SNAAP DataBrief - Volume 8 - Major Choices - Arts Graduates Who Never Intended to Become Artists

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Angel

SNAAP DataBrief examines three overlapping reasons why more arts graduates do not intend to become artists at the start of undergraduate study. Using SNAAP survey data, it highlights a rise in “never intended” alumni, supported by analyses of artistic identity, hypo-specialization, and reluctant or accidental pathways. Findings compare differences by occupation, double-major patterns, institutional type, and socioeconomic factors, while also addressing how relevance and satisfaction relate to these intentions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time13 min

AccessFree to download

SNAAP DataBrief

Major Choices

Arts Graduates Who Never Intended to Become Artists

Figure 1. Percentage who “never intended”

Artistic identity and occupational patterns

Hypo-specialization and double majors

Institutional type and “reluctant” or “accidental” pathways

Figure 2. Satisfaction and relevance

Preparation, upcoming survey, and contact information

10/20/2020 SNAAP DataBrief Volume 8, No. 3: Major Choices - Arts Graduates Who Never Intended to Become Artists VOLUME 8, NUMBER 3 # SNAAP DataBrief DataBrief provides arts educators and arts policymakers with highlightsof SNAAP data and insights into the value of arts-school education. # Major Choices Arts Graduates Who Never Intended to Become Artists Every year, tens of thousands of students in the United States begin theirpostsecondary education with the intention of becoming artists. SNAAP researchhas focused greatly on these students, paying particular attention to theireducational experiences and careers. However, not every arts graduate intends onbecoming an artist. SNAAP asks arts graduates whether they intended to becomeartists when they began their undergraduate studies (“When you began at [thiscollege/university], did you intend to work eventually in an occupation as anartist?”) and more than one in six (18%) alumni answered “no.” Notably, morerecent college graduates are increasingly likely to say they never intended tobecome artists (see Figure 1) . Based on analyses conducted by Alexandre 10/20/2020 SNAAP DataBrief Volume 8, No. 3: Major Choices - Arts Graduates Who Never Intended to Become Artists Frenette and Rachel Skaggs, this DataBrief explores three overlappingexplanations for this rise: artistic identity, hypo-specialization, and reluctant oraccidental arts graduates. Figure 1. Percentage of arts alumni who “never intended” to be artists when they began atcollege/university, by years elapsed since graduation. 2015-2017 SNAAP data; dashed linerepresents trend line. Recent research on artistic identity, using SNAAP data as well as other sources,suggests that not all arts students and alumni are equally likely to identify as artists. Forvarious reasons, some arts graduates working in artistic occupations reject the title ofartist, particularly if they work in occupations such as arts administration, design, andteaching. Indeed, our results show that“never intends”currently working in an arts -related occupation are most prevalent among museum and gallery workers includingcurators, K-12 arts educators, architects, and arts administrators or managers. Beyond resisting artistic identity, another explanation is“hypo-specialization” amongarts alumni. Nearly one in five (19%) alumni who“never intended”tobe artistsgraduated with a double major (compared to 15% of arts alumni who did intend tobecome artists) . About a quarter of SNAAP arts alumni who report working inengineering and science (27%), legal (27%), financial and other business services(24%), and healthcare occupations (24%) say they never intended to become artists. As research on the rise of double majors suggests, a growing proportion of studentsresist hyper-specialization in one discipline, seeking instead to pursue interests indisparate fields (hypo-specialization) . Therefore, students may identify with more thanone field and pursue these diverse interests by majoring in thearts with the goal ofapplying their creative thinking and problem-solving skills to another discipline. Analyses controlling for arts graduates’sociodemographic characteristics andeducational experiences find that arts alumni from special focus institutions (arts,music, and design schools) are 64% less likely than those at comprehensive institutionstobe“never intends.” This finding is consistent with the hypo-specialization trend—astudent interested in arts and non-arts fields seems more likely to attend acomprehensive higher education institution—but also suggests that some individualsmay be“reluctant” or “accidental”arts graduates. It may be that students who questiontheir artistic abilities, see their creative practice as a hobby, or otherwise feel reluctantabout embarking on an artistic career might become increasingly enthusiastic aboutmajoring in thearts after taking an elective course. Students might feel an intrinsic“pull”into theartsand declare th

FAQs

What question does SNAAP use to measure whether students intended to become artists?

SNAAP asks arts graduates whether, when they began undergraduate studies, they intended to work eventually in an occupation as an artist. More than one in six alumni responded “no.”

What are the three explanations SNAAP explores for the increase in “never intended” arts graduates?

The DataBrief explores three overlapping explanations: artistic identity, hypo-specialization, and reluctant or accidental arts graduates.

How does the DataBrief connect intentions with satisfaction and relevance of arts education?

While later “aim” alumni report higher relevance of arts training to current work, alumni who “never intend” are no less satisfied with their overall arts-degree experience.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Angel