Degree to Occupation Map
Occupations related to a visual and performing art degree
NCES and BLS publish a crosswalk relating instructional programs to occupations. This page lists every occupation that crosswalk relates to visual and performing art, with the BLS typical entry education, 2025 median wage and projected growth for each, and links to the RoleSprint page covering the role where one exists.
What occupations does the official crosswalk relate to a visual and performing art degree?
The CIP 2020-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk published by NCES and BLS relates 69 CIP 2020 programs in visual and performing art to 33 occupations. That maps a field of study to lines of work; it is not a statement that a visual and performing art degree qualifies someone for any of them, and the crosswalk carries no figure for how many graduates enter each. Across the 29 with a published 2025 BLS wage the median is $74,990, ranging from $44,660 for Photographers to $141,900 for Regulatory Affairs Managers. BLS typical entry-level education splits 3 at no formal educational credential, 4 at high school diploma or equivalent, 1 at some college, no degree, 1 at postsecondary nondegree award, 18 at bachelor's degree, 3 at master's degree, 2 at doctoral or professional degree: 27 at or below a bachelor's degree and 5 above it. Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes is projected to grow fastest at +9.7% over 2025-35. The highest-paid are Regulatory Affairs Managers ($141,900), Art Directors ($114,850) and Video Game Designers ($104,000).
- Related occupations
- 33, from 69 CIP 2020 programs in visual and performing art (a further 6 related occupations have no BLS or O*NET row on this site and are not listed)
- What the mapping means
- NCES states only that it "crosswalks 2020 CIP Codes to 2018 SOC Codes". It relates a program to an occupation. It does not establish qualification, hiring, or how many graduates take that path.
- BLS typical entry-level education
- No formal educational credential: 3; High school diploma or equivalent: 4; Some college, no degree: 1; Postsecondary nondegree award: 1; Bachelor's degree: 18; Master's degree: 3; Doctoral or professional degree: 2
- Median wage across these occupations
- $74,990 (2025); 29 of 33 have a published BLS wage
- Next step
- 9 of the 33 occupations have a dedicated RoleSprint page covering what the role requires and how the work is performed.
Source and method
2020 CIP / 2018 SOC Crosswalk, National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Labor Statistics, and BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2. Verified 2026-09-06. Program-to-occupation relationships are reproduced from the NCES/BLS crosswalk exactly as published; RoleSprint groups CIP programs into the field of study a person would search for and lists the union of their related occupations, showing every member CIP code. Wage, typical entry education and outlook are reproduced from BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2 for the matching SOC code. Working-condition figures are O*NET 30.3 means. No relationship strength, employment share or qualification judgement is published, because no source supplies one.
What this list is, and what it is not
The crosswalk's own description of itself is one sentence: “This file crosswalks 2020 CIP Codes to 2018 SOC Codes in ascending order by CIP Code.” It relates a field of study to lines of work.
It does not say a visual and performing art degree qualifies anyone for these occupations, that graduates usually enter them, or what share do: the crosswalk publishes no such figure. The wage and education columns come from a separate source, BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2, and describe the occupation rather than the degree. Typical entry education is what BLS observes most often among people already doing the work; it is not a rule about who may be hired.
The 33 related occupations
Ordered by BLS median wage, highest first. 29 of 33 have a published wage.
