undergradly.
Major · Visual and Performing Arts

Learn to see, make, and think critically about visual culture

Art/Art Studies, General covers the introductory study and practice of visual art — drawing, painting, photography, and visual communication media. About 13,600 degrees are awarded annually across 836 colleges, at both the associate's and bachelor's level. The degree functions as a broad arts foundation rather than a focused technical credential.

Schools offering
836
Annual completions
13,626
Typical degree level
Associate's + Bachelor's
Median earnings (5yr)
$41k

About this major

Art/Art Studies, General sits at the introductory level of visual arts study — it covers the appreciation and practice of art broadly, including drawing, painting, photography, and other visual communications media, as the CIP definition describes it. That breadth is the defining feature of the major: it is not a focused technical program in design, photography, or studio arts, but a foundation that spans across all of them. Coursework typically combines studio practice with art history and visual theory, with critique sessions where students learn to talk about work — their own and others' — as a formal skill.

The major is offered at both the associate's and bachelor's level at 836 colleges, making it one of the more widely distributed arts credentials in the country. About 13,626 degrees are awarded annually. The top programs by completions volume are concentrated at large public universities — CSU Northridge, San Diego State, Cal State Long Beach, Arizona State — with Santa Monica College representing the community college path.

Career destinations are spread across several directions, each with its own credential expectations. Secondary school teachers, one of the most common destinations, earn a $64,580 median wage but require a bachelor's degree and licensure. Postsecondary art and music teachers ($80,190 median) require a master's degree. Photographers ($42,520) typically enter the occupation with a high school diploma. Fine artists — painters, sculptors, illustrators — earn a $60,560 median. The major functions as a starting point that can lead in multiple directions, but the specific career path pursued after graduation matters considerably more than the major title itself.

Section 3 · Careers

Where this major leads

Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.

Occupation Median wage Job growth Typical education
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education $65k -1.6% Bachelor's degree
Photographers $43k +1.8% High school diploma or equivalent
Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary $80k +1.7% Master's degree
Fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators $61k -1.2% Bachelor's degree
Craft artists $38k +2.1% No formal educational credential
Section 4 · Earnings

Earnings at a glance

Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.

Median 5-year earnings

$41k

Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings

Associate's

$34k

Bachelor's

$42k

Who this major is for

You may thrive here if you are genuinely drawn to making visual work and want the sustained practice and critical feedback structure that a studio curriculum provides — if the act of developing a body of work over a semester, and defending it in critique, sounds formative rather than uncomfortable. You may also fit well here if you're not yet certain which area of visual art you want to focus on and want a broad foundation before committing to a specialized program, or if you plan to pursue teacher licensure in art at the secondary level, where this credential paired with an education track meets the typical entry requirement of a bachelor's degree and state certification.

Think twice if you have a specific commercial creative goal — graphic design, digital media, UX, photography as a profession — because a focused major in one of those areas will build a more targeted portfolio and credential faster than the general program. Think twice also if earning potential is a primary factor in your decision: five-year median earnings for this major sit at approximately $41,370, below national benchmarks, and the only paths to meaningfully higher wages within this field require additional credentials beyond the bachelor's — either a master's for postsecondary teaching or state licensure for K-12 teaching. And think twice if the idea of a portfolio-dependent, non-linear career path sounds uncertain rather than interesting; most creative outcomes from this major depend on what you build outside the classroom as much as what happens inside it.

Section 6 · Where to study

Top colleges for Art/Art Studies, General

Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.

College Location Assoc. Bach. Total
California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA 0 319 319
San Diego State University San Diego, CA 0 278 278
California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA 0 217 217
Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ 0 216 216
Arizona State University Digital Immersion Scottsdale, AZ 0 169 169
California State University-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 0 161 161
Santa Monica College Santa Monica, CA 152 0 152
California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA 0 145 145
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 0 140 140
University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA 0 139 139
Section 7 · Explore sideways

Related majors to explore

General Studies

103,103 completions/yr

Fine/Studio Arts, General

10,217 completions/yr

Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General

8,996 completions/yr

Digital Arts

3,323 completions/yr

Music Teacher Education

3,229 completions/yr

Visual and Performing Arts, General

2,952 completions/yr

Art History, Criticism and Conservation

2,147 completions/yr

Photography

1,496 completions/yr

Considering this direction?

