by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 53 U.S. colleges awarded 652 degrees and certificates in Painting. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 76% of graduates. College Factual ranks 15 schools in its 2027 Best Painting Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $25,576 one year after completing, rising to $42,406 after four years.
A degree in Painting explores Painting. A Program That Prepares Individuals Creatively And Technically To Express Emotions, Ideas, Or Inner Visions By The Application Of Paints And Related Chemical Color Substances To Canvases Or Other Materials. Includes Instruction In Color And Color Mixing, Surface Preparation, Composition, Oil And Acrylic Media, Watercolor Media, Painting Techniques, And Personal Style Development. Examples: [Painting (Fine Art)].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, painting is a widely-pursued major, with 652 degrees awarded annually. 53 colleges award painting degrees, an average of 12 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 92.
By level, the 652 awards include 8 associate degrees, 495 bachelor’s degrees and 149 master’s degrees.
Women earned 81% of painting degrees and certificates in the latest year (529 of 652). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (343) and Hispanic or Latino (81), and international students earned 95.
College Factual ranks 15 schools in its 2027 Best Painting Schools ranking, including 15 for bachelor’s degrees and 10 for master’s degrees. It also ranks painting schools within 10 states. In all, 53 colleges offer painting programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Painting Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common painting credential is the bachelor’s degree: 495 of the 652 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to painting call most for Speaking, Active Listening and Reading Comprehension, and for knowledge of Fine Arts, English Language and Education and Training, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Originality, Oral Expression and Near Vision.
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How long a painting degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 8 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 495 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 149 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to painting, at 32.0%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 32.0% |
| Doctoral degree | 20.0% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 15.7% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 9.2% |
| Some college courses | 8.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 6.4% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 4.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.5% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 1.0% |
Source: O*NET Online.
4 occupations are related to Painting, with an average median salary of $62,746; the strongest outlook belongs to Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary, at 9.1% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Piano Professor, Scene Design Lecturer, Assistant Professor and Performing Arts Instructor.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to painting, at 1,074,154.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,074,154 | 9.1% |
| Craft Artists | 402,867 | 5.7% |
| Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators | 147,527 | -4.1% |
| Special Effects Artists and Animators | 40,928 | 6.1% |
Painting graduates earn a median $25,576 one year after completing their program, $42,406 after four years and $41,309 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $25,576 |
| 4 years | $42,406 |
| 5 years | $41,309 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to painting is Craft Artists, with a median salary of $76,826.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Craft Artists | $76,826 |
| Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators | $69,338 |
| Special Effects Artists and Animators | $57,836 |
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,983 |
Painting has 12 similar majors in the Visual & Performing Arts field, which together award 38,990 degrees a year; the largest are Art/Art Studies, General (19,675), Fine/Studio Arts, General (12,239) and Art History, Criticism and Conservation (3,681). Browse all Visual & Performing Arts majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Art/Art Studies, General | 19,675 |
| Fine/Studio Arts, General | 12,239 |
| Art History, Criticism and Conservation | 3,681 |
| Intermedia/Multimedia | 804 |
| Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other | 802 |
| Jewelry Arts | 727 |
| Drawing | 371 |
| Sculpture | 239 |
| Ceramic Arts and Ceramics | 175 |
| Printmaking | 170 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
