- Creative jobs can be lucrative.
- The Occupational Information Network (O*NET) lists jobs that require creative thinking.
- They found plenty of high-paying jobs for out-of-the-box thinkers in the world of art and science
Creative jobs are out there. You just have to know where to look.
Business Insider combed through the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), a US Department of Labor database that compiles detailed information on hundreds of jobs, and looked at salary data on the US Bureau of Labor Statistics website to find positions that place high importance on “thinking creatively” and pay an average annual salary of over $50,000.
O*NET calculates how important “developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions” is in any job, assigning each a score between one and 100.
There are several jobs that place high importance on creative thinking skills – coming up with new and original ideas, projects, or products – where you can earn an average salary upwards of $50,000.
Here are a number of high-paying positions with a "creative thinking" importance level of 93 or higher:
Music composer or arranger
Average annual salary: $50,590
Creative-thinking importance level: 97
What they do: Music composers or arrangers write and transcribe original scores.
Projected growth through 2026: 5% to 9%
Interior designer
Average annual salary: $51,500
Creative-thinking importance level: 97
What they do: Interior designers plan, design, and furnish interiors of residential, commercial, or industrial buildings.
Projected growth through 2026: 2% to 4%
Set and exhibit designer
Average annual salary: $53,090
Creative-thinking importance level: 97
What they do: Set and exhibit designers design movie, theater, and television sets as well as special exhibits.
Projected growth through 2026: 10% to 14%
Curator
Average annual salary: $53,770
Creative-thinking importance level: 90
What they do: Curators administer collections, such as artwork, collectibles, historic items, or scientific specimens of museums or other institutions.
Projected growth through 2026: 10% to 14%
Makeup artist, theatrical and performance
Average annual salary: $59,300
Creative-thinking importance level: 91
What they do: Theatrical and performance makeup artists apply makeup to performers to reflect period, setting, and situation of their role.
Projected growth through 2026: 10% to 14%
Copy writer
Average annual salary: $61,820
Creative-thinking importance level: 94
What they do: Copy writers write advertising copy for the promotion of products in publications and broadcast media.
Projected growth through 2026: 5% to 9%
Poet, lyricist, or creative writer
Average annual salary: $61,820
Creative-thinking importance level: 98
What they do: Poets, lyricists, or creative writers create original written works including scripts, essays, literature, poetry, or song lyrics.
Projected growth through 2026: 5% to 9%
Instructional designer or technologist
Average annual salary: $63,750
Creative-thinking importance level: 94
What they do: Instructional designer or technologists assist in the technology-based redesign of courses by developing instructional materials and products.
Projected growth through 2026: 10% to 14%
Foreign language and literature teacher (postsecondary)
Average annual salary: $65,010
Creative-thinking importance level: 93
What they do: Foreign language and literature teachers at the postsecondary level teach languages and literature courses in languages other than English.
Projected growth through 2026: 10% to 14%
Landscape architect
Average annual salary: $65,760
Creative-thinking importance level: 95
What they do: Landscape architects plan and design landscapes for residential, commercial, or industrial sites.
Projected growth through 2026: 5% to 9%
Art, drama, or music teacher (postsecondary)
Average annual salary: $66,930
Creative-thinking importance level: 94
What they do: College professors who teach courses and conduct research in drama, music, and the arts.
Projected growth through 2026: 10% to 14%
Multimedia artists and animator
Average annual salary: $70,530
Creative-thinking importance level: 92
What they do: Multimedia artists and animators create special effects, animation, or other visual images using film, video, computers, or other electronic tools and media.
Projected growth through 2026: 5% to 9%
Library science teachers (postsecondary)
Average annual salary: $70,940
Creative-thinking importance level: 90
What they do: Library science teachers at the postsecondary level teach courses in library science.
Projected growth through 2026: 5% to 9%
Producer
Average annual salary: $71,620
Creative-thinking importance level: 91
What they do: Producers plan and coordinate various aspects of radio, television, stage, or motion picture production.
Projected growth through 2026: 10% to 14%
Program director
Average annual salary: $71,620
Creative-thinking importance level: 91
What they do: Program directors direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in preparation of radio or television station program schedules and programs
Projected growth through 2026: 10% to 14%
Talent director
Average annual salary: $71,620
Creative-thinking importance level: 90
What they do: Talent directors audition and interview performers to select most appropriate talent for parts in stage, television, radio, or motion picture productions.
Projected growth through 2026: 10% to 14%
Bioinformatics scientist
Average annual salary: $76,690
Creative-thinking importance level: 93
What they do: Bioinformatics scientists combine computer science and research to design databases and develop algorithms to process biological data.
Projected growth through 2026: 5% to 9%
Architect, except landscape and naval
Average annual salary: $78,470
Creative-thinking importance level: 91
What they do: Architects, aside from landscape and naval architects, plan and design structures like houses, office buildings, and factories.
Projected growth through 2026: 2% to 4%
Architecture teacher (postsecondary)
Average annual salary: $80,050
Creative-thinking importance level: 92
What they do: Architecture teachers at the postsecondary level teach courses in architecture and architectural design.
Projected growth through 2026: 10% to 14%
Physics teachers (postsecondary)
Average annual salary: $87,340
Creative-thinking importance level: 91
What they do: Physics teachers at the postsecondary level teach courses pertaining to the laws of matter and energy.
Projected growth through 2026: 10% to 14%
Atmospheric, earth, marine, or space science teacher (postsecondary)
Average annual salary: $87,380
Creative-thinking importance level: 94
What they do: College professors who teach courses and conduct research in the physical sciences, except chemistry and physics.
Projected growth through 2026: 10% to 14%
Video game designer
Average annual salary: $88,510
Creative-thinking importance level: 99
What they do: Video game designers design core features of video games.
Projected growth through 2026: 5% to 9%
Art director
Average annual salary: $92,500
Creative-thinking importance level: 98
What they do: Art directors formulate design concepts and presentations for print, broadcasting, and advertising media.
Projected growth through 2026: 5% to 9%
Astronomer
Average annual salary: $100,590
Creative-thinking importance level: 95
What they do: Astronomers observe, research, and interpret astronomical phenomena.
Projected growth through 2026: 10% to 14%
Physicist
Average annual salary: $118,830
Creative-thinking importance level: 94
What they do: Physicists conduct research, develop theories, and devise methods related to experimentation of physical laws and theories.
Projected growth through 2026: 15% or higher