Careers360 Logo
10 Highest Salary Jobs for Arts Graduate

10 Highest Salary Jobs for Arts Graduate

Edited By Team Careers360 | Updated on May 22, 2024 06:10 PM IST | #Arts

There is a common perception that pursuing an arts stream will affect the chances of getting placed. But, there are as many career options available in arts as in engineering, medicine and other fields.

Rather, new job opportunities in the arts stream are created with the internet and technology bringing changes in the market. This article will guide you on some of the jobs after graduation in arts and will help in figure out the confusion in which career can be pursued.

A career in arts makes you stand out from the crowd. Arts does not simply encompass teaching and design-related fields alone, it also explores dynamic professional fields which can become your niche. The highest salary jobs for arts graduates will prove that arts courses can lead to a financially rewarding life as well.

10 Highest Salary Jobs for Arts Graduate
10 Highest Salary Jobs for Arts Graduate

Explore more: 15 High Paying Creative Jobs

Careers After an Arts Degree

In most cases, art courses attract students after class 12th, as it is an opportunity to express themselves and explore their creativity. There are also jobs after graduation in arts. Here are some of the highly rewarding jobs in arts you can pursue if your heart is set on it.

To list a few careers: Design- Architecture, Fashion, Performing arts, Management, Photography, Choreography, Writing, Literature, Civil services and the like. And all of this can lead to some of the highest paying jobs for arts students in India.

Scope After Arts Courses

There is always a shortage of people who are effectively productive in creative thinking on their feet. Such talent to innovate and create is always hard to find, their demand is as high as ever.

In fields like advertising, films, art, or any other has a basic and important requirement for creativity. With the increase in the audience, there has been an increase in the surge of creating content.

The digital revolution opens a plethora of highest-salary jobs for arts graduates. Just imagine the possibilities in the entertainment sector, education sector and the like the scope for growth has immense potential and opens plenty of job opportunities for arts students.

Take a look: Top 10 Highest Paying Freelance Jobs

Top 10 Highest-salary Jobs for Arts Graduate

As discussed above, arts promise many job opportunities. The demand is for jobs after graduation in arts. Here, Caeers360 provides arts jobs list and salary.

1. Law

Legal assistance is something required regularly and fewer people in the Indian community practice law. This has increased the demand for Lawyers, to become a law student one needs a 5-year degree of BA LLB, which would make him/her eligible for bigger opportunities. Being a lawyer is one of the most respected professions in the country.

Here are some of the highest salary jobs for arts graduates in the field of law.

  • Criminal lawyers- They can handle a range of cases related to crime be it domestic, driving under the influence, or murder etc.
  • Corporate Lawyer- Eligible to carry out mergers, handle allegations, and act as an advisor of the law.
  • Judge - A respected and very demanding post a graduate can get to, a judge is vested by the government to pass and conduct proceedings and hearings.
  • Civil Litigation Lawyer- The lawyer would be specialized in excise law and civil violations

So as you can see after completion of the courses, you can land some of the highest salary jobs for arts graduates. These are some of the highest-salary jobs for arts graduates. The salary structure might differ from the government to private firms as the private firms have a pay scale.

Salary: The basic salary starts at 4-8 Lakhs depending on the college and merit, and with experience, the numbers could increase exponentially.

Top Recruiters

  • Khaitan & co
  • Amarchand Mangaldas
  • Luthra and Luthra
  • J Sagar Associates

2. Artistry

Being an Artist as a career after arts graduation is the most perceived thought in the field of creativity, many students want to work on their terms and unleash their dreams as a creator of art. Courses in arts can lead to some of the highest paying jobs for art students in India.

Let’s take a look at some of the highest-salary jobs for arts graduates.

  • Graphic Designer- A graphic designer is responsible for creating designs that make an impact and increase customer engagement. One can work as a freelancer and also get a job.
  • Illustrator- It could be abstract art, painting and life art any form that can be taken depending on the artist and his imagination. Art subjects get sold in lakhs and even crores when an artist reaches a level of fame and has brand value.
  • Curator- As a curator, you will head a museum or a gallery, with ancient art and historic heritage restoring the lost art and displaying it to the public creates a fortune for the worthy.

Salary: The starting wages would be near INR 3-5 lakhs and with time, it could be close to INR 12-20 lakhs as an artist or a curator.

3. Photography

Capturing moments has always been a gateway to going back through time. With photography, there are many professions one could choose from. Architectural photography, modelling photography, wildlife photography, wedding photography, and product photography are some of the top highest salary jobs for arts graduates in this field. One can work on building a portfolio by working on projects and getting paid for each assignment.

Salary- A Freelance photographer can earn more than 1 lakh for a single project, as a career option. It has a rewarding structure that goes on increasing with the expertise you have in the field. Leading to earning more than 8 Lakhs annually.

