In the latest year, 9 U.S. colleges awarded 46 degrees and certificates in Crafts, Folk Art & Artisanry. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 80% of graduates. College Factual ranks 1 schools in its 2027 Best Crafts, Folk Art & Artisanry Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $21,413 one year after completing, rising to $36,018 after four years.
If you enjoy using your hands to create unique works of art, the Crafts, Folk Art, and Artisanry major is for you.
Students working towards this degree learn different techniques that allow them to work with materials such as glass, pottery, wood, and textiles to create one of a kind crafts to be sold. You will take a variety of specialized classes in art history, ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpting, woodworking and more to improve your skills and learn the history and methods of varying types of handcrafts.
Studying Crafts, Folk Art & Artisanry explores Crafts/craft Design, Folk Art And Artisanry.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., crafts, folk art & artisanry draws strong interest, with 46 degrees awarded annually. 9 colleges award crafts, folk art & artisanry degrees, an average of 5 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 22.
By level, the 46 awards include 5 certificates, 2 associate degrees, 37 bachelor’s degrees and 2 master’s degrees.
Women earned 78% of crafts, folk art & artisanry degrees and certificates in the latest year (36 of 46). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (37) and Hispanic or Latino (3).
College Factual ranks 1 schools in its 2027 Best Crafts, Folk Art & Artisanry Schools ranking, including 1 for bachelor’s degrees. It also ranks crafts, folk art & artisanry schools within 1 state. In all, 9 colleges offer crafts, folk art & artisanry programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Crafts, Folk Art & Artisanry Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common crafts, folk art & artisanry credential is the bachelor’s degree: 37 of the 46 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to crafts, folk art & artisanry call most for Speaking, Reading Comprehension and Active Listening, and for knowledge of Fine Arts, Education and Training and English Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Originality and Written Comprehension.
Craft, Folk Art, and Artisanry professionals are often extremely creative and are able to constantly create new and unique pieces of art. A close attention to detail and passion for perfection helps professionals craft high quality products that are desired by collectors and art enthusiasts. Most students in this field have previous experience and skill in crafts, art, and artisanry.
Careers in Crafts, Folk Art, and Artisanry are both full and part time. Often artists have another job while working on their craft. However, some artists work full time for commercial art studios or woodworking companies. Those who are full time work typical work hours, while those who are part time or self-employed work irregular hours, sometimes in the evenings or on weekends.
Professionals in the Crafts, Folk Art, and Artisanry field typically only need a high school degree. However, some craft professionals decide to pursue additional classes to sharpen skills, while woodworkers are trained on the job. A bachelor's degree may allow students to find a full time job, but often previous experience is more helpful.
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How long a crafts, folk art & artisanry degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 5 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 2 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 37 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 2 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to crafts, folk art & artisanry, at 36.5%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 36.5% |
| Doctoral degree | 22.8% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 12.4% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 7.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 7.3% |
| Some college courses | 4.9% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 4.9% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.2% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 1.0% |
Source: O*NET Online.
3 occupations are related to Crafts, Folk Art & Artisanry, with an average median salary of $69,140; the strongest outlook belongs to Artists and Related Workers, All Other, at 13.9% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Piano Performance Professor, Dance Professor, Art Educator and Adjunct Graphic Design Instructor.
Graduates who pursue careers as woodworkers often work for cabinetmakers or bench carpenters, while crafters and artisans work for glass and clay manufacturing companies, commercial art studios, or performing art studios. Other graduates are self-employed and create crafts that they sell at shows.
The occupation related to crafts, folk art & artisanry with the most projected jobs is Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary, at 1,074,154.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,074,154 | 9.1% |
| Artists and Related Workers, All Other | 427,793 | 13.9% |
| Craft Artists | 402,867 | 5.7% |
Crafts, Folk Art & Artisanry graduates earn a median $21,413 one year after completing their program, $36,018 after four years and $37,661 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $21,413 |
| 4 years | $36,018 |
| 5 years | $37,661 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to crafts, folk art & artisanry, with a median salary of $83,610.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Artists and Related Workers, All Other | $83,610 |
| Craft Artists | $76,826 |
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,983 |
Crafts, Folk Art & Artisanry includes 1 concentration; by graduates, the largest is Crafts/Craft Design, Folk Art and Artisanry (46). It has 10 similar majors in the Visual & Performing Arts field, which together award 158,224 degrees a year; the largest are Design and Applied Arts (39,906), Fine and Studio Arts (39,642) and Music (26,269). Browse all Visual & Performing Arts majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Crafts/Craft Design, Folk Art and Artisanry | 46 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Design and Applied Arts | 39,906 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 39,642 |
| Music | 26,269 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 19,222 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 16,328 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | 7,856 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | 4,713 |
| Dance | 3,317 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, Other | 964 |
| Community/Environmental/Socially-Engaged Art | 7 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.