Sculpting your creative talents in an online master's in art and art history program could help design a colorful portfolio and etch a bright future in the cultural industry. Whether your chosen medium is painting, photography, film, or ceramics, graduate art schools inspire your inner muse and expand your palette of skills for leadership careers. According to SAGE Business Researcher, the global arts market is valued at $64 billion with over 29 million jobs total. Bustling metros, including San Francisco and New York City, see artistic jobs represent one in seven openings on average. The Chicago Tribune even reported a 25 percent jump in active online buyers of artistic goods on marketplaces like Etsy. Perhaps that's why enrollment in master's art degrees has risen by 10 percent since 2014. Online universities can make it easier for artists and art historians to shape their success with 24/7 classes.
Explore Online Master's in Art & Art History Degree Programs.
These top, accredited schools offer online Master's in Art & Art History degree programs. Figuring out where to apply? Consider one of these programs below.
Most Affordable Online Master's in Art & Art History Programs
[rankings-toc gid =2PACX-1vQ2AuY1Kti1uwAXyJZzm4ijecEk2np7oi4fNiE9VHvBwAB3y63qVIHrwwGO1pprSO5jl8mqYddbtlWB]Ranking Low-cost Art and Art History Master's Degree Programs
Methodology
At Grad School Hub, we've used the National Center for Education Statistics' College Navigator to draw a ranking of cheap art and art history master's degrees. Our staff searched the higher learning landscape for graduate schools with advanced programs in art or art history, not art education, accessed primarily via the Internet. Since art is often studio-based, our initial pool included just 15 potential prospects. Academic quality is an important component of the picture, so we ensured each was regionally accredited. Extra brownie points were given for programmatic approval from the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD) too. Next, we sorted the remaining online colleges by the average in-state graduate cost published for 2016-17. Below are the 10 most affordable art and art history master's online offerings from biggest to smallest price tag.
What is the Employment Outlook After Online Art and Art History Master's?
Getting a master's in art and art history online isn't necessarily risky because the National Endowment for the Arts predicts nearly fast-as-average 11 percent job growth. From 2008 to 2020, the hiring of artists rose by 136,600 for total U.S. employment of 2.196 million. Graduate school enrollment jumped by 5.7 percent this decade because master's degrees are the new baccalaureate. The Department of Labor shows the biggest growth of 14 percent for museum curators and conservators through 2026. Other jobs with favorable 10-year outlooks are multimedia artist at 8 percent, creative writer at 8 percent, landscape architect at 6 percent, and art director at 5 percent. According to Bustle, the five most art-friendly cities are New Orleans, Atlanta, San Juan, Portland, and Memphis. Job prospects can enlarge after an online master's in art and art history degree to avoid starving for business.
How Much Do Online Art and Art History Master's Online Graduates Earn?
Shopping for cheap art and art history master's online programs is smart because Fortune named MFAs the #1 worst graduate degree with median income of $46,600. Expected salaries for artists are generally lower than the mean master's wage of $69,732 published by SmartAsset. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, art occupations reward aesthetic eyes with median pay of $44,410. Fine artists like painters and potters earn a mean annual profit of $57,410. Graphic designers reap revenue of $52,290. Multimedia artists animate their way to $72,200 on average. Master's study could push you into creative director jobs worth a median wage of $89,820. On Salary.com, top-level art averages are $104,988 for technical directors, $94,919 for historians, $67,437 for exhibit designers, and $62,490 for videographers. The Chief Creative Officer (CCO) title unlocks mean pay of $196,460.
Which Careers Benefit From Master's in Art and Art History Online Degrees?
Online master's in art and art history are considered terminal programs where post-grads are left qualified for virtually all upper-level creative jobs, except sometimes university professor. The degree will prove professionals' powers of inquiry and leadership for diverse applications across media, especially when combined with certifications. For example, the American Art Therapy Association can turn master's students into Board-Certified Art Therapists (ATR-BC) after passing a $75 exam. The Association of Medical Illustrators recognizes multimedia artists with 5+ years of experience in anatomical drawing for the Certified Medical Illustrator (CMI) title. The National Kitchen and Bath Association reserves the Certified Master Designer (CMKBD) distinction for members with 100+ coursework hours who maintain 20 CEUs biannually. Art historians could also take the Certified Archivist exam from the Academy of Certified Archivists at eight U.S. locations each August. Let's look into some common job descriptions fulfilled by art and art history master's online grads:
Art Director
Noticed on Business Insider for America's fourth best high-paying creative job, art directors are visual design gurus who choose the stylistic approach for advertisements, TV shows, packages, newspapers, and more. Completing a master's in art and art history online would equip directors for sketching plans, pitching client proposals, understanding audience targets, reviewing budgets, shooting on location, and editing final products.
Museum Curator
Museums around the globe, such as the Smithsonian, Le Louvre, Prado, and Uffizi Gallery, rely on art and art history master's online graduates to oversee masterpiece collections that inspire tourists. Curators purchase artwork, catalog acquisitions, assemble visually appealing exhibits, learn historical contexts, design tour themes, interview staff, write grant proposals, plan educational events, and enhance visitor experiences.
User Experience Designer
Perhaps your online art and art history master's would serve well in PayScale's fourth best creative job refining product, app, or website layouts to maximize customers' enjoyment. User experience designers research target clients, translate concepts into mockups, sketch prototypes, track user journeys, identify flaws, code improved functions, refigure graphics on Photoshop, and ascertain customer feedback.
Multimedia Artist
The United States has 73,700 multimedia artists who illustrate films, video games, websites, comic strips, and other media with computer-generated imagery. Online master's in art and art history degrees might prove useful for drawing electronically, using software like Autodesk, mapping out storyboards, animating graphics, editing visual effects, tracking timelines, handling production budgets, and assembling printer proofs.