| Occupation | BLS typical entry-level education | Median wage | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
Regulatory Affairs Managers SOC 11-9199 Contact with others 4.2 · Time pressure 3.6 · Sitting 4.6 · Outdoors, all weather 1.1 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $141,900 2025 median | +4.9% 2025-35 · 100.9 openings/yr |
Art Directors SOC 27-1011 Contact with others 4.5 · Time pressure 4.8 · Sitting 4.8 · Outdoors, all weather 1.2 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $114,850 2025 median | +4.2% 2025-35 · 12.2 openings/yr |
Video Game Designers SOC 15-1255 Contact with others 4.0 · Time pressure 4.0 · Sitting 4.8 · Outdoors, all weather 1.1 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $104,000 2025 median | +6% 2025-35 · 8.3 openings/yr |
Special Effects Artists and Animators SOC 27-1014 Contact with others 4.1 · Time pressure 4.5 · Sitting 4.6 · Outdoors, all weather 1.6 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $102,030 2025 median | -0.3% 2025-35 · 4.2 openings/yr |
Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1031 Contact with others 4.3 · Time pressure 3.5 · Sitting 3.4 · Outdoors, all weather 2.0 of 5 | Doctoral or professional degree Above bachelor's | $96,870 2025 median | +2.6% 2025-35 · 0.7 openings/yr |
Producers and Directors SOC 27-2012 Contact with others 4.8 · Time pressure 4.4 · Sitting 4.1 · Outdoors, all weather 1.7 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $90,360 2025 median | +4% 2025-35 · 12.1 openings/yr |
Commercial and Industrial Designers SOC 27-1021 Contact with others 4.4 · Time pressure 4.0 · Sitting 4.4 · Outdoors, all weather 1.5 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $83,910 2025 median | +2.4% 2025-35 · 2.8 openings/yr |
Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes SOC 13-1011 Contact with others 4.9 · Time pressure 4.7 · Sitting 4.6 · Outdoors, all weather 1.2 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $82,890 2025 median | +9.7% 2025-35 · 2.4 openings/yr |
Fashion Designers SOC 27-1022 Contact with others 4.0 · Time pressure 4.1 · Sitting 4.0 · Outdoors, all weather 1.6 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $80,960 2025 median | +0.1% 2025-35 · 2.5 openings/yr |
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1121 Contact with others 4.7 · Time pressure 3.4 · Sitting 2.9 · Outdoors, all weather 1.3 of 5 | Master's degree Above bachelor's | $78,620 2025 median | +2.2% 2025-35 · 8 openings/yr |
Communications Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1122 Contact with others 4.5 · Time pressure 3.7 · Sitting 3.7 · Outdoors, all weather 1.2 of 5 | Doctoral or professional degree Above bachelor's | $78,580 2025 median | +2.1% 2025-35 · 2.4 openings/yr |
Writers and Authors SOC 27-3043 Contact with others 4.9 · Time pressure 4.7 · Sitting 4.4 · Outdoors, all weather 2.2 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $76,910 2025 median | -0.3% 2025-35 · 11.9 openings/yr |
Film and Video Editors SOC 27-4032 Contact with others 4.1 · Time pressure 4.7 · Sitting 4.6 · Outdoors, all weather 2.1 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $75,420 2025 median | +3.7% 2025-35 · 3.1 openings/yr |
Set and Exhibit Designers SOC 27-1027 Contact with others 4.0 · Time pressure 4.2 · Sitting 3.7 · Outdoors, all weather 2.0 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $75,240 2025 median | +1.4% 2025-35 · 2.2 openings/yr |
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film SOC 27-4031 Contact with others 4.7 · Time pressure 3.9 · Sitting 2.9 · Outdoors, all weather 3.1 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $74,990 2025 median | +1.3% 2025-35 · 2.5 openings/yr |
Music Directors and Composers SOC 27-2041 Contact with others 4.2 · Time pressure 3.9 · Sitting 3.4 · Outdoors, all weather 1.5 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $73,710 2025 median | +1.2% 2025-35 · 4.2 openings/yr |
Sound Engineering Technicians SOC 27-4014 Contact with others 4.1 · Time pressure 4.2 · Sitting 4.3 · Outdoors, all weather 2.0 of 5 | Postsecondary nondegree award At or below bachelor's | $73,130 2025 median | -3.1% 2025-35 · 1 openings/yr |
