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Fine Arts Schools in the US - Market Research Report (2015-2030)

Marley Brocker Marley Brocker New York, United States Last Updated: July 2025 NAICS 61161

Revenue

$7.8bn

2025

$7.8bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XXX.Xm

Employees

138k

Businesses

16,843

Wages

$X.Xbn

Fine Arts Schools in the US industry analysis

Fine arts schools in the US have seen inconsistent growth, shaped by a mix of renewed public interest in the arts, challenging economic headwinds and a volatile funding environment. Temporary injections of funding from federal COVID relief programs provided critical support in 2021 and 2022, helping to stabilize budgets and drive revenue growth during the immediate post-pandemic recovery. However, while demand for creative outlets has surged, especially in areas like music, dance and visual arts, schools have struggled to fully capitalize on that interest because of operating constraints. Rising wages, for example, for skilled instructors in competitive urban markets, have driven up labor costs. Many small and mid-sized schools operate without endowments or significant donor support, making them particularly vulnerable to economic shifts. Funding from local and state sources has also been erratic, leaving schools in a position where tuition hikes are the main fallback. While demand hasn't disappeared, weakening funding streams, inflation and operating pressures have stunted revenue growth since 2023. In all, revenue has risen at a CAGR of 4.3% to an estimated $7.8 billion over the past five years, including expected growth of 0.8% in 2025.

Trends and Insights

  • Fine arts schools' reliance on external funding is a growing vulnerability. COVID-era support provided a temporary boost that supported growth for many organizations, but as these funds expired, the industry faced a steep funding cliff. Now, proposed NEA cuts threaten to destabilize revenue streams, leaving schools with fewer resources to maintain programs and expand.
  • Dance classes are the largest single revenue source for many fine arts schools. These programs consistently draw enrollment, support recurring tuition models and appeal to a broad age range, making them financially essential compared to more niche disciplines.
  • Fine arts schools are heavily concentrated in urban and suburban areas. These regions offer denser populations, greater cultural infrastructure and stronger demand for arts education, making them more viable markets than rural organizations.
  • Barriers to entry are relatively low, especially at the local level. New studios or independent instructors can enter the market quickly with minimal capital, increasing churn and keeping enrollment-based schools competitive.
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Complementors

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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 4.3 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $7.8bn in 2025.

Trends and Insights

Infusions of funding mask deeper financial pressures

  • Fine art schools experienced severe financial hardship in 2020 as closures eliminated crucial revenue streams and forced layoffs, furloughs and permanent closures. By early 2021, almost half of arts nonprofits reported layoffs or furloughs, with a significant portion fearing permanent closure. However, record levels of emergency government and philanthropic relief, like the CARES Act, helped stabilize the industry. Out of the $4.6 trillion in federal relief funds, $53.0 billion went to arts and entertainment, according to a study by SMU DataArts. By late 2021, this support enabled a return to moderate revenue growth, and in 2022, additional funding increases contributed to even higher revenue growth.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Fine Arts Schools in the US
Revenue (2015-2030)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2025-2030)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Cuts to public art programs will push demand to private options

  • Cuts to public school arts programs have led to less consistent and lower-quality arts education for many students. Funding challenges in many school systems are expected to continue, pressuring schools to minimize or eliminate these classes. Families who want reliable arts instruction will increasingly turn to private fine arts schools and extracurricular programs.

Biggest companies in the Fine Arts Schools in the US

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue ($short_0)
2025
Profit ($short_0)
2025
Profit Margin (%)
2025

There are no companies that hold a large enough market share in the Fine Arts Schools in the US industry for IBISWorld to include in this product.

Products & Services Segmentation

Fine Arts Schools in the US
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Recreational dance classes, Recreational music and theater classes and Training and professional development programs. Recreational dance classes is the largest segment of the Fine Arts Schools in the US.

Trends and Insights

Recreational dance classes remain the most popular programs

  • This segment is made up of all dance classes designed for recreation and leisure, including formal performance dances (ballet and modern dance) as well as hip-hop, ballroom dances (the waltz and the tango, jazz dances) and worldwide dances (flamenco, belly dancing and capoeira).
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Fine art schools are specialized institutions or programs that provide practical training and education in the visual arts, including drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking and more, without awarding academic degrees. These schools focus on hands-on skill development, creative exploration and portfolio building, instead of formal qualifications like a BFA or MFA.

What's included in this industry?

Products and services covered in the Fine Arts Schools industry in the United States include Providing art instruction, Providing ballet instruction, Providing ceramics instruction, Providing dance instruction, Providing drama instruction, Providing handicrafts instruction, Providing music instruction, Providing photography instruction, Providing sculpture instruction and Providing voice instruction.

