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Art instructor salary
Average art instructor salary
$36,539
Understanding Art Instructor Salaries
The average salary for an art instructor stands at $36,539 annually, or about $18 per hour. This figure can fluctuate based on various factors, including geographic location, level of experience, and the institution type. For instance, art instructors in urban areas often see higher salaries compared to their rural counterparts due to demand and cost of living differences.
Salary by State
States like California and New York offer some of the highest salaries for art instructors, reflecting their robust educational systems and greater funding for arts programs. In addition, instructors working in private institutions or specialized art schools may command higher wages than those in public schools.
Opportunities for Growth
As an art instructor, pursuing further education or certifications can enhance your qualifications and increase your earning potential. Engaging in professional development and networking within the arts education community opens doors to higher-paying positions and specialized roles.
Overall, aspiring art instructors should consider these factors when exploring career opportunities to ensure they find positions that align with their financial goals.
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Where can an Art Instructor earn more?
Art instructor salary estimates from across the web
Average art instructor salary by state
The highest-paying states for art instructors are Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts. The lowest average art instructor salary states are Kansas, Missouri, and Wyoming.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for art instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $45,105 | $21.69 |
| 2 | Michigan | $35,954 | $17.29 |
| 3 | North Carolina | $33,093 | $15.91 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $46,459 | $22.34 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $42,145 | $20.26 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $35,524 | $17.08 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $32,812 | $15.78 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $38,974 | $18.74 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $33,547 | $16.13 |
| 10 | California | $33,359 | $16.04 |
| 11 | Maine | $34,380 | $16.53 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $31,854 | $15.31 |
| 13 | Maryland | $33,143 | $15.93 |
| 14 | Delaware | $31,393 | $15.09 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $41,345 | $19.88 |
| 16 | Mississippi | $28,840 | $13.87 |
| 17 | Texas | $29,812 | $14.33 |
| 18 | Florida | $29,116 | $14.00 |
| 19 | Utah | $29,550 | $14.21 |
| 20 | Virginia | $28,978 | $13.93 |
| 21 | Alabama | $30,331 | $14.58 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $27,941 | $13.43 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $29,110 | $14.00 |
| 24 | Ohio | $26,792 | $12.88 |
| 25 | Vermont | $26,036 | $12.52 |
| 26 | Alaska | $26,050 | $12.52 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $25,598 | $12.31 |
| 28 | South Carolina | $24,167 | $11.62 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $25,320 | $12.17 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $26,208 | $12.60 |
| 31 | Nevada | $24,090 | $11.58 |
| 32 | Oregon | $25,005 | $12.02 |
| 33 | Indiana | $27,637 | $13.29 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $26,696 | $12.83 |
| 35 | Georgia | $24,471 | $11.76 |
| 36 | Idaho | $25,834 | $12.42 |
| 37 | Montana | $23,384 | $11.24 |
| 38 | Iowa | $23,819 | $11.45 |
| 39 | Arizona | $24,178 | $11.62 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $25,468 | $12.24 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $24,097 | $11.59 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $21,848 | $10.50 |
| 43 | Washington | $25,997 | $12.50 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $23,956 | $11.52 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $23,340 | $11.22 |
| 46 | Illinois | $23,616 | $11.35 |
| 47 | Colorado | $20,859 | $10.03 |
| 48 | Kansas | $22,105 | $10.63 |
| 49 | Missouri | $21,981 | $10.57 |
| 50 | Wisconsin | $21,719 | $10.44 |
| 51 | Tennessee | $21,148 | $10.17 |
Highest paying cities for art instructors
The highest-paying cities for art instructors are New York, NY, Newark, NJ, and Greenville, NC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $45,225 | $21.74 |
| 2 | Newark, NJ | $35,466 | $17.05 |
| 3 | Greenville, NC | $34,603 | $16.64 |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | $33,739 | $16.22 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $33,549 | $16.13 |
| 6 | Eagan, MN | $31,726 | $15.25 |
| 7 | Houston, TX | $30,613 | $14.72 |
| 8 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $29,390 | $14.13 |
| 9 | Chesapeake, VA | $28,626 | $13.76 |
| 10 | Lafayette, LA | $28,234 | $13.57 |
| 11 | Las Cruces, NM | $26,913 | $12.94 |
| 12 | Seattle, WA | $26,056 | $12.53 |
| 13 | Fayetteville, AR | $25,276 | $12.15 |
| 14 | Portland, OR | $24,936 | $11.99 |
| 15 | Tucson, AZ | $24,527 | $11.79 |
| 16 | Columbia, SC | $24,159 | $11.61 |
| 17 | Omaha, NE | $24,033 | $11.55 |
| 18 | Chicago, IL | $23,798 | $11.44 |
| 19 | Colorado Springs, CO | $20,964 | $10.08 |
Art instructor salary details
An art instructor's salary ranges from $21,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $61,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an art instructor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $61,000 | $5,083 | $29 |
| 75th Percentile | $47,000 | $3,917 | $23 |
| Average | $36,539 | $3,045 | $18 |
| 25th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $21,000 | $1,750 | $10 |
Highest paying art instructor jobs
The highest paying types of art instructors are professor, visiting professor, and associate professor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piano Teacher | $52,799 | $4,400 | $25.38 | 52,993 |
| Visiting Professor | $116,217 | $9,685 | $55.87 | 27,139 |
| Music Internship | $64,045 | $5,337 | $30.79 | 49,414 |
| Teaching Artist | $66,565 | $5,547 | $32.00 | 4,493 |
| Professor | $157,570 | $13,131 | $75.75 | 21,861 |
| Art Teacher | $50,188 | $4,182 | $24.13 | 69,820 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for art instructors, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Karina Skvirsky
Associate Professor, Lafayette College
Top companies hiring art instructors now:
Which companies pay art instructors the most?
