Do I Need to go to Art School to be an Artist?
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Almost every artist out there has asked themselves at one point or another if art school is essential for their success as an artist. The answer is no, but it can increase your advantages of earning your dream job as an artist.
Going to art school is not necessary. Statistics show that out of the 1.4 million working artists, only 40% of them do not have a bachelor’s degree but of the remaining 60%, only 16% have an arts-related bachelor’s degree.
Even though attending an art program at a university does have long-term advantages, it may not be for everyone. Keep reading to see if attending a four-year studio-intensive program is essential for your success as an artist or being self-taught will land you your dream job.
Is Going to Art School Worth It?
The majority of aspiring artists out there find themselves frequently asking, “Is art school really worth it?” The truth is it is all about what you are looking for in a degree or career. Art school is more than just painting and drawing. If you attend a college or university whilst pursuing an art degree, you can expect to find yourself taking many courses in the liberal arts, English, and even some of the general sciences.
If you are only looking to improve your techniques and skills, enrolling in a four-year program may be more than you are looking for. Enrolling in school can be costly and you should expect to pay up to $40,000 per year for tuition if you attend a private school.
The advantages, however, of attending school can get you more one-on-one experience with your advisor and expand your knowledge to more than just how to draw the perfect picture. You will immerse yourself into an entirely new culture and learn all that there is to know about the history of the profession you are pursuing.
The other advantage of attending an art school goes far beyond your learning and experiences. It also allows you to build connections and potentially meet people that could propel your career in the future. You will surround yourself with like-minded people but also others who may open your artistic mind to a whole new area that only helps you improve in your own work.
What do Art Schools Teach?
Depending on where you attend school, different programs will base their curriculum on a particular subject of art. Some schools will narrow in on a very specific area of art, such as digital media and graphic design, whereas others may provide you an all-encompassing education that teaches media, fine arts, and graphic design.
In art school, students will have the opportunity to explore the different subjects of art before homing in on the one that interests them the most. The advantage of attending a traditional four-year art school is that the general education requirements will provide you with a deep understanding of not only art but other important topics to give you a well-rounded education.
If you end up taking the more traditional route to gain the full college experience, expect to take courses related to:
Science
English
Public Speaking
Math
Humanities
Do Art Majors Make Money?
The average income of an artist in the United States is roughly $65,020 per year, which equates to about $31.26 an hour. However, the amount of annual income is dependent on your area of expertise and work. Those working in the motion picture and video industries can find themselves at the top of the PayScale, but that is not to say other areas of art design do not pay well.
Some of the most sought-after art careers include:
| Industry | Hourly Wage | Annual Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Store Retail | $23.09 | $48,030 |
| Independent Artists | $24.20 | $50,340 |
| Design Services | $25.75 | $53,550 |
| Scientific and Technical Services | $38.58 | $80,250 |
| Motion Picture and Video | $45.59 | $94,830 |
It may take some time, but as you gain more experience and continue to build your portfolio, you can expect to find yourself at the top of the PayScale, working in the area of art you love the most.
Is it Too Late for Art School?
As with any professional degree, it is never too late to begin your art education. However, if you plan to go to school for four years before embarking on your professional career, it may be good to get started sooner rather than later. You will want to get your portfolio up to par to be amongst the top competitors to get accepted into the best art program possible.
If you decide to wait until you are older to apply, there is no need to think you will be at a disadvantage amongst your peers. If you have the desire and passion for attending school to expand your knowledge and expertise on all things art, you will succeed. Only 25% of today's workforce is comprised of those students that start college at the age of 18.
Which Country is Best to Study Arts?
Every country comes with its unique history that can make studying the arts even more enjoyable. If you ever get the opportunity to study abroad, the top schools in other countries aside from the United States to complete your education include:
Paris College of Art in Paris, France
Lorenzo de Medici Art School in Rome, Italy
Barcelona Academy of Art in Barcelona, Spain
Athens School of Fine Arts in Athens, Greece
School of Fine Art and Design, School of Art Berlin in Berlin, Germany
The other benefit to expanding your education overseas is the number of museums and exhibits that students can fully immerse themselves in, to learn instead of being in a classroom every day, learning through a textbook.
Although studying abroad sounds like the ultimate experience, sometimes it is easier said than done. The good news is, the United States has some of the top art schools and programs in the world, including:
Pratt Institute in New York, New York
California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, California
School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois
Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island
How do You Get into Art School?
As with any school application, you need to stand out and be who the university or college is looking for.
Do your research.
Before applying to any art school, you first want to do your research and determine a university or college that is the best fit for you. You want to apply to those that have a curriculum geared to what YOU want to do long-term. Application fees will add up quickly, so you want to make sure you are applying where you can see yourself for the next four years to save yourself time and money.
Apply to Multiple Universities and Colleges.
When applying to art school, apply to those schools that you think you will never have a shot at being accepted into. That’s not to say you should apply to every art school out there, but you should not be narrow-minded when applying. The more schools you apply to, the higher your chance of being accepted will be.
Prepare a Strong Portfolio.
This may be the most important component of applying to any art school. Your portfolio must stand out to be seen by the admissions committee.
The admissions committee will be looking at thousands of applications every cycle and you must showcase your best work to get their attention to choose you.
You should expect to present roughly 10-15 pieces to prove you have the talent to be a part of their program and deserve a spot more than the person next to you in the pile. You want them to be confident in why they are choosing to admit you.
