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Best states for an art instructor
Quoted expert
Josh DeWeese
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for art instructors? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for art instructor jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.Our research found that New York is the best state for art instructors, while Connecticut and New York are ranked highest in terms of median salary. New York has a median salary of $45,105 and Connecticut has the highest median salary among all 50 states for art instructors.
In order to get you the best states for art instructors, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.If you are currently seeking employment as an art instructor, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for art instructors in 2026
1. New York
Total art instructor jobs: 745 Average annual salary: $45,105 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
2. Michigan
Total art instructor jobs: 446 Average annual salary: $35,954 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Location Quotient: 1.18
3. North Carolina
Total art instructor jobs: 684 Average annual salary: $33,093 Lowest 10 percent earn: $19,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 1.47
4. Connecticut
Total art instructor jobs: 121 Average annual salary: $46,459 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 0.75
5. Massachusetts
Total art instructor jobs: 352 Average annual salary: $42,145 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 0.79
6. New Jersey
Total art instructor jobs: 489 Average annual salary: $35,524 Lowest 10 percent earn: $18,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Location Quotient: 1.27
7. North Dakota
Total art instructor jobs: 40 Average annual salary: $32,812 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 0.89
8. Pennsylvania
Total art instructor jobs: 390 Average annual salary: $38,974 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location Quotient: 0.69
9. Rhode Island
Total art instructor jobs: 45 Average annual salary: $33,547 Lowest 10 percent earn: $18,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Location Quotient: 0.76
10. California
Total art instructor jobs: 1,874 Average annual salary: $33,359 Lowest 10 percent earn: $18,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
Art instructor jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be an art instructor
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for an art instructor
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $45,105 | $24,000 | 19,849,399 | 745 |
| 2 | Michigan | $35,954 | $20,000 | 9,962,311 | 446 |
| 3 | North Carolina | $33,093 | $19,000 | 10,273,419 | 684 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $46,459 | $24,000 | 3,588,184 | 121 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $42,145 | $23,000 | 6,859,819 | 352 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $35,524 | $18,000 | 9,005,644 | 489 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $32,812 | $21,000 | 755,393 | 40 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $38,974 | $20,000 | 12,805,537 | 390 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $33,547 | $18,000 | 1,059,639 | 45 |
| 10 | California | $33,359 | $18,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,874 |
| 11 | Maine | $34,380 | $20,000 | 1,335,907 | 46 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $31,854 | $20,000 | 5,576,606 | 260 |
| 13 | Maryland | $33,143 | $17,000 | 6,052,177 | 314 |
| 14 | Delaware | $31,393 | $16,000 | 961,939 | 70 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $41,345 | $21,000 | 693,972 | 44 |
| 16 | Mississippi | $28,840 | $17,000 | 2,984,100 | 93 |
| 17 | Texas | $29,812 | $17,000 | 28,304,596 | 833 |
| 18 | Florida | $29,116 | $17,000 | 20,984,400 | 773 |
| 19 | Utah | $29,550 | $18,000 | 3,101,833 | 131 |
| 20 | Virginia | $28,978 | $15,000 | 8,470,020 | 614 |
| 21 | Alabama | $30,331 | $18,000 | 4,874,747 | 146 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $27,941 | $16,000 | 4,684,333 | 137 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $29,110 | $16,000 | 1,342,795 | 61 |
| 24 | Ohio | $26,792 | $15,000 | 11,658,609 | 368 |
| 25 | Vermont | $26,036 | $15,000 | 623,657 | 43 |
| 26 | Alaska | $26,050 | $14,000 | 739,795 | 54 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $25,598 | $15,000 | 2,088,070 | 86 |
| 28 | South Carolina | $24,167 | $14,000 | 5,024,369 | 323 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $25,320 | $16,000 | 1,427,538 | 63 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $26,208 | $14,000 | 1,815,857 | 55 |
| 31 | Nevada | $24,090 | $14,000 | 2,998,039 | 147 |
| 32 | Oregon | $25,005 | $14,000 | 4,142,776 | 283 |
| 33 | Indiana | $27,637 | $16,000 | 6,666,818 | 127 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $26,696 | $17,000 | 3,930,864 | 92 |
| 35 | Georgia | $24,471 | $14,000 | 10,429,379 | 676 |
| 36 | Idaho | $25,834 | $16,000 | 1,716,943 | 57 |
| 37 | Montana | $23,384 | $15,000 | 1,050,493 | 79 |
| 38 | Iowa | $23,819 | $15,000 | 3,145,711 | 166 |
| 39 | Arizona | $24,178 | $14,000 | 7,016,270 | 252 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $25,468 | $16,000 | 3,004,279 | 41 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $24,097 | $14,000 | 4,454,189 | 157 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $21,848 | $14,000 | 579,315 | 44 |
| 43 | Washington | $25,997 | $15,000 | 7,405,743 | 261 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $23,956 | $15,000 | 1,920,076 | 78 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $23,340 | $15,000 | 869,666 | 37 |
| 46 | Illinois | $23,616 | $14,000 | 12,802,023 | 509 |
| 47 | Colorado | $20,859 | $13,000 | 5,607,154 | 517 |
| 48 | Kansas | $22,105 | $14,000 | 2,913,123 | 110 |
| 49 | Missouri | $21,981 | $14,000 | 6,113,532 | 162 |
| 50 | Wisconsin | $21,719 | $13,000 | 5,795,483 | 188 |
| 51 | Tennessee | $21,148 | $13,000 | 6,715,984 | 190 |
Highest paying states for art instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. Art Instructor Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $45,105 |
| 2 | Michigan | $35,954 |
| 3 | North Carolina | $33,093 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $46,459 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $42,145 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $35,524 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $32,812 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $38,974 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $33,547 |
| 10 | California | $33,359 |
| 11 | Maine | $34,380 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $31,854 |
| 13 | Maryland | $33,143 |
| 14 | Delaware | $31,393 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $41,345 |
| 16 | Mississippi | $28,840 |
| 17 | Texas | $29,812 |
| 18 | Florida | $29,116 |
| 19 | Utah | $29,550 |
| 20 | Virginia | $28,978 |
| 21 | Alabama | $30,331 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $27,941 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $29,110 |
| 24 | Ohio | $26,792 |
| 25 | Vermont | $26,036 |
| 26 | Alaska | $26,050 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $25,598 |
| 28 | South Carolina | $24,167 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $25,320 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $26,208 |
| 31 | Nevada | $24,090 |
| 32 | Oregon | $25,005 |
| 33 | Indiana | $27,637 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $26,696 |
| 35 | Georgia | $24,471 |
| 36 | Idaho | $25,834 |
| 37 | Montana | $23,384 |
| 38 | Iowa | $23,819 |
| 39 | Arizona | $24,178 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $25,468 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $24,097 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $21,848 |
| 43 | Washington | $25,997 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $23,956 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $23,340 |
| 46 | Illinois | $23,616 |
| 47 | Colorado | $20,859 |
| 48 | Kansas | $22,105 |
| 49 | Missouri | $21,981 |
| 50 | Wisconsin | $21,719 |
| 51 | Tennessee | $21,148 |
Expert opinions on the best states for art instructors
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for art instructors to find work opportunities?
Josh DeWeese
Professor of Art, Montana State University
The Creative Arts and their opportunities are everywhere. This is more true now, with the embrace of the virtual world. We see our students go all over the country, and sometimes around the world, but they are following the internet's opportunities. With the pandemic, we will see more artists working from more remote locations with a good internet connection, where the cost of living is not so out of control.
Art instructor best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025