Hiring guide · Education & Childcare
How to Hire an Art, Drama and Music Professor
Pay benchmarks, qualifications, sourcing, screening and interview questions for hiring art, drama and music professors, plus a plan to get them productive fast.
Write a clear job description, offer competitive pay (the national median is $78,620), recruit through college education programs and student-teaching placements, verify MFA where applicable, run a structured interview with a practical skills check, and onboard with a 30-60-90 day plan.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
The hiring market for art, drama and music professors
There are about 116,900 art, drama and music professors employed in the U.S., with roughly 8,000 openings each year. Employment is projected to change +2.2% from 2025–35 (slower than average). Most openings come from replacing workers who retire or change careers, so a steady pipeline matters.
Pay benchmarks for offers
| Candidate level | Annual | Hourly* |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level (10th–25th percentile) | $47,570–$61,620 | $22.87–$29.63 |
| Typical / mid-career (median) | $78,620 | $37.80 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $103,850 | $49.93 |
| Top of market (90th percentile) | $163,350 | $78.53 |
*Annual ÷ 2,080 hours. National BLS data; adjust for your state and metro area. Many states and cities now require pay ranges in job postings.
What to look for
Must-haves
- Master's degree (typical entry level)
- Artistic expertise
- Creativity
Nice-to-haves
- MFA
- DMA
- Exhibition or performance record
- Experience with studio equipment
Where to find art, drama and music professors
- College education programs and student-teaching placements
- Alternative certification and residency programs
- Substitute and paraprofessional pools
- Community colleges with early childhood (CDA) programs
- Job postings that use common alternate titles: Art Professor, Music Professor, Theater Professor, Fine Arts Faculty
Screening checklist
- State license or certification verification where required
- Fingerprint background checks and child abuse registry clearances
- CPR and first aid certification for childcare roles
- A sample lesson or classroom observation
Follow federal, state and local rules on background checks, drug testing and fair-chance hiring, and apply screening consistently to all candidates for the role.
Interview questions to ask
Ask every candidate the same questions and score answers on a structured scorecard.
1. “Describe your creative work.”
What a strong answer includes: Share.
2. “How do you give critiques?”
What a strong answer includes: Explain.
3. “What courses can you teach?”
What a strong answer includes: List.
4. “How do you mentor artists?”
What a strong answer includes: Share.
5. “How do you balance teaching and creating?”
What a strong answer includes: Explain.
Practical skills checks
A short demonstration beats a perfect resume. Ask candidates to talk you through, or perform under supervision, tasks such as:
- Lead a Studio Art Critique (see the steps)
- Prepare a Student Recital (see the steps)
- Direct a Student Play (see the steps)
Red flags
- Can’t describe basic safety practices for the role
- Vague or inconsistent work history with no explanation
- Unfamiliar with core terms such as MFA, DMA, Studio
- Negative talk about every past employer or coworker
Onboard for retention
The first 90 days decide whether a new hire stays. Use our Art, Drama and Music Professor 30-60-90 day onboarding plan and give every new hire the same foundation with Art, Drama and Music Professor training. Show them the path forward: Adjunct Instructor → Assistant Professor → Associate Professor → Professor or Chair.
Hiring art, drama and music professors: FAQ
How much should I pay an art, drama and music professor?
The U.S. median wage for art, drama and music professors is $78,620 per year, according to BLS May 2025 data. Entry-level offers often fall near the 25th percentile ($61,620), while experienced hires command closer to the 75th percentile ($103,850). Adjust for your local market.
What qualifications should an art, drama and music professor have?
BLS lists “master's degree” as the typical entry-level education. Look for MFA and DMA where relevant, plus skills such as artistic expertise, studio or performance teaching, and critique.
How long does it take to train a new art, drama and music professor?
Becoming qualified typically takes 6–9 years after high school. After hire, plan for a structured 30-60-90 day onboarding period; BLS classifies on-the-job training for this occupation as “none.”