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What type of job that aligns with your degree in Studio Art do you have, and how did you get it?
I'm a high school senior planning on getting a BFA in either Studio Art or Sculpture and was wondering what sort of jobs people with BFAs usually get and how-also how much do you make. Is going to college worth it just to make connections and learn to get a job within the field, or is it basically useless?
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Amber’s Answer
Hey Jenna,
Former art major here. I didn't end up working in the creative industry but I thought I might offer my thoughts anyway.
As you might already know (and without sugar-coating things), getting an art degree often doesn't give you the best return on investment--it's usually very expensive and it leaves you with uncertain job prospects upon graduation. But most of us went in knowing that. The harsh reality is that there just isn't enough demand for creative jobs for all aspiring artists in the world, so having an art degree might just give you a leg up (keyword "might"). For reference, tuition at well-known art schools can cost between $40k to $70k per year. This doesn't include art supplies, which are also very costly.
Is art school worth it? That depends on where you are in your artistic development and how you want to utilize your skills in your career. For example, if your future career is one where a good understanding of the human anatomy is required, then you might benefit in going to art school or at least signing up for life drawing classes. If you're hoping to focus in sculpture, going to school would also have the added benefit of giving you access to kilns and other equipment you normally wouldn't have at home. If you're in a town or city that doesn't already have a super robust art scene, going to school might give you the opportunity to make connections through your professors. Even if you're in an area with a robust art scene, going to school would give you the opportunity to participate in student art shows, where the local art community is certain to attend (excellent opportunity to gain exposure).
In the alternative, you can choose to be self-taught if you are motivated enough to do that. There are many resources out there you can use to develop your skills (e,g, youtube videos and books), and you can also seek out local and online art communities so that you're not limiting yourself to just a single perspective. You might have to do a bit more work in terms of networking to get your pieces seen, but then again you can also take advantage of social media to market yourself. I will say though, some self-taught artists have a knack for picking up and refining their skills without going to art school, but that is not the norm and practiced eyes can tell when a person could use a little more refinement in their skills. If your career goals don't require any specific skills that traditional art education usually offers, then the decision on whether to go to art school becomes easier and you can self-teach.
As for career opportunities--some of my BA in studio art / BFA classmates went on to teach art, paint professionally, and work in the video game industry. One of them became a ceramist who specializes in mugs with faces on them. Unfortunately, a lot more went on to work in non-creative fields. For the people who went on to work in the creative field, I imagine their earnings vary depending on what kind of roles they have, and I know that even as students, they were already very active in the local art space by participating in local shows and taking on projects outside of school.
Former art major here. I didn't end up working in the creative industry but I thought I might offer my thoughts anyway.
As you might already know (and without sugar-coating things), getting an art degree often doesn't give you the best return on investment--it's usually very expensive and it leaves you with uncertain job prospects upon graduation. But most of us went in knowing that. The harsh reality is that there just isn't enough demand for creative jobs for all aspiring artists in the world, so having an art degree might just give you a leg up (keyword "might"). For reference, tuition at well-known art schools can cost between $40k to $70k per year. This doesn't include art supplies, which are also very costly.
Is art school worth it? That depends on where you are in your artistic development and how you want to utilize your skills in your career. For example, if your future career is one where a good understanding of the human anatomy is required, then you might benefit in going to art school or at least signing up for life drawing classes. If you're hoping to focus in sculpture, going to school would also have the added benefit of giving you access to kilns and other equipment you normally wouldn't have at home. If you're in a town or city that doesn't already have a super robust art scene, going to school might give you the opportunity to make connections through your professors. Even if you're in an area with a robust art scene, going to school would give you the opportunity to participate in student art shows, where the local art community is certain to attend (excellent opportunity to gain exposure).
In the alternative, you can choose to be self-taught if you are motivated enough to do that. There are many resources out there you can use to develop your skills (e,g, youtube videos and books), and you can also seek out local and online art communities so that you're not limiting yourself to just a single perspective. You might have to do a bit more work in terms of networking to get your pieces seen, but then again you can also take advantage of social media to market yourself. I will say though, some self-taught artists have a knack for picking up and refining their skills without going to art school, but that is not the norm and practiced eyes can tell when a person could use a little more refinement in their skills. If your career goals don't require any specific skills that traditional art education usually offers, then the decision on whether to go to art school becomes easier and you can self-teach.
As for career opportunities--some of my BA in studio art / BFA classmates went on to teach art, paint professionally, and work in the video game industry. One of them became a ceramist who specializes in mugs with faces on them. Unfortunately, a lot more went on to work in non-creative fields. For the people who went on to work in the creative field, I imagine their earnings vary depending on what kind of roles they have, and I know that even as students, they were already very active in the local art space by participating in local shows and taking on projects outside of school.