The information in the table below is based on data from people of all sexes and ages
whose most recent college degree was a bachelors degree majoring in Fine Arts.
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Avg 1993 Number of Pct of Salary Observations Majors Description of Occupation ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $36,942 201 21.92 Artists, Broadcasters, Editors, Entertainers, Public Relations Specialists, Writers $45,643 76 8.29 Top and mid-level managers, executives, administrators (people who manage other managers) $26,683 46 5.02 OTHER administrative (e.g., record clerks, telephone operators) $37,887 44 4.80 OTHER management related occupations $35,517 42 4.58 Teachers: Secondary - other subjects $36,198 39 4.25 OTHER OCCUPATIONS (Not Listed) $25,975 35 3.82 Sales Occupations - Retail (e.g., furnishings, clothing, motor vehicles, cosmetics) $32,490 34 3.71 Teachers: Elementary $24,630 30 3.27 Secretaries, receptionists, typists $38,186 27 2.94 OTHER marketing and sales occupations $31,718 24 2.62 Precision/production occupations (e.g., workers, woodworkers, butchers, bakers, printing occupations, tailors, shoemakers, photographic process) $45,197 24 2.62 Insurance, securities, real estate, and business services $36,742 23 2.51 OTHER service occupations, except health $44,769 14 1.53 Computer system analysts $34,754 14 1.53 Drafting occupations, including computer drafting $29,350 13 1.42 Accountants, auditors, and other financial specialists $33,702 12 1.31 OTHER computer, information science Occupations $21,344 11 1.20 Teachers: Pre-Kindergarten and kindergarten $20,298 11 1.20 Food Preparation and Service (e.g., cooks, waitresses, bartenders) $36,393 11 1.20 Construction trades, miners and well drillers $23,328 11 1.20 Operators and related occupations (e.g., machine set-up, machine operators and tenders, fabricators, assemblers) $45,305 10 1.09 Computer programmers (business, scientific, process control) $20,828 10 1.09 Accounting clerks, bookkeepers $22,633 9 .98 Transportation/material moving occupations $44,230 9 .98 Protective services (e.g., fire fighters, police, guards) $27,720 8 .87 Social Workers $35,133 8 .87 Professors: Art, Drama, and Music $32,772 8 .87 Registered nurses, pharmacists, dieticians, therapists, physician assistants $45,597 8 .87 Sales Occupations - Commodities Except Retail (e.g., industrial machinery/equipment/supplies, medical and dental equiptment/supplies) $28,730 7 .76 Personnel, training, and labor relations specialists $32,171 7 .76 Librarians, Archivists, Curators Managers, Executives, Administrators (Also see 151-153) $25,806 6 .65 Counselors, Educational and Vocational (Also see 236) $38,160 6 .65 Architects Engineers (Also see 101-103) $36,672 6 .65 Mechanics and repairers $26,852 5 .55 OTHER health occupations $44,690 5 .55 Information systems scientists or analysts $45,190 4 .44 Engineers: Mechanical $30,330 4 .44 OTHER engineering technologists and technicians $64,750 4 .44 Teachers: Secondary - computer, math or sciences $23,400 4 .44 Health Technologists and Technicians (e.g., dental hygienists, health record technologists/technicians, licensed practical nurses, medical or laboratory technicians, radiologic technologists/technicians) $29,850 4 .44 Technologists and technicians in the biological/life sciences $49,667 3 .33 Computer engineer - software $25,293 3 .33 Unknown $33,924 3 .33 Technologists and technicians in the physical sciences $34,573 3 .33 Farmers, Foresters and Fishermen $34,333 3 .33 Teachers: OTHER precollegiate area $28,600 2 .22 Engineers: Civil, including architectural and sanitary $25,280 2 .22 Teachers: Special education - primary and secondary $21,000 2 .22 Clergy and Other Religious Workers $39,750 2 .22 Surveying and mapping $46,228 1 .11 Engineers: Industrial $45,800 1 .11 Engineers: Aeronautical, aerospace, astronautical $45,500 1 .11 Statisticians $50,000 1 .11 Engineers: Sales $51,000 1 .11 OTHER physical scientists $60,000 1 .11 Engineers: Electrical, electronic $65,000 1 .11 Computer engineer - hardware $12,699 1 .11 Psychologists, including clinical (Also see 070) $34,000 1 .11 Professors: Home Economics $33,800 1 .11 OTHER postsecondary $33,600 1 .11 Geologists, including earth scientists $31,200 1 .11 Professors: Education $29,692 1 .11 Operations research analysts, modelling $26,000 1 .11 Professors: Trade and Industrial $26,000 1 .11 Professors: English $25,000 1 .11 Engineers: Electrical, electronic, industrial, mechanical $20,800 1 .11 Professors: Physical Education $19,200 1 .11 OTHER biological/life scientists $19,000 1 .11 Lawyers, Judges $18,951 1 .11 Agricultural and food scientists
The information in the table below is based on data from people of all sexes and ages
whose most recent college degree was a masters degree in Fine Arts.
