The information on this page is designed to help you explore possible careers. Use the links below to navigate to different areas of the page. We recommend working with a career counselor to help you identify careers based on your skills, interests, and values.
Students who major in art develop skills that are highly valued by employers. These skills include: critical and creative thinking; oral, written, and visual communication skills; the ability to take multiple approaches to solving problems; adaptability; the ability to work effectively individually and collaboratively; the ability to interpret cultures; organization; research and synthesis. Students and alumni may find employment in government, nonprofits, educational institutions, and businesses, depending on their skills and experience. Internships or relevant part-time jobs may be a prerequisite to finding employment.
Resources to Generate Ideas for Careers and/or Places of Employment
List of Employers and Job Titles Developed from Job Postings in Handshake for Art Majors
The following list of employers and job titles was derived from the University Career Center's job database where the employer specifically requested art majors. This list does not reflect all potential places of employment or kinds of jobs for art majors. This list does not reflect current openings.
- Azad: Web Graphics Production Artist
- Basic Rights Oregon: New Media Intern: New Media Intern
- Benton County: Project Manager
- Big-Giant: Production Designer
- Bullseye Glass: Architectural Liaison; Instructor/Technician, Research and Education
- CBS Radio: Marketing Assistant/New Media Coordinator
- Jacobs: Graphic Designer Lead
- City of Hillsboro: Cultural Arts Program Supervisor
- City of Portland: Graphic Designer II
- Clark College: Graphic Designer/Illustrator Lead
- Clarus Property Investments: Web Designer
- Columbia Sportswear: Associate Designer III, Outerwear, Sorel Footwear Designer, Apparel Graphics Production Artist I, Web Production/Graphic Artist
- Dreamworks SKG: Various Positions
- ESPN: Web Designer
- Evergreen State College: Graphic Designer/Illustrator
- Golf Scorecards: Print Production Artist
- Graphic Products: Assistant Graphic Designer
- Hands to Hearts International: Graphic Designer
- International Paper: Graphic Design Specialist I
- Jacobs: Graphic Designer Lead
- KATU Channel 2 Portland: Broadcast Designer
- KGW Northwest News Channel 8: Assignment Editor
- Klamath County: Museum Manager
- KPIC Channel 4: Entry-Level Commercial Producer
- Lerner-Aderman Enterprises: Graphic Designer
- McCormick & Schmick Management Group: Graphic Designer
- Nautilus Group: Graphic Design
- New Seasons Market: Graphic Designer
- Nike: Promotional Raw Materials Buyer
- Office of The Mayor of Portland : Art and Culture Policy Coordinator
- Oregon Ballet Theatre: Wardrobe Manager
- Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (Pers): Electronic Publishing Design Specialist I
- Oregon Secretary of State Audits Division: Electronic Publishing Design Specialist
- Oregon State Bar: Production Artist
- Piper Jaffrey: Graphic Designer
- Planned Parenthood: Graphic Design and Production Coordinator
- Port of Portland: Marketing Web Developer I, Graphic Designer
- Radisys Corporation: Graphic and Web Design Assistant
- SAIF Corporation: Web Designer
- Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon Foundation: Jr. Graphic & Web Designer
- SOLV: Marketing Assistant
- Standard TV & Appliance: Graphic Designer
- Statesman Journal: Graphic Design Technician
- TriMet: Public Art Coordinator
Return to the top
Careers Reported by Art Majors (Recent Graduates) on College and University Surveys
This is a list of jobs art majors reported having at (or shortly after) graduation and was built from survey data published by colleges and universities across the United States. This list does not include every possible career for art majors. Please be aware that internships or other career-related experience may be a prerequisite to finding professional-level employment after graduation. The University Career Center provides this list only as a tool for generating ideas for exploration.
