What is an art teacher and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Expert
Dr. Diana Jones
introduction image

An art teacher educates students on various aspects of visual arts. They teach skills such as drawing, painting, sculpting, and artistic techniques. They develop lesson plans and instruct students on the proper use of art materials. They evaluate student work and encourage creativity. Art teachers may work in public or private schools, colleges, or community centers and strive to inspire students to appreciate and create art.

What general advice would you give to an Art Teacher?

D

Dr. Diana JonesDr. Diana Jones LinkedIn Profile

Chair, Department of Kinesiology, Anderson University

General advice: I would encourage graduates to find a mentor who can guide them in their careers, stay on top of the latest technology, not be too hard on themselves, be flexible, be team players, be present, and care about their students.
ScoreArt TeacherUS Average
Salary
3.9

Avg. Salary $50,188

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
7.6

Growth Rate 4%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.52%

Asian 3.66%

Black or African American 9.75%

Hispanic or Latino 12.57%

Unknown 3.91%

White 69.59%

Gender

female 74.53%

male 25.47%

Age - 42
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42
Stress Level
7.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
8.5

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
4.3

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an Art Teacher?

Pros

  • Working with creative and motivated students

  • Variety in daily tasks and projects

  • Opportunities for professional development and growth

  • A supportive community of fellow art teachers

  • The potential for a flexible and fulfilling work schedule

Cons

  • Limited resources and funding for art programs

  • Pressure to meet academic standards and testing requirements

  • Potentially low pay or limited job opportunities depending on location

  • Potential for burnout from high workload and stress

  • Balancing personal artistic pursuits with teaching responsibilities

Art Teacher career paths

Key steps to become an art teacher

  1. Explore art teacher education requirements

    Most common art teacher degrees

    Bachelor's

    71.5 %

    Master's

    15.4 %

    Associate

    7.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific art teacher skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Classroom Management20.81%
    Professional Development5.57%
    Art Curriculum5.42%
    Student Learning4.04%
    Art History3.74%
  3. Research art teacher duties and responsibilities

    • Manage classes Pre-K through 6th grade on a daily basis for schedules, field trips, and arts and crafts.
    • Lead kids through snack, game time, homework time, an art lesson, and manage a gallery wall.
    • Lead debates with advance students on topics including globalization, economics, and political history.
    • Travel to local elementary schools and teach fine art lessons that incorporate history, math, and science.
  4. Prepare your art teacher resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your art teacher resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an art teacher resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

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  5. Apply for art teacher jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an art teacher job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Art Teacher Job

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Are you an Art Teacher?

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Average art teacher salary

The average Art Teacher salary in the United States is $50,188 per year or $24 per hour. Art teacher salaries range between $40,000 and $62,000 per year.

Average Art Teacher Salary
$50,188 Yearly
$24.13 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do art teachers rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Art Teacher reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2022
Cons

Administration, observations, being told what to teach and HOW to teach it, expecting us to participate in things we might not want to or have the time for, staff meetings with no substance

Pros

Kids, teaching lessons, co-teachers, hours, weekends off, salary, holidays off, summers off, paid sick and personal days


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020
Cons

Some students' non-challant attitude towards learning.

Pros

Ability to share knowledge and guide students in learning new things.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Pros

To experience a new scope of life.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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