Art History

Types of Degrees Art History Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many art history graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	755
Doctor’s Degree	184
Graduate Certificate	28

What Art History Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, art history majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Art History Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in art history should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• History and Archeology - Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
• Fine Arts - Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Skills for Art History Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to art history:

• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Abilities for Art History Majors

As you progress with your art history degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

What Can You Do With a Art History Major?

People with a art history degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Archivists	14.7%	$52,240
Art, Drama, and Music Professors	12.0%	$69,960
Curators	13.7%	$53,780
Museum Technicians and Conservators	12.7%	$43,020

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Art History?

The major attracts more women than men. About 84% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of art history majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	84
Black or African American	31
Hispanic or Latino	72
White	433
International Students	87
Other Races/Ethnicities	48

Geographic Diversity

Art History appeals to people across the globe. About 11.5% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Art History

Some careers associated with art history require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to art history have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	0.2%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	3.7%
Some College Courses	0.8%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	2.2%
Bachelor’s Degree	13.7%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	3.0%
Master’s Degree	54.3%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	2.3%
Doctoral Degree	19.8%
Post-Doctoral Training	0.5%

Online Art History Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	2	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	13	2
Bachelor’s Degree	9	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	117	2
Post-Master’s	4	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	57	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Art History

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to art history.

Major	Number of Grads
Art Studies	17,668
Fine Arts	11,437
Other Fine Arts & Art Studies	862
Intermedia/Multimedia	730
Painting	644
Jewelry Arts	498
Drawing	291
Sculpture	217
Fiber, Textile & Weaving Arts	154
Printmaking	147
Ceramic Arts & Ceramics	129
Metal Arts	11

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Jorge Royan under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.