- 3-D Contractor for a digital advertising agency
- 3D Animator for a visual design & production firm
- Advertising Coordinator for an advertising agency
- Analyst for financial services technology company
- Art Consultant for an art gallery
- Art Director for a multimedia advertising agency
- Art Handler for a fine art broker
- Art Instructor for an art museum
- Art Manager for an MMOG
- Artist, self-employed
- Artists’ Assistant for an artist collective
- Assistant Creative Director for a quarterly print magazine covering art, fashion, and culture
- Assistant Curator for a university art gallery
- Assistant Designer for a publishing group
- Assistant Project Designer for a residential remodeling/design firm
- Assistant Recruiter for a staffing firm for digital/interactive media professionals
- Associate Account Manager for a marketing/technologies/services agency
- Associate at an art institute
- Associate Project Designer for a utility company
- Business Technology Analyst for a consulting firm
- Child Protective Services Investigator for a county social service agency
- Communications Specialist for a university
- Community Service Officer for a university
- Computer Texturer for a visual effects firm
- Design Consultant for a global innovation firm
- Design Intern for an animated programming channel
- Education Coordinator for an arts nonprofit
- English Teaching Assistant for a Ministry of Education-sponsored cultural exchange program
- Event Coordinator for an autism advocacy organization
- Field Technician for the national museum/research center
- Fine Art Consultant for an art gallery
- Gallery Assistant for an education nonprofit
- Graphic Designer for a music recording/publishing company
- Hall Director for a university
- Imaging Artist for a publishing company
- Intern at a contemporary art gallery
- IT Service Desk Specialist for a film/television production company
- Laboratory Assistant for a medical research institute
- Life Skills Educator with AmeriCorps
- Marketing Communications Assistant for an apparel company
- Marketing Specialist for a trade association
- Marketing Writer for a high-tech company
- Multimedia Designer for a defense contractor
- Outreach Coordinator for a think tank
- Photo Archivist for a trade association
- Photo Researcher/Designer for a faith-based nonprofit
- Photographer for an event planning company
- Photography Lab Tech for a community art studio
- Preparator for an art museum
- Production Artist for an interactive digital advertising agency
- Production Assistant for a visual effects company
- Production Associate for a technology and market research company
- Project Coordinator for an advertising firm
- Publicity Assistant for a lobbying firm
- Publicity Assistant for a university
- Research Associate for a University
- Research Associate I for a bioscience company
- Sculpture and Jewelry Studio Technician for an art school
- Service Coordinator for an educational nonprofit
- Slide Librarian for a university
- Staff Artist for an arts-based day program for people with intellectual & developmental disabilities
- Studio Assistant for a fashion designer
- Teacher for Teach for America
- Teaching Assistant for a nonprofit visual arts center
- Technical Artist for a video game developer and publisher
- Web Designer for web design company
Return to the top
List of Employers and Job Titles Developed from Keywords Searches of Job Postings
The following list was generated from keywords such as graphic design, animation, art, design, sculpture, printmaking, drawing, photography, and illustration, Portland, Oregon, etc. This list does not reflect all potential places of employment or kinds of jobs for art majors. This list does not reflect current openings
- adidas - Graphic Designer-Running, Graphic Design Intern, Graphic Designer-Originals
- Anders Printing - Graphic Design
- Artscape - Fine Artist/Designer
- Axium - Graphic Designer
- Blast Radius — Art Director
- Cambia — B2B Designer
- CareOregon — Graphic Designer
- Coffey Communications, Inc. - Graphic Designer
- Collabera - Graphic Designer
- Columbia Sportswear — Product Graphic Designer
- Comsys - Web Production Artist
- Cryptic Studios - Graphic Designer
- David Evans and Associates - Web Developer/Graphics Designer
- DealerTrack — Photographer
- Dreaming Zebra Foundation — Production Designer/Graphic Designer
- ElasticPath - Website Graphic Designer
- Electrical Distributing, Inc - Creative Services Associate
- Eleek - Graphic Artist
- Everest Consultants - Technical Illustrator
- FILTER — Lead 3D Animation Artist, Art Director for Games, UX Designer, UI Artist for Games
- FLIR Systems — Video Production Specialist
- Fred Meyer - Food Art Director
- Fred Meyer Jewelers - Graphic Designer
- Intel (Open Source Technology Center within the Software and Solutions Group) - Graphic Designer
- Knowledge Learning Corporation — Senior Art Director
- KPTV Fox 12 - Graphics Artist
- Kroger Co. — Art Director
- Laika - Art Department Production Coordinator, Landscape Artist, Stop Motion Animation Rigger, Production Coordinator, Storyboard Artist, Senior Texture Artist, FX Artist/RD, Interactive Designer, CG Rigger, Lighting Artist, Stop-Motion Animator, Armaturist, Sculptor, Director of Photography, Production Draftsperson
- Mount Hood Community College (Media and Public Relations Department) - Senior Graphic Designer
- Nike - Graphic Designer-Basketball, Apparel Graphic Designer, Texture Artist, Footwear Digital Creation Leader, Sr. Graphic Embellishment Specialist
- Pacific Cornetta, Inc. (PCI) - Graphic Designer
- Portland Community College — Graphic Design Instructor
- Portland Timbers — Production Designer
- Razorfish — Senior Motion Designer, Designer, Art Director, Creative Director
- ReDirect Guide - Production Assistant
- Respond2 Communications - Motion Graphic Designer
- Service Employees International Union (SEIU) - Communications Specialist/Graphic Designer
- Sony Computer Entertainment America — Senior Staff Environment Artist
- Tetra Pak - Design Coordinator
- Vectra Visual - Graphic Designer/R&D
- Xerox- Multimedia Designer/Developer, Graphic Design
- Zimmer Biomet - Principal Animator
Return to the top
Vocational Biographies
Vocational Biographies describes the career success stories of 1001 real people. Search by career title, keyword, topic, and career cluster. Username: portlandsu and password: 3W9N
- Advertising Photographer
- Animator
- Antiques Appraiser
- Art Conservator/Framer
- Art Critic
- Art Gallery Owner
- Art Handler
- Arts Funder
- Book Designer
- Church Art Restorator
- Commissioned Portrait Painter
- Courtroom Artist
- Custom Linens Designer
- Editorial Cartoonist
- Glassblower
- Graphic Designer
- Jewelry Designer
- Magazine Art Director
- Mosaic Artist
- Natural History Artist
- Packaging Design Director
- Paper Artist
- Pencil Artist
- Photographer
- Police Artist/Fingerprint Technician
- Sculptor
- Stained Glass Artist
- Toy Sculptor
- Web Site Designer
- Wildlife Photographer
Return to the top
Professional Associations
Drawing:
Graphic Design:
Painting:
Printmaking:
Sculpture:
Return to the top
Arts Organizations
Return to the top
See also What Can I do With a Major in Art History?