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arts-media

Artists & Designers

Artists and designers create visual concepts, functional products, and aesthetic experiences across diverse industries including entertainment, retail, publishing, and manufacturing. These professionals use traditional artistic techniques, digital tools, and specialized materials to develop everything from fine art and commercial graphics to product designs and theatrical sets. They typically collaborate with clients, directors, and creative teams to bring concepts from initial idea to final presentation within budget and timeline requirements.

Median Annual Pay
$58,716
Range: $21,010 - $209,800
Training Time
4-5 years
AI Resilience
🟑AI-Augmented
Education
Bachelor's degree

🎬Career Video

πŸ€–AI Resilience Assessment

AI Resilience Score

Score 3/6: balanced factors means AI will assist but humans remain essential

🟑AI-Augmented

How we calculated this:

AI Exposure
Medium+1

50% of tasks can be accelerated by AI

Job Growth
Stable+1

+3% projected (2024-2034)

Human Advantage
Moderate+1

EPOCH score: 16/25

Total Score3/6
Methodology: v2.0 - GPTs are GPTs / BLS / EPOCH Additive ScoringUpdated: 2026-01-09

πŸ“‹Key Responsibilities

  • β€’Work with creative directors to develop design solutions.
  • β€’Present final layouts to clients for approval.
  • β€’Manage own accounts and projects, working within budget and scheduling requirements.
  • β€’Confer with creative, art, copywriting, or production department heads to discuss client requirements and presentation concepts and to coordinate creative activities.
  • β€’Confer with clients to determine objectives, budget, background information, and presentation approaches, styles, and techniques.
  • β€’Formulate basic layout design or presentation approach and specify material details, such as style and size of type, photographs, graphics, animation, video, and sound.
  • β€’Review and approve art materials, copy materials, and proofs of printed copy developed by staff members.
  • β€’Create custom illustrations or other graphic elements.

πŸ’‘Inside This Career

Artists and designers begin their days by immersing themselves in the creative process, whether sketching initial concepts at a drafting table, manipulating digital elements on high-resolution monitors, or working hands-on with physical materials in specialized studios. Some spend morning hours researching trends, gathering inspiration from various sources, or reviewing client briefs to understand project requirements. The work environment varies dramaticallyβ€”from bustling agency offices where graphic designers collaborate on marketing campaigns, to quiet ceramics studios where craft artists perfect glazing techniques, to film lots where special effects artists coordinate with directors on visual sequences.

Mid-day activities often shift toward refinement and collaboration. Fashion designers might drape fabric on dress forms while consulting with pattern makers, while interior designers present mood boards to clients in showroom settings. Art directors lead creative meetings, providing feedback on team concepts and ensuring visual consistency across multiple project elements. Many artists alternate between independent creative work and collaborative sessions, moving fluidly between conceptual development and technical execution. Set designers coordinate with construction crews, while window display artists arrange merchandise in retail environments.

Afternoon and evening work frequently involves project completion, client presentations, or preparing pieces for exhibition. Fine artists document finished works for portfolio purposes, while commercial designers prepare files for production or print. Some professionals attend gallery openings, trade shows, or industry events to network and stay current with emerging techniques. The rhythm varies by specialization and project deadlines, but most artists and designers balance solitary creative time with collaborative interaction, technical skill application, and business communication throughout their working days.

πŸ“ˆCareer Progression

What does this mean?

This shows how earnings typically grow with experience. Entry level represents starting salaries, while Expert shows top earners (90th percentile). Most workers reach mid-career earnings within 5-10 years. Figures are national averages and vary by location and employer.

1
Entry (10th %ile)
0-2 years experience
$21,010
$18,909 - $23,111
2
Early Career (25th %ile)
2-6 years experience
$36,092
$32,483 - $39,701
3
Mid-Career (Median)
5-15 years experience
$58,716
$52,844 - $64,588
4
Experienced (75th %ile)
10-20 years experience
$134,258
$120,832 - $147,684
5
Expert (90th %ile)
15-30 years experience
$209,800
$188,820 - $230,780

πŸ“šEducation & Training

Requirements

  • β€’Entry Education: Bachelor's degree
  • β€’Experience: Several years
  • β€’On-the-job Training: Several years
  • !License or certification required

Time & Cost

Education Duration
4-5 years (typically 4)
Estimated Education Cost
$51,084 - $190,740
Public (in-state):$51,084
Public (out-of-state):$105,732
Private nonprofit:$190,740
Source: college board (2024)
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πŸ’»Technology Skills

Production management softwareCAD softwareBudgeting toolsMicrosoft OfficeTechnical documentationScheduling softwareE-commerce platforms (Etsy, Shopify)Adobe Creative SuiteSocial mediaInventory managementDigital painting (Procreate, Photoshop)E-commerce platformsPortfolio websites3D animation software (Maya, Blender, Cinema 4D)Motion graphics (After Effects)

⭐Key Abilities

β€’Fluency of Ideas
β€’Originality
β€’Oral Comprehension
β€’Written Comprehension
β€’Oral Expression
β€’Near Vision
β€’Visualization
β€’Problem Sensitivity
β€’Information Ordering
β€’Visual Color Discrimination

🏷️Also Known As

Artists & DesignersArt Administrator (Art Admin)Art CoordinatorArt DirectorArt ManagerArt SupervisorArtistic DirectorBrand Creative DirectorCreative Art DirectorCreative Design Director+20 more

πŸ“‘Specializations

This career includes 13 specialized roles with different focuses and compensation levels.

πŸ”—Related Careers

Other careers in arts-media

πŸ”—Data Sources

Last updated: 2026-01-09

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