Companies

Companies covered in the Fine Arts Schools industry in the United States include .

Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

Related terms covered in the Fine Arts Schools industry in the United States include endowment fund and national endowment for the arts (nea).

Industry Code

NAICS 2017

NAICS 61161 - Fine Arts Schools in the US

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Fine arts schools' reliance on external funding is a growing vulnerability. COVID-era support provided a temporary boost that supported growth for many organizations, but as ...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Dance classes are the largest single revenue source for many fine arts schools. These programs consistently draw enrollment, support recurring tuition models and appeal to a ...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2025
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2025
  • Major market segmentation in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Fine arts schools are heavily concentrated in urban and suburban areas. These regions offer denser populations, greater cultural infrastructure and stronger demand for arts e...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each state in 2025
  • Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of employees in each state in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Barriers to entry are relatively low, especially at the local level. New studios or independent instructors can enter the market quickly with minimal capital, increasing chur...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

No major national provider exists in fine arts education. The field is fragmented, locally driven and difficult to scale because of inconsistent demand, high operating costs ...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025

Detailed analysis

    External Environment

    Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

    Analyst insights

    NEA cuts highlight the fragility of public arts funding. Sudden grant cancellations and elimination of entire programs show how quickly federal backing can end, leaving fine ...

    In this chapter

    • External Drivers
    • Regulation & Policy
    • Assistance

    Key metrics

    • Regulation & policy level and trend
    • Assistance level and trend

    Charts

    • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 
    • Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 

    Detailed analysis

    • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
    • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
    • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

    Financial Benchmarks

    View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

    Analyst insights

    Labor is the largest and fastest-growing expense for fine arts schools. Rising wages and reliance on skilled instructors mean personnel costs consume a growing share of reven...

    In this chapter

    • Cost Structure
    • Financial Ratios
    • Key Ratios

    Key metrics

    • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
    • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
    • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
    • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

    Charts

    • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
    • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
    • Investment vs. share of economy

    Data tables

    • Industry Multiples (2018-2023)
    • Industry Tax Structure (2018-2023)
    • Income Statement (2018-2023)
    • Balance Sheet (2018-2023)
    • Liquidity Ratios (2018-2023)
    • Coverage Ratios (2018-2023)
    • Leverage Ratios  (2018-2023)
    • Operating Ratios (2018-2023)
    • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
    • Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
    • Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
    • Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
    • Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
    • Average Wage (2015-2030)
    • Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
    • Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
    • IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
    • Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
    • Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)

    Detailed analysis

    • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

    Key Statistics

    Industry Data

    Data Tables

    Including values and annual change:

    • Revenue (2015-2030)
    • IVA (2015-2030)
    • Establishments (2015-2030)
    • Enterprises (2015-2030)
    • Employment (2015-2030)
    • Exports (2015-2030)
    • Imports (2015-2030)
    • Wages (2015-2030)

    Top Questions Answered

    Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

    What is the market size of the Fine Arts Schools industry in the United States in 2025?

    The market size of the Fine Arts Schools industry in the United States is $7.8bn in 2025.

    How many businesses are there in the Fine Arts Schools industry in the United States in 2025?

    There are 16,843 businesses in the Fine Arts Schools industry in the United States, which has grown at a CAGR of 1.6 % between 2020 and 2025.

    How may import tariffs affect the Fine Arts Schools industry in the United States?

    The Fine Arts Schools industry in the United States is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

    How may export tariffs affect the Fine Arts Schools industry in the United States?

    The Fine Arts Schools industry in the United States is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

    Has the Fine Arts Schools industry in the United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?

    The market size of the Fine Arts Schools industry in the United States has been growing at a CAGR of 4.3 % between 2020 and 2025.

    What is the forecast growth of the Fine Arts Schools industry in the United States over the next 5 years?

    Over the next five years, the Fine Arts Schools industry in the United States is expected to grow.

    What does the Fine Arts Schools industry in the United States include?

    Providing art instruction and Providing ballet instruction are part of the Fine Arts Schools industry in the United States.

    How competitive is the Fine Arts Schools industry in the United States?

    The level of competition is low and increasing in the Fine Arts Schools industry in the United States.

    Methodology

    How are IBISWorld reports created?

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    Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

    IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

    What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

    Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

    Key data sources in the US include: 

    • US Census Bureau
    • US Bureau of Labor Statistics
    • US International Trade Commission

    Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

    These sources include:

    • Industry and trade associations
    • Industry federations or regulators
    • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

    Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

    How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

    IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

    IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

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