16 high-paying jobs for artistic people

Updated

2018-03-05T22:46:00Z

woman artist painter

These jobs for artists all net more than $55,000 a year.
Rain of joy/Shutterstock

• Jobs for artists are often depicted as low-paying.

• Data from the US Department of Labor database O*NET disputes that stereotype.

• There are a number of jobs geared toward creatives that pay over $55,000 a year.



Jobs for artists aren't known for being particularly lucrative.

The common narrative is that you can pursue your creative passion, or you can bring home the bacon. You can't do both.

But there are actually a handful of jobs for artists and creative thinkers that come with a decent salary — you just need to know where to look.

We searched through US Department of Labor database O*NET, the Occupational Information Network, for high-paying jobs that might appeal to artistic people. O*Net designates these jobs a "primary interest" of "artistic."

O*NET defines artistic occupations as jobs that "frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules."

Here are 15 high-paying jobs for artistic and creative people that pay on average more than $55,000 a year in a range of industries and fields:

Editors

Bookstore
Lou Dematteis/REUTERS

Editors plan, coordinate, or edit content of material for publication.

Median annual salary: $57,210

Projected growth from 2016 to 2026: -1% to 1%

Makeup artists

Aleksandra Suzi/Shutterstock

Makeup artists apply makeup to performers to reflect period, setting, and situation of their role.

Median annual salary: $60,970

Projected growth from 2016 to 2026: 10% to 14%

Film and video editors

Matt Cardy/Getty Images

Film and video editors edit moving images on film, video, or other media.

Median annual salary: $62,760

Projected growth from 2016 to 2026: 15% or higher

Landscape architects

A. Aleksandravicius/Shutterstock

Landscape architects plan and design land areas for projects such as parks and other recreational facilities.

Median annual salary: $63,480

Projected growth from 2016 to 2026: 5% to 9%

Foreign language and literature professors

Flickr/Jeremy Tenenbaum

Postsecondary foreign language and literature teachers teach languages and literature courses in languages other than English.

Median salary: $63,500

Projected growth from 2016 to 2026: 10% to 14%

English language and literature professors

Strelka Institute/Flickr/Attribution License

Postsecondary English language and literature teachers teach courses in English language and literature, including linguistics and comparative literature.

Median salary: $63,730

Projected growth from 2016 to 2026: 10% to 14%

Fashion designers

Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Fashion designers design clothing and accessories.

Median annual salary: $65,170

Projected growth from 2016 to 2026: 2% to 4%

Commercial and industrial designers

pistolseven/Shutterstock

Commercial and industrial designers develop and design manufactured products, such as cars, home appliances, and children's toys.

Median annual salary: $67,970

Projected growth from 2016 to 2026: 2% to 4%

Art, drama, and music professors

Carl Court/Getty Images

Postsecondary art, drama, and music teachers teach courses in drama, music, and the arts including fine and applied art, such as painting and sculpture, or design and crafts.

Median salary:$68,650

Projected growth from 2016 to 2026: 10% to 14%

Technical writers

VFS Digital Design / Flickr

Technical writers write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions.

Median annual salary: $69,850

Projected growth from 2016 to 2026: 10% to 14%

Architects

goodluz/shutterstock

Architects plan and design structures, such as private residences, office buildings, theaters, factories, and other structural property.

Median annual salary: $76,930

Projected growth from 2016 to 2026: 2% to 4%

Architecture professors

Jake Schoellkopf/AP Images

Architecture teachers teach courses in architecture and architectural design.

Median annual salary:$79,250

Projected growth from 2016 to 2026: 10% to 14%

Video game designers

Lauren Elisabeth/Shutterstock

Video game designers design core features of video games.

Median annual salary: $86,510

Projected growth from 2016 to 2026: 5% to 9%

Art directors

Strelka Institute/Flickr

Art directors formulate design concepts and presentation approaches for visual communications media, such as print, broadcasting, and advertising.

Median annual salary: $89,820

Projected growth from 2016 to 2026: 5% to 9%

Catherine Rice contributed to a previous version of this post.

Áine Cain

Senior Retail Reporter

Áine Cain is a senior reporter for Business Insider, covering Walmart, Target, Costco, Home Depot, Lowe's, and Ikea. She writes about the changing nature of the retail business, the labor issues affecting retail employees, and the trends that consumers should know about. Occasionally, she'll delve into crime, multi-level marketing schemes, and weird history. Cain previously wrote about careers and business strategy for Business Insider. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn. Got a tip? Email her at acain@businessinsider.com. Read some of her past work here: Lowe's workers say morale is reaching an all-time low as the home-improvement giant rolls out changes to stores Jeffrey Epstein was accused of sex trafficking young girls on his mysterious private island. Over 40 years ago, a different millionaire escaped justice in a stunningly similar case. Amazon warehouse employees speak out about the 'brutal' reality of working during the holidays, when 60-hour weeks are mandatory and ambulance calls are common Ikea was once touted as one of the best places to work. Now workers are fleeing over a policy they say has backfired spectacularly. LuLaRoe's founders have been linked to 31 LLCs set up during the last 3 years — and a lawsuit alleges they're attempting to shield assets like a Gulfstream jet, a ranch in Wyoming, and a world-record-breaking supercar named Ruthie

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