Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary salary in the U.S.
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary in the U.S. earn a median of $78,620 a year, based on BLS data for 93,560 workers.
Pay ranges from $47,570 for the lowest-paid 10% to $163,350 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $94,700, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $47,570 |
| 25th percentile | $61,620 |
| Median | $78,620 |
| 75th percentile | $103,850 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $163,350 |
| Average (mean) | $94,700 |
Half of art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $6,551.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,275.83 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,023.85 |
| Weekly | $1,511.92 |
BLS publishes only yearly pay for this job, because art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary are usually paid a salary and may not work a full 2,080-hour year. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $78,620 salary, see how much house you can afford at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $103,320 | 150 |
| California | $99,410 | 9,820 |
| New York | $98,850 | 14,920 |
| Vermont | $97,980 | 180 |
| Rhode Island | $97,580 | 440 |
| District of Columbia | $96,900 | 350 |
| Massachusetts | $85,820 | 4,960 |
| Maryland | $85,590 | 1,280 |
| Michigan | $82,990 | 2,410 |
| New Jersey | $80,100 | 3,300 |
| Georgia | $79,870 | 1,910 |
| Maine | $79,860 | 340 |
| New Hampshire | $79,090 | 440 |
| Louisiana | $78,710 | 720 |
| Connecticut | $78,600 | 1,430 |
| Montana | $78,420 | 190 |
| Ohio | $78,050 | 3,940 |
| Washington | $77,950 | 1,400 |
| Minnesota | $77,760 | 1,310 |
| Iowa | $77,740 | 910 |
| Texas | $77,560 | 6,730 |
| Wisconsin | $77,560 | 1,840 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,280 | 4,170 |
| Oregon | $76,770 | 1,440 |
| New Mexico | $76,240 | 380 |
| Indiana | $76,050 | 1,920 |
| Missouri | $75,960 | 1,450 |
| Nebraska | $75,200 | 490 |
| Virginia | $74,870 | 2,840 |
| North Carolina | $73,800 | 2,880 |
| West Virginia | $73,280 | 340 |
| Idaho | $72,300 | 250 |
| Arizona | $72,060 | 1,040 |
| Tennessee | $72,030 | 1,370 |
| Colorado | $70,060 | 1,950 |
| North Dakota | $67,190 | 130 |
| Utah | $66,220 | 790 |
| Kentucky | $64,440 | 900 |
| Florida | $63,820 | 2,490 |
| Alabama | $63,540 | 900 |
| Puerto Rico | $63,500 | 110 |
| South Dakota | $63,380 | 200 |
| Illinois | $62,960 | 4,170 |
| South Carolina | $62,420 | 1,290 |
| Oklahoma | $62,200 | 760 |
| Kansas | $61,260 | 640 |
| Arkansas | $60,650 | 360 |
| Mississippi | $60,580 | 540 |
| Wyoming | $59,190 | 180 |
| Nevada | $52,870 | 260 |
Best-paying metro areas for art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $163,750 | 560 |
| Fresno, CA | $135,970 | 170 |
| Visalia, CA | $128,910 | 40 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $127,800 | 1,050 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $124,680 | 370 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $104,910 | n/a |
| Charlottesville, VA | $104,570 | 200 |
| Ithaca, NY | $102,910 | 670 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | $101,270 | n/a |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $101,010 | 770 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $100,950 | 13,080 |
| Pittsfield, MA | $100,490 | n/a |
| Lincoln, NE | $98,800 | 130 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $96,170 | 3,820 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $96,050 | 1,100 |
Metro areas with the most art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 13,080 | $100,950 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 5,200 | $91,490 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 3,820 | $96,170 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 2,950 | $62,960 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 1,770 | $76,810 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,750 | $78,380 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,200 | $80,190 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,100 | $96,050 |
| Cleveland, OH | 1,070 | $81,810 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,050 | $127,800 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 1,020 | $75,660 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 970 | $79,610 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 960 | $80,000 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 860 | $85,590 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 840 | $70,060 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 25-1121. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary make in the U.S.?
The median salary for art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary in the U.S. is $78,620 a year. Pay ranges from $47,570 for the lowest-paid 10% to $163,350 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary in the U.S. earn at least $163,350 a year. The top 25% earn $103,850 or more.
What is the starting pay for art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $47,570 a year, and a quarter of art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary earn $61,620 or less.
How many art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary work in the U.S.?
About 93,560 art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.