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Art instructor vs art assistant

The differences between art instructors and art assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an art instructor and an art assistant. Additionally, an art assistant has an average salary of $46,310, which is higher than the $36,539 average annual salary of an art instructor.

The top three skills for an art instructor include classroom management, kids and professional development. The most important skills for an art assistant are adobe photoshop, fine arts, and graphic design.

Art instructor vs art assistant overview

Art InstructorArt Assistant
Yearly salary$36,539$46,310
Hourly rate$17.57$22.26
Growth rate12%12%
Number of jobs27,1582,873
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 68%Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age4646
Years of experience22

What does an art instructor do?

An art instructor is responsible for providing instructions on art activities, as well as preparing lectures about the art industry. Art instructors share techniques and keep a sufficient amount of art materials for practical use. They also evaluate students' art outputs and give them constructive feedback for development. An art instructor must encourage the students to boost their self-confidence about their craft and guide them to achieve their maximum potential. Art instructors must have excellent knowledge of the art industry, including its importance and history for the students' easy comprehension.

What does an art assistant do?

An art assistant helps artists in managing their time and schedule as they continue their work creating art. It is the job of the assistant to manage all the administrative work behind the artist. It means scheduling their meetings, assisting in the procurement of materials, requesting supplies, maintaining the art studio, and observing the artist's personal requests. An artist must have a conducive ambiance for artistic ideas and creativity. It is part of the art assistant's job to ensure this ambiance is always maintained and kept. The art assistant must also have an art background, as the artist may help with creation itself.

Art instructor vs art assistant salary

Art instructors and art assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Art InstructorArt Assistant
Average salary$36,539$46,310
Salary rangeBetween $21,000 And $61,000Between $28,000 And $74,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NY-
Highest paying stateConnecticut-
Best paying companyKern Community College District-
Best paying industryEducation-

Differences between art instructor and art assistant education

There are a few differences between an art instructor and an art assistant in terms of educational background:

Art InstructorArt Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 68%Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common majorFine ArtsFine Arts
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityNorthwestern University

Art instructor vs art assistant demographics

Here are the differences between art instructors' and art assistants' demographics:

Art InstructorArt Assistant
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 32.3% Female, 67.7%Male, 32.1% Female, 67.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 11.2% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 11.2% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage16%16%

Differences between art instructor and art assistant duties and responsibilities

Art instructor example responsibilities.

  • Manage day of logistics and resolve problems to ensure events run smoothly.
  • Lead kids through snack, game time, homework time, an art lesson, and manage a gallery wall.
  • Instruct elementary school and high school age students in classes such as sculpture, printmaking, and ceramics.
  • Create unique process-base art education congruent with session themes in sculpture and 3D media for students five to six years old.
  • Organize annual trips to NYC for performing arts students.
  • Digitize images and articles into PDF documents for educational use.
  • Show more

Art assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage Facebook account composing creative content for daily posts to increase audience engagement
  • Integrate language arts and mathematics to improve standardize test scores.
  • Transfer powerpoint files to digital documents.
  • Work on set design and advance photo editing including color swapping and color correcting for commercial photography studio.
  • Employ assessment tools and strategies to improve instruction methods.instruct through lectures, discussions and demonstrations in culinary arts and cooking procedures.

Art instructor vs art assistant skills

Common art instructor skills
  • Classroom Management, 17%
  • Kids, 8%
  • Professional Development, 7%
  • Customer Service, 6%
  • Fine Arts, 6%
  • Curriculum Development, 5%
Common art assistant skills
  • Adobe Photoshop, 12%
  • Fine Arts, 11%
  • Graphic Design, 8%
  • Art Projects, 7%
  • Photography, 6%
  • Art History, 5%

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