Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Job outlook for sacred art artists in the United States
Are sacred art artist jobs in demand?
Sacred art artist job and salary trends over time
Sacred art artist jobs over time
Sacred art artist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 206 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 241 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 269 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 253 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 245 | 0.00% |
Average sacred art artist salary over time
Sacred art artist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $51,483 | $24.75 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $49,722 | $23.90 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $48,571 | $23.35 | --0.3% |
| 2022 | $48,709 | $23.42 | --2.5% |
| 2021 | $49,958 | $24.02 | +9.3% |
Sacred art artist jobs by state
Most common states for sacred art artists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | 623,657 | 13 | 2% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 13 | 2% |
| 3 | California | 39,536,653 | 564 | 1% |
| 4 | New York | 19,849,399 | 234 | 1% |
| 5 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 109 | 1% |
| 6 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 101 | 1% |
| 7 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 62 | 1% |
| 8 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 61 | 1% |
| 9 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 51 | 1% |
| 10 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 50 | 1% |
| 11 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 48 | 1% |
| 12 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 32 | 1% |
| 13 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 29 | 1% |
| 14 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 20 | 1% |
| 15 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 19 | 1% |
| 16 | Delaware | 961,939 | 7 | 1% |
| 17 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 7 | 1% |
| 18 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 7 | 1% |
| 19 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 6 | 1% |
| 20 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 6 | 1% |
Sacred Art Artist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of sacred art artist experts
Florida Gulf Coast University
Rider University
University of Indianapolis
Art Academy of Cincinnati
Western Illinois University
Foothill College
Colby College
Baylor School of Music
Greenville University
Steve Hughart II
Laboratory Coordinator I/ Adjunct ProfessorFlorida Gulf Coast University
Fine And Studio Arts
What will help Sacred Art Artists increase their earning potential?
Steve Hughart II: The most important skills that I would suggest would be to learn and understand the Adobe Creative Cloud Applications such as Photoshop and Illustrator for example. These platforms will benefit you immensely in the art field in a ton of different ways. All artists will use these applications in one form or another. That being said, I would also encourage everyone to do as much work as possible with your hands. Learn to use power tools, pick up a piece of paper and pencil instead of the iPad, use a real camera instead of your phone. With AI growing so fast digital media work will all be AI generated, so focusing on improving your editing skills and creating with your hands will be where the jobs are.
What general advice would you give to a Sacred Art Artist?
Todd Dellinger: Know thyself. This response has many facets and implications - know your 'deep why' or vision of yourself as an artist and professional and frame around the impact you wish to have on others - this becomes a sort of 'lodestar' for the work ahead of crafting a career. Know who you are internally, as well as externally - as a 'package' because you are entering an industry where you - and the work you produce - are the commodity, for good or bad. As such, define and adhere to your boundaries - so that you cannot be taken advantage of, and can stay true to your vision. Know yourself in the context of the business - and know the business aspects of what you do. You are, at the end of the day, a business - too many artists ignore that. Then, stick to your knowledge of and vision for yourself as an artist and professional.
What general advice would you give to a Sacred Art Artist?
gerard brown: Folks starting out in the crafts and the fine arts often think the most important thing is the images of their work they put out in the world - through social media, on grant applications, etc. But you also need to be able to write and speak about your work in ways that inspire and motivate ordinary people to share your interests. Too often, people come out of school speaking the language of school and writing for an academic reader - I wish everyone would read more good journalism about art in magazines and news papers (yes, they are online!) and learn to communicate about their work in an accessible, approachable way earlier in their careers.
What general advice would you give to a Sacred Art Artist?
Todd Dellinger: Have a diverse and relevant toolkit of skills and expertise - creative and artistic ones, yes - but perhaps even more importantly, skills and expertise which translate into multiple, diverse corners of arts & entertainment and into other sectors. Know how to translate your artistic wizardry from the stage to a phone, from the studio to a streaming platform, from one arts discipline or style or genre to multiple others. But also, know how write up a marketing piece, a grant narrative, plan an event, manage a budget. You might find day-work in the very place where you're sharing your talent at night.
Nathaniel Foley
Assistant Professor of Art & DesignUniversity of Indianapolis
Fine And Studio Arts
What will help Sacred Art Artists increase their earning potential?
Nathaniel Foley: A career in fine art is never a linear path like other professional fields, so one must remain flexible and aware of all opportunities that they might fit or create. Additionally, they possess numerous skill sets that are unique and they must be able to highlight them to an employer to demonstrate their value.
What skills will help Sacred Art Artists earn the most?
Paige Williams: A combination of the 21st Century Skills: Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, and Communication will provide the most effective skill base for those seeking success in creative fields.
Tammy Killian
Chair - Department of Theatre and DanceWestern Illinois University
Drama/Theatre Arts And Stagecraft
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Sacred Art Artists?