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Avg 1993 Number of Pct of Salary Observations Majors Description of Occupation ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $41,020 55 20.22 Professors: Art, Drama, and Music $43,903 51 18.75 Artists, Broadcasters, Editors, Entertainers, Public Relations Specialists, Writers $37,224 32 11.76 Teachers: Secondary - other subjects $46,366 20 7.35 Top and mid-level managers, executives, administrators (people who manage other managers) $41,397 16 5.88 Teachers: Elementary $32,996 13 4.78 Librarians, Archivists, Curators Managers, Executives, Administrators (Also see 151-153) $30,809 9 3.31 OTHER marketing and sales occupations $31,387 8 2.94 OTHER OCCUPATIONS (Not Listed) $38,544 5 1.84 OTHER management related occupations $44,290 4 1.47 Unknown $63,750 4 1.47 Insurance, securities, real estate, and business services $19,182 4 1.47 Secretaries, receptionists, typists $32,111 4 1.47 OTHER administrative (e.g., record clerks, telephone operators) $32,910 4 1.47 Precision/production occupations (e.g., workers, woodworkers, butchers, bakers, printing occupations, tailors, shoemakers, photographic process) $45,333 3 1.10 Computer programmers (business, scientific, process control) $43,833 3 1.10 Teachers: Secondary - computer, math or sciences $39,867 3 1.10 Construction trades, miners and well drillers $14,080 3 1.10 Food Preparation and Service (e.g., cooks, waitresses, bartenders) $37,000 3 1.10 Social Workers $24,167 3 1.10 Sales Occupations - Retail (e.g., furnishings, clothing, motor vehicles, cosmetics) $47,000 2 .74 Computer system analysts $34,750 2 .74 Accountants, auditors, and other financial specialists $42,500 2 .74 OTHER postsecondary $20,280 2 .74 Counselors, Educational and Vocational (Also see 236) $49,000 2 .74 Drafting occupations, including computer drafting $44,400 2 .74 Teachers: Secondary - social sciences $27,612 2 .74 OTHER service occupations, except health $81,000 1 .37 Computer engineer - software $71,500 1 .37 Architects Engineers (Also see 101-103) $64,000 1 .37 Registered nurses, pharmacists, dieticians, therapists, physician assistants $54,308 1 .37 Historians, except science and technology $28,000 1 .37 Operators and related occupations (e.g., machine set-up, machine operators and tenders, fabricators, assemblers) $44,000 1 .37 Teachers: Special education - primary and secondary $30,000 1 .37 Sales Occupations - Commodities Except Retail (e.g., industrial machinery/equipment/supplies, medical and dental equiptment/supplies) $30,000 1 .37 Teachers: Pre-Kindergarten and kindergarten $30,139 1 .37 OTHER health occupations $30,612 1 .37 Engineers: Electrical, electronic $33,000 1 .37 Professors: Business Commerce and Marketing
The information in the table below is based on data from people of all sexes and ages
whose most recent college degree was a Ph.D. degree in Fine Arts.