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education SOC 25-2031 Contact with others 4.8 · Time pressure 3.3 · Sitting 3.0 · Outdoors, all weather 2.1 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $72,040 2025 median | -0.2% 2025-35 · 63.5 openings/yr |
Interior Designers SOC 27-1025 Contact with others 4.5 · Time pressure 4.2 · Sitting 4.1 · Outdoors, all weather 1.8 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $67,190 2025 median | +2.7% 2025-35 · 7.7 openings/yr |
Archivists SOC 25-4011 Contact with others 4.1 · Time pressure 2.9 · Sitting 4.0 · Outdoors, all weather 1.3 of 5 | Master's degree Above bachelor's | $64,550 2025 median | +3.4% 2025-35 · 1.1 openings/yr |
Curators SOC 25-4012 Contact with others 4.3 · Time pressure 3.2 · Sitting 3.5 · Outdoors, all weather 2.0 of 5 | Master's degree Above bachelor's | $63,420 2025 median | +4.9% 2025-35 · 1.6 openings/yr |
Graphic Designers SOC 27-1024 Contact with others 4.3 · Time pressure 4.7 · Sitting 4.8 · Outdoors, all weather 1.4 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $62,960 2025 median | -1.7% 2025-35 · 16 openings/yr |
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators SOC 27-1013 Contact with others 3.0 · Time pressure 3.3 · Sitting 3.4 · Outdoors, all weather 1.9 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $55,490 2025 median | -2.9% 2025-35 · 2.2 openings/yr |
Choreographers SOC 27-2032 Contact with others 4.7 · Time pressure 3.9 · Sitting 1.7 · Outdoors, all weather 1.8 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $55,310 2025 median | +3.1% 2025-35 · 0.6 openings/yr |
Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers SOC 51-9071 Contact with others 4.2 · Time pressure 4.6 · Sitting 4.1 · Outdoors, all weather 2.0 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $52,540 2025 median | -3.2% 2025-35 · 3.7 openings/yr |
Museum Technicians and Conservators SOC 25-4013 Contact with others 3.8 · Time pressure 3.5 · Sitting 2.6 · Outdoors, all weather 1.9 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $51,440 2025 median | +3.6% 2025-35 · 1.6 openings/yr |
Costume Attendants SOC 39-3092 Contact with others 4.5 · Time pressure 4.2 · Sitting 3.0 · Outdoors, all weather 1.5 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $50,400 2025 median | +5.9% 2025-35 · 1.7 openings/yr |
Craft Artists SOC 27-1012 Contact with others 2.6 · Time pressure 2.6 · Sitting 3.6 · Outdoors, all weather 1.5 of 5 | No formal educational credential At or below bachelor's | $46,080 2025 median | +2% 2025-35 · 1 openings/yr |
Photographers SOC 27-4021 Contact with others 4.5 · Time pressure 3.9 · Sitting 3.3 · Outdoors, all weather 3.3 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $44,660 2025 median | -0.7% 2025-35 · 10.7 openings/yr |
Appraisers of Personal and Business Property SOC 13-2022 Contact with others 4.1 · Time pressure 3.9 · Sitting 3.8 · Outdoors, all weather 2.4 of 5 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
Actors SOC 27-2011 Contact with others 4.7 · Time pressure 4.6 · Sitting 2.2 · Outdoors, all weather 1.8 of 5 | Some college, no degree At or below bachelor's | Not published | 0% 2025-35 · 6.3 openings/yr |
Dancers SOC 27-2031 Contact with others 4.8 · Time pressure 2.9 · Sitting 2.3 · Outdoors, all weather 1.7 of 5 | No formal educational credential At or below bachelor's | Not published | +2.2% 2025-35 · 1.6 openings/yr |
Musicians and Singers SOC 27-2042 Contact with others 4.2 · Time pressure 3.8 · Sitting 4.1 · Outdoors, all weather 1.4 of 5 | No formal educational credential At or below bachelor's | Not published | +0.3% 2025-35 · 17.4 openings/yr |
The crosswalk relates 6 further occupations to this field (25-1199, 27-1019, 27-1029, 27-2091, 27-2099, 99-9999) for which BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2 publishes no line item on this site. They are counted here rather than listed, because there would be nothing to show beside the name.
BLS typical entry-level education for these occupations
27 of the 33 have a BLS typical entry-level education at or below a bachelor's degree; 5 are above it. "Typical" is BLS's word: it describes the workers already in the occupation.