Tammy Killian: Yes, I believe that this group of graduates (2020 and 2021) will be impacted. I like to think that most graduates will be impacted in that they will be more innovative, more independent, and will have a greater sense of priorities.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Sacred Art Artists to find work opportunities?
Tammy Killian: Currently, no. With COVID-19 shutting down the industry, this is not a great time to look for work. Film and TV production companies are beginning to shoot again, with many precautions in place. The outdoor theatre has survived. Many small venue theatres have moved outdoors or are doing drive-in events. Finding a job now is about being willing to relocate, research, and being flexible.
How do you envision technology impacting Sacred Art Artists in the next 5 years?
Tom Gough: One thing the pandemic has prompted is some extraordinary creativity in using real-time technology. And I would say the greatest innovation from this is bridging geography. I personally have now done projects with people in different time zones and continents. I predict this sort of innovative use will continue to be employed in some respect though not replace the live experience.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Sacred Art Artists to find work opportunities?
Annie Kloppenberg: As has been the case for many years, the vast majority of young artists need to carve their own paths in order to succeed. With theaters shuttered, much attention has been given to artists who have found creative ways to pursue and produce their work. But in reality, that is not new. Generally speaking, Americans don't value the live arts the way people in many other cultures do. Artists for whom this work matters have needed to find ways to do their work in their communities.
People working in performing arts have, for many years, needed to leverage all their skills both to make ends meet and to be able to do their work. They have found flexible jobs to support their creative practice, have pursued jobs in the arts sector off the stage, have created fundraising platforms and productive partnerships beyond the arts sector, and have built audiences for their work in communities large and small. Artists create opportunities for themselves, and the pressure will be on to continue to do so. These are lessons, by the way, that can be applied beyond the arts sector!
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Sacred Art Artists?
Annie Kloppenberg: I think there certainly will be-as there will be an enduring impact on our economy and culture at large. It is hard to predict exactly what shape those changes will take. I have faith that our health care researchers will create an antidote to coronavirus, but what the pandemic has also made visible in new ways is the range of inequities that are deeply woven into the fabric of our culture. Producing an antidote to that is less straightforward. While it may be harder to find entry-level jobs, I also think that graduates entering the workforce will do so with creativity and with a palpable commitment to social justice. Young people stepped up as organizers this summer, and it wouldn't surprise me one bit to see them continue to step up in their professional lives in the coming years. And I think we need to make room for them to do that.
What general advice would you give to a Sacred Art Artist?
Dr. Randall Bradley: Yes, I believe that the COVID-19 will have a lasting effect on our students and on the church. For starters, it has been more difficult than usual to place our students because church search committees stopped meeting in March, and it was impossible for churches to host our graduates for interviews and meet-and-greet opportunities that are so vital to church placement. However, I believe that some of the enduring impacts of the coronavirus pandemic will be the greater role that technology will play in churches of all sizes moving forward.
Nearly every church I know (even very small ones) has found ways to use technology to remain connected to their worshiping community. I don't think that this development is something that will end with the pandemic. I see our future graduates playing larger roles in helping to prepare worship that communicates not only to those gathered in the worship space live, but also to the virtual worshipers who join in from many other places. Also, the sheer volume of technology that churches have purchased during this time will need to be used in their congregations moving forward.
I also think that future worship leaders will be challenged to discover new ways in which virtual worship can be considered fresh and creative, rather than just an airing of what is in the worship space. Churches are going to demand greater innovation and creativity going forward, and future ministers are going to be challenged at this point. Lastly, I think that once we have all exercised greater dependence on technology during the pandemic, and experienced first-hand its potential for effectiveness, we will never return to our old ways of doing things. These changes will affect the ways in which meetings are held; administrative decisions are made, personnel is managed, and more. These implications will alter the way that worship leaders not only plan and lead worship but also how they implement and administer their ministries.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Sacred Art Artists?
Paul Sunderland: I absolutely believe there will be an enduring impact due to the pandemic on college graduates. Historically, congregational worship has relied upon relational, face-to-face interaction. COVID has forced the church to consider how to continue as faithful worshipers, yet without having the congregation gathered in the same room. Church musicians are now facing the issue of how to lead worship through a streamed or recorded platform, where you no longer see or hear the response of the people you are "leading." With the shift of online worship during COVID, we can see that some people may not wish to "come back to the building" to worship even if we move past the pandemic. The new questions nearly all church musicians are asking are, "How do we engage virtual worshipers, and how do we foster a sense of spiritual community as we move forward?
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Sacred Art Artists to find work opportunities?
Paul Sunderland: I find that location may not be the issue, as much as the size of the town and the church community size. There are two ways to look at the COVID pandemic for church musicians: Rural or smaller communities tend to have less COVID cases and are slightly more stable in that sense. This means that churches have a chance, in smaller communities, of operating, which allows employment opportunities to continue. On the other hand, larger towns and larger churches may not be able to meet in person as they once did, but they are aggressively pursuing online worship options, which requires trained people to help them to do so.