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Avg 1993 Number of Pct of Salary Observations Majors Description of Occupation ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $40,732 11 52.38 Professors: Art, Drama, and Music $83,333 3 14.29 Librarians, Archivists, Curators Managers, Executives, Administrators (Also see 151-153) $42,200 2 9.52 Artists, Broadcasters, Editors, Entertainers, Public Relations Specialists, Writers $37,000 1 4.76 Professors: History $39,000 1 4.76 Unknown $45,000 1 4.76 Teachers: Elementary $50,000 1 4.76 OTHER OCCUPATIONS (Not Listed) $65,000 1 4.76 Historians, except science and technology
Avg 1993 Number of Pct of Salary Observations Majors Description of Field of Study ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $39,099 193 49.23 Fine arts, all fields $36,107 23 5.87 Education: OTHER education $66,223 14 3.57 Architecture/Environmental Design $31,825 13 3.32 Library Science $58,851 13 3.32 OTHER visual and performing arts $35,780 10 2.55 Education: Administration $34,168 9 2.30 Education: Counselor education/guidance services $44,728 9 2.30 Education: Secondary teacher education $54,900 7 1.79 Business administration and management $33,684 6 1.53 Education: Special education $39,592 6 1.53 Social Work $39,549 6 1.53 Education: Elementary teacher education $39,083 6 1.53 OTHER philosophy, religion, theology $41,619 5 1.28 OTHER FIELDS (Not Listed) $56,000 4 1.02 Public administration $40,875 4 1.02 OTHER business management/administrative services $59,300 4 1.02 Business marketing/marketing management $63,025 4 1.02 Financial management $80,667 3 .77 Psychology: General $24,388 3 .77 OTHER psychology $64,000 3 .77 Liberal Arts/General Studies $39,867 3 .77 Education: Educational psychology $39,867 3 .77 Psychology: Educational $54,933 3 .77 Music, all fields $46,500 2 .51 OTHER health/medical sciences $61,250 2 .51 Psychology: Industrial/Organizational $52,000 2 .51 Business, general $67,200 2 .51 Psychology: Counseling $95,000 2 .51 Engineering: Architectural $33,495 2 .51 Communications, general $41,880 2 .51 Education: Science teacher education $41,448 2 .51 Anthropology and archeology $38,088 2 .51 Journalism $29,254 2 .51 Dramatic arts $29,500 2 .51 Physical therapy and other rehabilitation/therapeutic services $14,560 1 .26 OTHER engineering-related technologies $25,000 1 .26 Sociology $72,800 1 .26 Engineering: Environmental $70,000 1 .26 Computer science $69,818 1 .26 Geological sciences, other $27,000 1 .26 Botany $28,200 1 .26 Education: Pre-elementary teacher education $64,000 1 .26 Business/managerial economics $43,500 1 .26 Earth sciences $60,000 1 .26 OTHER social sciences $60,000 1 .26 Psychology: Clinical $35,000 1 .26 OTHER communications $37,440 1 .26 Economics $37,500 1 .26 Parks, Recreation, Leisure, and Fitness Studies $40,000 1 .26 OTHER public affairs $50,000 1 .26 Chemistry $48,500 1 .26 OTHER engineering $45,600 1 .26 History, other $43,000 1 .26 OTHER agricultural sciences
Avg 1993 Number of Pct of Salary Observations Majors Description of Field of Study ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $47,109 11 34.38 Fine arts, all fields $55,350 4 12.50 Education: OTHER education $20,640 2 6.25 Psychology: Clinical $140,000 1 3.13 OTHER health/medical sciences $95,000 1 3.13 Medicine (e.g., dentistry, optometry, osteopathic, podiatry, veterinary) $70,000 1 3.13 Geology $68,000 1 3.13 Education: Special education $67,000 1 3.13 History, other $49,218 1 3.13 Law/Prelaw/Legal Studies $48,000 1 3.13 Physics $15,000 1 3.13 OTHER philosophy, religion, theology $46,000 1 3.13 Psychology: Educational $46,000 1 3.13 Education: Educational psychology $43,000 1 3.13 Psychology: Experimental $40,000 1 3.13 Economics $33,800 1 3.13 Psychology: General $31,000 1 3.13 Nursing (4 years or longer program) $28,000 1 3.13 Anthropology and archeology $24,000 1 3.13 Journalism
Other advanced degrees include: JD, LLB, ThD, MD, and the DDS.
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Avg 1993 Number of Pct of Salary Observations Majors Description of Field of Study ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $77,400 14 48.28 Law/Prelaw/Legal Studies $65,873 11 37.93 Medicine (e.g., dentistry, optometry, osteopathic, podiatry, veterinary) $24,000 1 3.45 Architecture/Environmental Design $39,600 1 3.45 OTHER social sciences $43,680 1 3.45 Business administration and management $51,000 1 3.45 Psychology: Clinical
Prepared by Prof. Kenneth S. Chapman: kenneth.chapman@csun.edu