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Art teacher vs art instructor

The differences between art teachers and art instructors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an art teacher has an average salary of $50,188, which is higher than the $36,539 average annual salary of an art instructor.

The top three skills for an art teacher include classroom management, professional development and art curriculum. The most important skills for an art instructor are classroom management, kids, and professional development.

Art teacher vs art instructor overview

Art TeacherArt Instructor
Yearly salary$50,188$36,539
Hourly rate$24.13$17.57
Growth rate4%12%
Number of jobs69,82027,158
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Average age4246
Years of experience-2

What does an art teacher do?

An art teacher is responsible for teaching students of art history, disciplines, and techniques to bring out the learners' maximum potential and creativity. Art teachers develop engaging plans for art strategies, ensuring the adequacy of art tools and materials for the learners' use, and design art development courses. An art teacher must have excellent knowledge of the art industry and communication and organization skills to address the different learning methods of the students and identify their areas of improvement.

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.

Art teacher vs art instructor salary

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

Art TeacherArt Instructor
Average salary$50,188$36,539
Salary rangeBetween $40,000 And $62,000Between $21,000 And $61,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYNew York, NY
Highest paying stateConnecticutConnecticut
Best paying companyBrooklyn Friends SchoolKern Community College District
Best paying industryEducationEducation

Differences between art teacher and art instructor education

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

Art TeacherArt Instructor
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Most common majorFine ArtsFine Arts
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaNorthwestern University

Art teacher vs art instructor demographics

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

Art TeacherArt Instructor
Average age4246
Gender ratioMale, 25.5% Female, 74.5%Male, 32.3% Female, 67.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 3.7% White, 69.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black 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%
LGBT Percentage9%16%

Differences between art teacher and art instructor duties and responsibilities

Art teacher example responsibilities.

  • Manage classes Pre-K through 6th grade on a daily basis for schedules, field trips, and arts and crafts.
  • Lead kids through snack, game time, homework time, an art lesson, and manage a gallery wall.
  • Lead debates with advance students on topics including globalization, economics, and political history.
  • Travel to local elementary schools and teach fine art lessons that incorporate history, math, and science.
  • plan and teach art to grades k-6
  • Teach visual arts to students grade k-8.
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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.
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Art teacher vs art instructor skills

Common art teacher skills
  • Classroom Management, 21%
  • Professional Development, 6%
  • Art Curriculum, 5%
  • Student Learning, 4%
  • Art History, 4%
  • K-12, 4%
Common art instructor skills
  • Classroom Management, 17%
  • Kids, 8%
  • Professional Development, 7%
  • Customer Service, 6%
  • Fine Arts, 6%
  • Curriculum Development, 5%

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