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metal arts

Types of Degrees metal arts Majors Are Earning

Those studying metal arts can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	6
Master’s Degree	7

What metal arts Majors Need to Know

Studies in metal arts develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that metal arts graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in metal arts emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Fine Arts — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Design — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a metal arts program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to metal arts careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, metal arts graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Thinking Creatively	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.9 / 7
Getting Information	3.7 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	3.7 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.7 / 7
Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People	3.6 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.5 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.4 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.4 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.4 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by metal arts professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Adobe Photoshop	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Adobe Illustrator	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Inventory tracking software	Inventory management software	—
Apple Logic Pro	Music or sound editing software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Calendar and scheduling software	Calendar and scheduling software	—
Sonic Studio audio software	Music or sound editing software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for metal arts graduates include:

• Setter
• Girdler
• Diamond Setter
• Pearl Restorer
• Lapidarist
• Facetor
• Diamond Grader
• Diamond Polisher
• Phonograph Needle Tip Maker
• Gemologist
• Gem Cutter
• Lighting Design Lecturer
• Dramatic Art Teacher
• Associate Professor
• Stagecraft Professor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to metal arts graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	25.5%
Master’s degree	19.0%
Bachelor’s degree	13.7%
Postsecondary certificate	12.3%
Doctoral degree	11.9%
Some college courses	6.2%
Less than a high school diploma	5.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.6%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.2%
Post-master’s certificate	0.6%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in metal arts?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 100% of metal arts degrees.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of metal arts graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	3	23.1%
Asian	1	7.7%
Black or African American	1	7.7%
International Students	8	61.5%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do metal arts Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of metal arts graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$25,613
4 years	$36,289
5 years	$41,536

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $41,536 — roughly 62% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in metal arts Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, metal arts graduates earn a median of $36,289 four years after completion — about 5% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Fine and Studio Arts	50.07
Art History, Criticism and Conservation	50.0703
Art/Art Studies, General	50.0701
Ceramic Arts and Ceramics	50.0711
Drawing	50.0705
Fiber, Textile and Weaving Arts	50.0712
Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other	50.0799
Fine/Studio Arts, General	50.0702
Intermedia/Multimedia	50.0706
Jewelry Arts	50.0713
Painting	50.0708
Printmaking	50.0710

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.