15 Arts and Literature Majors with the Best Value

English Language and Literature can be a smart major to pursue in 2020, but this is nothing new. English made our ranking of top arts and literature majors in 2016 as well, mostly due to this field’s educational availability and job opportunity. For our 2020 ranking, our data shows that career prospects are exceptional in our spotlight career, and that pay can be high, too.

Major Overview: During this degree program, students may analyze literature in depth while examining the writing techniques used by authors. Through these important lessons, students can also work on honing their own writing and story-telling skills.

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Spotlight Career: Secondary School Teachers

• Entry-Level Degree Required: Bachelor’s degree
• Average Salary: $64,340
• Average Growth Rate: 7.5%

Learn more about the English major.

Drama and dramatics had earned the No. 5 spot in our ranking of arts and literature majors in 2016, but it moved up since then due to exceptional employment opportunities and career potential. Note that, not only do actors and other creative workers thrive in this field, but various directors are needed to oversee and plan concerts, plays, and other theatrical events.

Major Overview: Drama majors may learn how to express themselves and accurately portray characters on stage. They can also learn the behind-the-scenes work required to create a high-quality production.

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Spotlight Career: Producers and Directors

• Entry-Level Degree Required: Bachelor’s degree
• Average Salary: $89,840
• Average Growth Rate: 12%

Arts, entertainment, and media management didn’t make the cut for our last study, but this career has climbed the ranking for 2020 due to excellent employment and earning potential. Note that jobs are on the rise in this field of study, and that a variety of industries rely on media management professionals who have the training and experience to lead.

Major Overview: This career field typically allows students to combine their love of the arts with their passion for financial management, marketing, and basic business concepts. Not only will you learn important leadership skills, but you’ll learn about labor relation for the arts, event promotion and marketing, and the importance of proper management.

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Spotlight Career: Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes

• Entry-Level Degree Required: Associate degree
• Average Salary: $103,260
• Average Growth Rate: 6.25%

Graphic design has made our ranking in the past, but this major moved up to the fourth position this year due to earning potential and the potential for explosive growth in employment. This college major has also ranked well in terms of educational affordability, which is crucial for students hoping to escape school without crushing levels of student loan debt.

Major Overview: Graphic designers create visual concepts using computer software or their own hands. Their visual concepts are used for marketing materials, cartoons, video games and various businesses that rely on creative content to thrive and compete.

Category Scores

Spotlight Career: Graphic Designers

• Average Salary: $79,166
• Average Growth Rate: 7.5%

Learn more about Graphics Design major.

Music moved up in our ranking for 2020 when compared to 2016, and it’s easy to see why. This choice of major comes in a field with an explosion of job growth and educational affordability is also reasonable when compared to many other creative fields.

Major Overview: Students pursuing music major can learn how to play instruments of their choosing while diving into music theory and the constructs that create songs and other musical elements we love. You can use this degree to create music of your own or to teach others to follow their own musical dreams.

Category Scores

Spotlight Career: Secondary School Teachers

• Entry-Level Degree Required: Bachelor’s degree
• Average Salary: $64,340
• Average Growth Rate: 7.5%

Learn more about a major in Music.

We chose to recommend this major in our 2020 list thanks to recent statistics on educational affordability and excellent career earnings potential. For the most part, this career field should see strong growth since visual storytelling is here to stay.

Major Overview: This program teaches students how to use video to capture stories and dramatic content in a compelling and unique way. You can transfer the skills you learn to the movie industry, advertising, and more.

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Spotlight Career: Camera Operators for Television, Video, and Motion Picture

• Entry-Level Degree Required: Bachelor’s degree
• 2020 National Average Salary: $79,473
• 2018-2028 Average Growth Rate: 11.56%

Learn more about the cinematography and film production major.

While the study of art has made our ranking of the best arts and literature majors in the past, this dynamic degree field moved up a few notches in our ranking this year since its last appearance in the No. 14 spot in 2016. There are more careers in art to consider than ever, which is part of the reason employment opportunities are plentiful according to recent statistics. Art degrees also ranked high on the affordability scale this year, which helped them stand out.

Major Overview: A degree in art can help you learn the basics of drawing and design theory while you study the history of the most famous artwork humanity has produced.

Category Scores

Spotlight Career: Secondary School Teachers

• Entry-Level Degree Required: Bachelor’s degree
• 2020 National Average Salary: $61,355
• 2018-2028 Average Job Growth Rate: 8.05%

Learn more about the Art major.

