The arts industry isn’t something that is mentioned a lot at Baruch College’s business-affluent campus. With a stereotype of unsteady wages and sparse employment opportunities, the jobs available might not be as clear to those who hope to make it in the industry. However, data from the U.S. Department of Labor refutes this narrative.
The Labor Department’s database, the Occupational Information Network, says that creatives and artists make on average $55,000 yearly, according to Business Insider. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that this is an $8,200 annual increase from the median salary U.S. workers made in 2018.
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that this is an $8,200 annual increase from the median salary U.S. workers made in 2018.
The Department of Labor defines artistic occupations as jobs that “…often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.”
Some of the highest-paying creative professions include art directors, video game designers and architecture professors.
Other professions mentioned by the OIN include multimedia artists and animators who make on average $72,520 annually, industrial designers who make on average $66,590 annually and editors who make on average $59,480 annually.
This data is comforting to Baruch students who worry about finding jobs in their dream profession. One creative occupation that might interest more Baruch students is a career as a campaign developer.
Campaign developers need an extensive knowledge in both business and creative outlets to fully capture audiences for advertising.
Charlotte Cass, a senior studying International Business with concentrations in Spanish, Marketing and Philosophy, dreams of a career in marketing and advertising. She hopes to secure a career in marketing to, “Use creativity to attract attention and make sales.” One career path she has considered is becoming a marketing campaign developer.
Campaign developers have an average salary of $106,897 a year, according to ZipRecruiter.com. This is about $52,000 higher than the Occupational Information Network average for creative occupations.
ZipRecruiter.com broke down the data they collected on campaign developers around the country. “While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $223,500 and as low as $25,500, the majority of Campaign Developer salaries currently range between $52,000 (25th percentile) to $138,000 (75th percentile) across the United States,” their website states.
“I plan to use my major to create innovative and creative marketing campaigns,” Cass added. However, her concerns mirror that of many students who hope to have a creative career. “I have concerns for post-graduate employment opportunities because it is a very competitive field.”
A reason for the competitive nature in these careers could be the impressive annual salary. However, jobs hiring campaign developers have high requirements. One job listing posted on Indeed.com was looking for a WordPress Developer and SEO Specialist for Digital Marketing Agency and required its applicants to have knowledge working with types of WordPress themes, builders such as Beaver Builder, WPBakery and Elementor.
They also wanted their applicants to be able to incorporate the necessary HTML and CSS into WordPress themes and templates, and have a proficiency in Photoshop and image design.
Other requirements include website optimization for tablet and mobile, experience with Graphic Sliders, Gravity Forms, Yoast SEO, Woocommerce, WP Smush and Google Analytics, knowledge in SSL implementation, working with hosting companies and at least two years of required experience.
Overall, it’s not certain why these jobs are so competitive, but the annual salary is sure worth the application.
Editor’s Note: Charlotte Cass is a former member of The Ticker.