Top recruiters

  • FMCG brands
  • National Geographic
  • Discovery
  • Freelance, Upwork, Fiverr

4. Performing Arts

In the field of performing arts, a person can add as many feathers to their hat as they can. For instance, the Indian entertainment industry is 3rd in the world for the biggest creating space and having a worldwide audience. It is an industrial space that should be pursued as a career after arts graduation, providing a bright scope for people with a creative mindset. Some of the top highest salary jobs for arts graduates are dancing, choreography, acting, theatre, direction, or music creation.

Salary: By nurturing artistic talents, these courses open the way to some of the highest paying jobs for art students in India: the entry-level from 3-5 Lakhs. With experience as an actor or choreographer, one can earn 50-60 Lakhs.

5. Business

One can go for an MBA as one of the career options after 12th arts. With an MBA after an undergraduate one can work in a managerial position for a corporate firm. It is one of the most searched positions in the Indian business industry. With an MBA you can land some of the highest-salary jobs for arts graduates. They are business administrator, entrepreneur, business development executive, manager and the like are some of the lucrative roles.

Salary: Depending on the college a starting salary could be around 6-8 Lakhs/annum. But when it comes to an entrepreneur, the estimates can vary as it is self-evident that entrepreneurship can produce millionaires and even billionaires.

6. Civil Services

There are multitudes of branches in civil services: namely IAS, IPS, IFS, and so on. All of these fall under the category of highest salary jobs for arts graduates. The candidates need to pass the UPSC-level examination. It is considered to be one of the toughest exams in India. The basic requirement is a degree and one can opt for an arts degree. Civil services is a respectable profession, making it one of the most respected jobs in the Indian government.

Salary: The basic salary of a basic junior level officer starts in the range of 6 Lakhs, including many other benefits.

7. Fashion Designing

With time fashion keeps on progressing, and changing the face of fashion requires people with creative imagination and thinking out of the box. One of the highest salary jobs for arts graduates in the fashion industry is as a fashion designer. This job is important as the professional can influence the market to shift towards a change that would help people look appealing. And, with an increase in online marketplaces, selling clothing is an industry that has a huge selling space.

Salary: The starting salary ranges from 3-8 Lakhs depending on the exposure and talent.

8. Physical Health Industry

Everyone wants to look good and stay healthy. One of the highest salary jobs for art graduates is to become a physical instructor. The professional can help people reach their goals and get paid by helping them get healthy. A physical instructor can have a gym or training space and provide personalized sessions for customers. One can get a licensed practitioner by getting a degree in yoga or physical fitness.

  • Gym Instructor/Owner- By opening a gym and giving membership to people and helping them achieve their body goals with the equipment and your skills. You can work at a gymnasium chain or create your own gym.
  • Yoga Teacher- By helping people increase their fitness, increase blood circulation, increase life span. One can be very resourceful by being a yoga teacher.

Salary: It would be in the range of 2-5 Lakhs at the beginner level.

Top Recruiters

  • Gold’s Gym
  • Talwalkars
  • Equinox Fitness
  • Bodybuilding India

9. Animation

A visual content creator is the biggest thing in current times. Be it in the gaming industry or films, VFX artists, animators, illustrators as well and graphic designers fall into the category of glamorous and highest salary jobs for arts graduates. To become an animator one requires many skills to fill the bucket, which reduces the competition and increases opportunities in the big leagues.

Salary: With experience and expertise there are waits for high salary jobs for arts graduate students: around INR 3-7 lakhs at beginning levels.

Top Recruiters

  • Disney
  • Marvel
  • DC Comics
  • Advertising companies
  • Television sector.

10. Hotel Management

It comes in the service industry where the customer is the king. Hotel management includes many highest salary jobs for arts graduates. These include roles such as hotel manager, chef, caterer and the like. The travel industry is the backbone of the hotel industry, tourism is the major source of income for the people surviving in this business. So we have to look into the travel and tourism industry as a major part of this field.

Salary: As a beginner in the industry the pay scale remains in the range of 3-5 Lakhs. And with an increase in experience, it could reach 7-8 Lakhs within a period of 3 to 4 years.

Top recruiters

  • Taj Hotels
  • Trident
  • Mahindra Resorts
  • Marriott Hotels

Conclusion

Professionals from the arts background have many sectors to look for career options. The advantage is that arts will help to turn into any sector as per the taste and potential of the professionals. This arts stream jobs list is not complete; this article has compiled the best job for arts students.

Jobs for arts students after graduation will be more satisfying financially, physically and mentally in comparison to the jobs in medical and engineering fields. However, the salary scale will have variations based on the location, company and the job profile you are in.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What are the courses required to get into hotel management?

After completion of the 12th, one could opt for a Bachelor of Hotel Management, Bachelor in Hotel Management and Catering Technology (BHMCT), or BBA in Hospitality. If your interest lies in becoming a chef, it is recommended to get a degree in culinary arts.