Games and Interactive Media Design is a new major to enter our rankings this year. This major ranks high in the affordability category based on recent statistics, and the earning potential for careers in this niche can range from decent to exceptional. Projected job growth is also expected to be high as more companies require design professionals to create games and other media using the newest software and design programs.

Major Overview: This unique college major helps design and gaming enthusiasts parlay their skills and enthusiasm into a new career. Students typically learn how to design and plan game designs and concepts using creativity and the most up-to-date software programs.

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Spotlight Career: Multimedia Artists and Animators

• 2020 National Average Salary: $78,230
• 2018-2028 Average Job Growth Rate: 10.4%

Learn more about the Games and Interactive Media Design Major.

While many art and design professionals do the bulk of their work using computer software these days, there is still a demand for drawing and illustration. This college major made our ranking due to the strong potential for employment opportunities as well as relatively high pay in related careers.

Major Overview: Majoring in drawing and illustration will help you hone your artistic talents and harness the power of pen and paper to create magnificent illustrations and statement pieces.

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Spotlight Career: Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators

• 2020 National Average Salary: $68,300
• 2018-2028 Average Growth Rate: 9.5%

Fashion and Apparel Design is yet another major for our rankings this year, but it’s easy to see why it made the cut. This career field performed well in our study in terms of earnings potential and affordability. Educational availability for this major is also high considering the number of schools offering this type of degree.

Major Overview: Majoring in fashion and apparel design can help students learn to harness their creative talents to make clothing, shoes and other types of apparel consumers buy and wear.

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Spotlight Career: Fashion Designers

• 2020 National Average Salary: $87,610
• 2018-2028 Average Growth Rate: 3.1%

Writing is an important component of nearly any type of business, which could be the reason this college major remains popular. This major also performed well in our ranking in terms of educational affordability and attainability — both important considerations for anyone considering an arts and literature major and career.

Major Overview: Pursuing a major in writing can help you learn to use your talents and skill to write in a creative, concise, and even persuasive way. You can learn the history of writing and study some of the world’s most popular literature along the way.

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Spotlight Career: Editors

• 2020 National Average Salary: $72,690
• 2018-2028 Average Growth Rate: 6.26%

Learn more about the Writing major.

Children and adolescent literature is another college major that made our ranking for the first time this year. This unique field of study performed extremely well in our ranking in terms of educational affordability, which makes it considerably easier to find a college in your area or even online that you can actually afford.

Major Overview: This major introduces you to the unique concepts that apply when you’re writing literature for children and young adults. You can learn how to create compelling stories young people love, as well as the history of literature and writing work for children.

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Spotlight Career: Teachers, Writers, and Editors

• 2020 National Average Salary: $71,285
• 2018-2028 Average Growth Rate: 4.1%

Rhetoric and Composition made our ranking of the best arts and literature majors in 2016, yet it moved back a few spots to No. 13 this year (from the previous 11^th spot). Yet, this major still deserves a spot in our ranking due to strong educational affordability and considerable availability considering this is such a niche field.

Major Overview: A degree in this field can help you perfect your writing and speaking skills. You can also learn how to make a sound argument on nearly any topic.

Category Scores

Spotlight Career: Editors

• 2020 National Average Salary: $71,000
• 2018-2028 Average Growth Rate: 4%

This college major made our ranking for the first time this year, and this is mostly due to the broad range of schools that offer a degree in this field of study. However, Commercial and Advertising Art also ranked highly in our study in terms of educational affordability.

Major Overview: This degree can help you learn how to leverage your artistic skills and talents to create meaningful and persuasive advertising campaigns in nearly and industry.

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Spotlight Career: Graphic Designers

• 2020 National Average Salary: $63,055
• 2018-2028 Average Growth Rate: 4.85%

Finally, don’t forget to consider a major in interior design. Although it slipped in the rankings slightly when compared to the previous years, interior design made our list of best value arts and literature majors three years in a row. This creative major performed well in our study in terms of educational availability, meaning there are many schools who offer a broad range of degrees in this major. Further, degrees in interior design tend to be more affordable than many other arts and literature majors we compared.

Major Overview: An interior design degree can help you turn a keen eye into a professional talent for creating beautiful interiors using furniture, art, and other aesthetically pleasing features.

Category Scores

Spotlight Career: Interior Designers

• 2020 National Average Salary: 59,120
• 2018-2028 Average Growth Rate: 4.9%

Learn more about Interior Design Major.