Your portfolio will carry 50% of the weight that determines if you will be accepted by the admissions committee at most schools, too. If your GPA is not as high as what may be required or you do not have as many extracurriculars listed, having a very strong portfolio can mask the other areas you may not be as strong in to increase your chance of acceptance.
Get Involved and do Well in High School.
Even with a strong portfolio, you should still strive to do well in all areas in high school. You cannot expect to be accepted with a GPA that reflects zero effort in the time that you spent in high school. Your GPA is more than just a number that tells people you did well in classes. It speaks volumes about your character and dedication to your work and is exactly what colleges will be looking for.
You also want to be involved in multiple clubs and extracurriculars in high school. Showing universities and colleges that you can maintain a great GPA while being involved in organizations on your campus shows, again, that you are a dedicated and motivated individual that will fit in well with their culture and expectations.
Be Knowledgeable About the School in Which you are Applying.
It cannot be stressed enough the necessity of knowing about the school and what they expect from their students to which you are applying before heading into an interview. You should expect to be asked why you are a good fit for their program and why you want to be a part of their school more than anywhere else in the nation.
If you can confidently answer this question by providing supporting facts from what their university or college stands for, it will go a long way as they go through the decision-making process.
Be sure to be yourself during your interview and showcase your personality, too. Even if you are not “perfect” on paper, being able to win the admissions committee over with your personality can be enough to get you admitted into your favorite school.
What is the Hardest Art School to Enroll In?
The best schools to attend listed below have relatively low acceptance rates, so you will need to stand out from the rest of the applicants if you want to be admitted.
| Institution | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|
| The University of California – Los Angeles | 14% |
| School of the Art Institute of Chicago | 57% |
| Yale University | 6% |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | 27.4% |
| California Institute of the Arts | 25.3% |
| Rhode Island School of Design | 25.8% |
| Carnegie Mellon University | 23% |
| Maryland Institute College of Art | 63.9% |
| University of Michigan | 23% |
| Alfred University | 62% |
These statistics are not to deter you. Take a chance and apply to these more prestigious schools with lower acceptance rates.
Being amongst the top students in the nation will only better you and your work.
Is Art School Expensive?
Depending on where you are accepted and decide to attend art school, you can expect to spend as little as $9,600 on online education or on average, $11,000 per year to attend a public school and $40,000 per year to attend a private school.
It is also important to note these averages exclude the hidden fees associated with tuition, room and board, and many other services that come with attending college, and this is why the cost of any art school either in the United States or abroad seems so expensive.
What is the Cheapest Art School?
The cheapest art school to attend online is Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) which costs around $9,600 annually. SNHU is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education which represents the best public assurance of quality. According to the university, 96.5% of its students would recommend attending SNHU to future art students.
If you prefer attending art school in person, the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, the Fashion Institute of Technology, and the SUNY College at Purchase are amongst a few of the great colleges that cost less than $5,000 per year in tuition to attend.
What Makes a Good Art School?
The best art schools are those that open their students’ minds to many disciplines and help them develop into the best artist they can be. As cliché as that may sound, it is important to find yourself in a school whose curriculum is never complacent and keeps up with the latest trend in the art industry.
You also want to attend a school with prominent advisors that can help you make connections once you graduate and are looking for your first professional job. As is the case with any profession, graduating from student to professional status can be a difficult transition. It is important to have a good committee behind you that can make this transition easier and provide you with the best opportunities fit for your goals.
How Do You Pay for Frt School?
The number one way students pay for art school is through federal student loans. These are loans and will need to be paid back to the federal government upon completing your four-year degree, so it is important to be mindful of the number of loans that you take out for your schooling.
Aside from student loans, students may be given grants, the opportunity for a work/study program to earn money as they attend classes, and also the opportunity to apply for various scholarships to help with tuition.
Are There Scholarships for Art School?
Along with applying for financial aid, there are various scholarships you can apply for to help pay for your tuition as you begin your art school journey. Many institutions have their own scholarships to which you can apply but you can also find many scholarships by doing a simple google search.
Some of the top scholarships to apply for include:
Adobe Design Circles Scholarship
Against the Grain Artistic Scholarship
John F. and Anna Lee Stacey Scholarship Fund
New York Life Award
The Wyland Foundation Art Challenge
Why Should You Not go to Art School?
Some of the main factors that may deter you from attending a four-year art program include the cost and time commitment. The good news is that nowadays schooling may not be necessary because you can be successful in many fields of art without an art degree.
With the technology we have at our disposal today, the networking opportunities you would once only get by attending school in person, are just as advantageous but more accessible today. With that being said, it is easy to seek an online mentor or attend seminars virtually to expand your knowledge and experiences in your area of art expertise.
The Most Important Part is Deciding What is Best for You and Your Goals
The key component to remind yourself is that most employers are not as interested in your degree as they are in your portfolio and the work you have created as an artist. Now granted, you may not get more opportunities at hands-on advice from professors if you do not attend a four-year school, but you can dedicate that time focusing only on your work without having to take general courses that will not benefit your art career specifically in the future.
More Resources.
Thanks for Reading. If you would like to learn more about this topic we have interviewed a number of industry professionals and experts in a wide variety of occupations in the art world on our podcast Art Condition. All the episodes will have relevant advice for the aspiring artist but one in particular deals with the topic of art school.