2. What is the fee structure for animation degrees?

Depending on the college being private or government and the specialization you are opting for. The fees range from 2 to 6 lakhs, but some courses are even range at 15 Lakhs. With experience and expertise, animation can lead you to some of the highest salary jobs for arts graduates.

3. How will arts help me to prepare for UPSC and MPSC?

An arts degree would help mould your career. Majoring in political sciences and choosing a Bachelor of Arts degree would prove as a boon while preparing for UPSC as it would not be required to start these subjects afresh.

4. Do photographers get paid a lot?

Depending on the field of stream and the level of difficulty the pay scale would be affected. If a person has relevant experience and a perfect portfolio that fits the job description, he/she will be handsomely rewarded for the efforts given.

5. How much can I get paid as an artist?

An artist gets paid for the skills he has mastered and for the fact that they can not be replicated, making it an authentic piece of art which increases its value. As for a career option, it depends on the fame and exposure one gets, it could be also called a business. 

6. How long would it take me to become a lawyer?

There are courses of both 3-year and 5-year degrees which makes one eligible to practice law, but if looking for a specialized sector like corporate law or cybercrime law it takes an additional 2 years to gain a master's.

7. What courses should I take to become a choreographer?

Getting a bachelor’s degree in performing arts would be a viable option, to gain more grip over the skill one could get an internship with any successful choreographer or a dance institute. There are also private institutes offering a degree in arts for choreography along with promising career prospects.

8. How do I become a registered fitness instructor?

ACSM Certified personal trainer is one of the most opted courses to choose from, one can obtain an undergraduate degree in fitness and then head for certified courses to be a fitness coach. The courses can lead to some of the best high salary jobs for arts graduate students.

9. Can I take an arts degree online?

Many institutes have made that possible by providing distance learning as an option for candidates all over India. There are online courses offering arts degrees in Psychology, Biology, and the like. depending on the colleges there are various ranges of courses to choose from with flexible fee structures and examinations.

10. What are the prerequisites for a Bachelor's degree in Arts in English?

The program is focused on the critical thinking involved in the written and oral skills required for the literature. This ensures a pre-requirement of students to have a deep interest in historical literature and simultaneously should have a good grip on English proficiency. 

Articles

Questions related to Arts

Have a question related to Arts ?

Hello aspirant,

As of my last update in September 2024, Sai College Mahilpur Punjab does not offer a Bachelor of Arts (BA) program. However, it's always a good idea to double-check with the college directly for the most current information.


I hope this information helps you.

To pursue NIOS 12th in the Arts stream, you must choose a minimum of five subjects, including one language from Group A (like Hindi or English) and the remaining subjects can be selected from the Arts group, which typically includes options like History, Geography, Political Science, Economics, Sociology, Psychology, and optional subjects like Painting or Mass Communication Choose optional subjects from the Arts group based on your interest in order to achieve good marks.

Hello aspirant,

On July 15, 2025, the Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) launched the CLAT 2025 Registration. Until October 15, 2024, candidates may complete the CLAT Application Form 2025. All qualified applicants may complete the CLAT Application Form 2025 by going to consortiumofnlus.ac.in, the official website. Candidates must pay the CLAT 2025 application costs as specified in the CLAT Exam Notification. Important dates for CLAT Registration 2025 were outlined in the CLAT 2025 Notification, which was made public on July 7.

For complete information, please visit the following link:

https://law.careers360.com/exams/clat

Thank you

Hope it helps you.

As a student pursuing a B.A. in Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences from CSJMU, you are currently not eligible to appear for the GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) exam, as GATE primarily focuses on science, engineering, and technology disciplines. The eligibility criteria for GATE require candidates to hold a Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Technology/Architecture or a Master’s degree in Science, Mathematics, Statistics, or related fields.


However, the GATE exam has been expanding in recent years to include certain subjects under Humanities and Social Sciences, such as:


- Economics (XE)

- English (XH)

- Psychology (XH)

- Linguistics (XH)

- Philosophy (XH)

- Sociology (XH)


If your field of study falls within one of these specific subjects, you may be eligible to apply for GATE in the respective discipline. In this case, you would need to focus on preparing for the relevant subject, as GATE tests in these areas will have different syllabi compared to engineering fields.


If your B.A. does not align with any of these subjects, you will not be eligible for GATE. Consider pursuing a postgraduate degree in a related field if you wish to qualify for the exam in the future.

Hello,

No, you cannot change your stream (from Science to Arts) directly by visiting the CBSE office, especially as a private candidate in Class 12. CBSE does not allow stream changes after the completion of Class 11.

If you are a private candidate, the rules are even stricter, as CBSE private candidates follow the registration process based on the details submitted earlier (usually after Class 11).

But if you're determined to switch streams, you can explore NIOS as an alternative. NIOS offers flexibility in choosing subjects, even after Class 12.

Hope it helps !

Back to top