- No formal educational credential
- 3
- High school diploma or equivalent
- 4
- Some college, no degree
- 1
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- 1
- Bachelor's degree
- 18
- Master's degree
- 3
- Doctoral or professional degree
- 2
This is BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2's description of the education most workers in each occupation typically hold when they enter it. It is not a list of requirements, and it says nothing about licences, certifications or experience, which BLS records separately and this page does not show.
Which programs this covers
“Visual and performing art” groups 69 CIP 2020 instructional programs. The occupation list above is the union of everything the crosswalk relates to them.
- 50.0101 Visual and Performing Arts, General
- 50.0102 Digital Arts
- 50.0201 Crafts/Craft Design, Folk Art and Artisanry
- 50.0301 Dance, General
- 50.0302 Ballet
- 50.0399 Dance, Other
- 50.0401 Design and Visual Communications, General
- 50.0402 Commercial and Advertising Art
- 50.0404 Industrial and Product Design
- 50.0406 Commercial Photography
- 50.0407 Fashion/Apparel Design
- 50.0408 Interior Design
- 50.0409 Graphic Design
- 50.0410 Illustration
- 50.0411 Game and Interactive Media Design
- 50.0499 Design and Applied Arts, Other
- 50.0501 Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
- 50.0502 Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology
- 50.0504 Playwriting and Screenwriting
- 50.0505 Theatre Literature, History and Criticism
- 50.0506 Acting
- 50.0507 Directing and Theatrical Production
- 50.0509 Musical Theatre
- 50.0510 Costume Design
- 50.0511 Comedy Writing and Performance
- 50.0512 Theatre and Dance
- 50.0599 Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Other
- 50.0601 Film/Cinema/Media Studies
- 50.0602 Cinematography and Film/Video Production
- 50.0605 Photography
- 50.0607 Documentary Production
- 50.0699 Film/Video and Photographic Arts, Other
- 50.0701 Art/Art Studies, General
- 50.0702 Fine/Studio Arts, General
- 50.0703 Art History, Criticism and Conservation
- 50.0705 Drawing
- 50.0706 Intermedia/Multimedia
- 50.0708 Painting
- 50.0709 Sculpture
- 50.0710 Printmaking
- 50.0711 Ceramic Arts and Ceramics
- 50.0712 Fiber, Textile and Weaving Arts
- 50.0713 Jewelry Arts
- 50.0714 Metal Arts
- 50.0799 Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other
- 50.0901 Music, General
- 50.0902 Music History, Literature, and Theory
- 50.0903 Music Performance, General
- 50.0904 Music Theory and Composition
- 50.0905 Musicology and Ethnomusicology
- 50.0906 Conducting
- 50.0907 Keyboard Instruments
- 50.0908 Voice and Opera
- 50.0910 Jazz/Jazz Studies
- 50.0911 Stringed Instruments
- 50.0912 Music Pedagogy
- 50.0913 Music Technology
- 50.0914 Brass Instruments
- 50.0915 Woodwind Instruments
- 50.0916 Percussion Instruments
- 50.0917 Sound Arts
- 50.0999 Music, Other
- 50.1001 Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, General
- 50.1002 Fine and Studio Arts Management
- 50.1003 Music Management
- 50.1004 Theatre/Theatre Arts Management
- 50.1099 Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, Other
- 50.1101 Community/Environmental/Socially-Engaged Art
- 50.9999 Visual and Performing Arts, Other
Grouping is RoleSprint's, and it is printed here so it can be checked. CIP's own grain is finer than the phrase anyone searches; the alternative is one page per code, which would put near-identical lists in front of the same question. How this map is built.
Working out which of these is realistic
A related occupation is a starting point, not a verdict. Three different questions decide whether one is worth pursuing, and each has its own page.
Program-to-occupation relationships from the 2020 CIP / 2018 SOC Crosswalk, National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Labor Statistics. Wage, typical entry education and outlook from BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2. Working-condition figures from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA and RoleSprint has modified some of this information.
What to do next
A crosswalk relates a field of study to lines of work. Whether one specific opening is worth your time depends on what you can actually show, which is a different question and the one RoleSprint answers.