We've taken a hard look at the debt, earnings trajectory, and degree-level tradeoffs for the Art/Art Studies, General field. Read our verdict before you commit.

Is Art/Art Studies, General worth it? Read verdict
Section 9 · Frequently asked

Common questions

What do Art/Art Studies majors actually study day-to-day?
Coursework typically blends studio practice — drawing, painting, sculpture, photography — with art history, visual theory, and critique. Early semesters tend to cover foundational skills like composition, color theory, and observational drawing; later work depends on the school's emphasis and your chosen media. Because this CIP category covers introductory study and appreciation of the visual arts broadly, the curriculum varies more across institutions than in a focused major like graphic design or photography. Most programs include regular critiques where students present and defend their work to peers and faculty.
Does the degree level matter here — associate's versus bachelor's?
Less than in most fields. Five-year median earnings for bachelor's completers in this major run about $41,854, compared to roughly $33,977 for associate's completers — a gap of under $8,000. That is a narrow spread relative to most STEM or professional majors, and it reflects the reality that many careers open to art graduates depend more on your portfolio and specific skills than your credential level. The exception is postsecondary teaching, which requires a master's degree at a minimum. If you plan to teach at a university or pursue graduate school, the bachelor's is the necessary first step. Otherwise, the associate's-to-bachelor's earning gap is modest.
What kinds of jobs do Art/Art Studies graduates end up in?
Career destinations are varied and the credential requirements differ sharply by path. Secondary school art teachers earn a median wage of $64,580 but require a bachelor's degree and typically state licensure. Fine artists — painters, sculptors, illustrators — earn a $60,560 median at the bachelor's level, though job growth is projected at -1.2%. Photographers earn $42,520 and notably list a high school diploma as the typical education credential, meaning the degree is not required. Postsecondary art and music teachers earn $80,190, but a master's degree is the entry standard. Craft artists earn $38,480 with no formal credential typically required. The honest picture: this major connects to creative work across a wide range, but the paths with the highest earnings all require additional education or licensure beyond the bachelor's.
How competitive is the job market for visual arts graduates?
Mixed at best. Two of the five most common careers linked to this major — fine artists (-1.2% projected growth) and secondary school teachers (-1.6%) — show negative growth projections, meaning the number of positions is expected to shrink. Photography and craft arts show modest positive growth (1.8% and 2.1% respectively), but both start from low wage floors. Art and music teachers at the postsecondary level show 1.7% growth and the best wages, but require a master's. With roughly 13,600 completions per year across 836 colleges, supply of graduates is substantial relative to the number of direct creative-employment openings. Many graduates work in adjacent fields or build portfolio careers combining multiple income streams.
Should I choose Art/Art Studies General, or is a more focused major a better fit?
Art/Art Studies General is explicitly introductory and broad. If you have a specific direction in mind, a more targeted major will likely serve you better. Fine/Studio Arts General (about 10,217 completions per year) covers studio practice more deeply and stays within the same CIP family. Photography (about 1,496 completions) targets the photographic path specifically and may align better with professional photography work. Art History, Criticism and Conservation (about 2,147 completions) is the right choice if you're more drawn to the critical and historical dimension than the making side. Digital Arts (about 3,323 completions) is the path if you want to work in digital media and commercial creative contexts. The general major makes sense as a foundation if you genuinely haven't narrowed your direction, or if you're using it as a platform to explore before committing to a specialization.
What's a realistic earnings picture after an Art/Art Studies degree?
Modest by most higher-education benchmarks. Five-year median earnings for this major sit around $41,370 across degree levels — below the national median earnings for all workers. Bachelor's completers land at approximately $41,854 at five years. The higher-earning career destinations — postsecondary art teachers at $80,190 or secondary teachers at $64,580 — require either significant additional education or state licensure. Photographers and craft artists work at or near the five-year median. Fine artists at $60,560 median offer the most direct translation of the degree, but with negative projected job growth. The earnings picture can improve significantly over a career for artists who build client bases, find commercial applications for their skills, or move into design-adjacent roles — but that trajectory is not captured in the five-year figure.