Art instructor salaries at Kern Community College District and Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average art instructor salary at companies like Otis College of Art and Design and Vanderbilt University Medical Center are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kern Community College District | $112,851 | $54.26 |
| 2 | Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | $78,205 | $37.60 |
| 3 | Otis College of Art and Design | $76,848 | $36.95 |
| 4 | Vanderbilt University Medical Center | $76,121 | $36.60 |
| 5 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | $69,868 | $33.59 |
| 6 | Exceptional Children's Foundation | $67,422 | $32.41 |
| 7 | The Chicago High School for the Arts | $67,320 | $32.37 |
| 8 | Dillard University | $66,013 | $31.74 |
| 9 | Hargrave Military Academy | $65,553 | $31.52 |
| 10 | Rutgers University | $63,594 | $30.57 |
| 11 | City of Baltimore | $61,255 | $29.45 |
| 12 | Haywood Community College | $57,686 | $27.73 |
| 13 | LA State University Continuing | $53,161 | $25.56 |
| 14 | DigiPen Institute of Technology | $50,763 | $24.41 |
| 15 | Franklin Pierce University | $50,224 | $24.15 |
| 16 | Cincinnati State | $49,213 | $23.66 |
| 17 | Lafayette School District | $48,583 | $23.36 |
| 18 | Edinboro University | $47,705 | $22.94 |
| 19 | Chippewa Valley Schools | $47,511 | $22.84 |
| 20 | One River School | $44,536 | $21.41 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Art Instructor salary by industry
The average art instructor salary varies across industries:
- The average art instructor salary in the education industry is $41,074, the highest of any industry.
- The average art instructor salary in the finance industry is $34,494.
- Art instructors in the government industry earn an average salary of $28,742, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for art instructors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education | $41,074 | $19.75 |
| 2 | Non Profits | $34,494 | $16.58 |
| 3 | Retail | $33,328 | $16.02 |
| 4 | Hospitality | $30,519 | $14.67 |
| 5 | Media | $30,224 | $14.53 |
| 6 | Government | $28,742 | $13.82 |
High paying art instructor jobs
Art instructor salary trends
The average art instructor salary has risen by $3,859 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average art instructor earned $32,680 annually, but today, they earn $36,539 a year. That works out to a 2% change in pay for art instructors over the last decade.
Compare art instructor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average art instructor salary over time
Compare art instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Art instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $36,500 | $17.57 | +0.2% |
| 2024 | $36,500 | $17.53 | -0.6% |
| 2023 | $36,700 | $17.63 | +4.3% |
| 2022 | $35,100 | $16.87 | -2.6% |
| 2021 | $36,000 | $17.30 | +4.8% |
Recently added art instructor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two Rivers YMCA | Arts and Crafts Instructor | East Moline, IL | 06/30/2025 | $31,305 |
| Blue Valley School District | English Language Arts Instructional Support Para-Chinese Immersion Program-Wolf Springs Elementa | Overland Park, KS | 06/27/2025 | $31,201 |
| Eastern New Mexico University, Roswell Campus | Art Instructor | Portales, NM | 06/27/2025 | $50,000 |
| Oak Park Park District | Art Instructor | Oak Park, IL | 06/25/2025 | $31,305 |
| Partnership Resources | Art Instructor | Saint Louis Park, MN | 06/21/2025 | $41,740 |
| Good Shepherd | Summer Camp Activity Instructor-Art | New York, NY | 06/20/2025 | $39,653 |
| Monte Vista Christian School | Theater Arts Instructor/Director | Watsonville, CA | 06/20/2025 | $52,000 |
| YMCA of Central New York | Arts Camp Instructor-Seasonal | Baldwinsville, NY | 06/19/2025 | $41,740 |
| Munson | Munson Community Arts Instructor | Utica, NY | 06/16/2025 | $52,175 |
| Boys Club of Ny | Media Arts Instructor | New York, NY | 06/16/2025 | $62,610 |
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