According to Statista, the employability rate for bachelor of arts students was 47% in 2024. It is expected to rise to 54% in 2025. This steady growth of employment rates suggests a good growth of career opportunities for arts students in India.If you are an arts student about to complete class 12, you must understand the best career options available to you. This article explores some of the most popular and demanding careers you can pursue after class 12 arts.
Careers arts students can pursue after class 12
Arts and humanities students can pursue careers various careers in different fields after class 12. We’ve listed eight such career options below:
Lawyer and legal advisor
Students who are aspiring lawyers can prepare for entrance exams and get themselves enrolled on a BA+LLB integrated UG course. The course offers a detailed understanding of civil, criminal, company, and international laws. As a lawyer, they can specialise in criminal, corporate, or civil law. LLB graduates can also work as legal advisors, consultants, and in-house counsel for corporate firms.
Course to study: BA+LLB (5-year course)
Skills needed:
- Critical and analytical thinking
- Problem-solving
- Attention to detail
Graphic designer
Students who have creative skills can pursue careers in design. Graphic designers create visual designs for brands. They help brands craft visual content to expand their customer base. The duties of a graphic designer include creating logos, templates, and brochures according to a brand’s voice and image. The demand for in-house graphic designers is rising as brands become more aware of the need for well-crafted marketing content.
Course to study: Bachelor of Design
Skills needed:
- Creative and artistic skills
- Understanding of designing tools like Canva and Illustrator
- Good communication skills
Professional artist
Arts students can pursue a career in fine arts by acquiring a degree in the subject. Students can specialise in the discipline according to their skills and talents. Professional artists can be professional dancers, actors, painters, sculptors, or musicians. As professional artists, individuals can pursue their passions for performing arts while making a good income.
Course to study: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Diploma in Arts and Design
Skills needed:
- Creative and artistic skills
- Technical proficiency in various art forms
- Knowledge of art history
Interior designer
Interior designing is a popular career option among arts students after class 12. Interior designers focus on creating aesthetically pleasing interiors for homes, offices, and commercial spaces. They develop and execute innovative space designs that reflect the client’s sense of style. Interior designers can work with design firms or start their own practice with professional loans from NBFCs.
Course to study: Bachelor of Design in Interior Design
Skills needed:
- Creative skills
- Communication skills
- Space planning skills
- Visualisation skills
Journalist
Journalists produce news articles and stories on current affairs to spread awareness among people. They conduct research on stories to report facts and offer reliable information to the public. Journalists can work with various media platforms, including newspapers, television, magazines, and online news forums. Their everyday work includes investigating stories, interviewing sources, attending events, and reporting.
Course to study: Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication, Masters in Mass Communication
Skills needed:
- Strong writing and verbal communication skills
- Research skills and analytical thinking
- Public speaking skills
Counsellors and psychologist
Arts students can enroll in psychology courses to pursue careers as counsellors or psychologists. Psychology teaches students to understand the human mind and behaviour. Graduates use theoretical knowledge to help ensure the mental well-being of patients. Psychologists can specialise in various areas like clinical psychology, educational psychology, and counselling psychology. Students may need additional certifications and internships to work as counsellors or psychologists.
Course to study: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Master of Arts in Psychology, Diploma in Clinical Psychology
Skills needed:
- Active listening
- Empathy
- Analytical skills
- Strong communication skills
Social worker
A career as a social worker involves working with NGOs and government organisations to address societal issues. Social workers are trained to help marginalised individuals, families, and communities to foster their welfare. Apart from NGOs, social workers can also work with schools or hospitals.
Course to study: Bachelor of Arts in Social Work, Master of Social Work, Diploma in Social Welfare
Skills needed:
- Compassion and empathy
- Communication and counselling skills
- Problem-solving skills
Teacher
While the influence of AI in education is rising, nothing can replace the role of a teacher. Teachers receive training in educational approach so they can teach students. They create lesson plans that efficiently provide the curriculum’s specified content. Teachers also evaluate students’ progress and provide advice and comments. With just a B.Ed., arts students can work as school teachers, or they can earn M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees to become assistant professors in higher education.
Course to study: Bachelor of Education, Master of Education
Skills needed:
- Subject matter knowledge
- Patient and empathy
- Good communication skills
- Organisational skills
Summing it up
After class 12, arts students have a variety of career alternatives to choose from. After class 12, they can decide which courses to take by selecting a professional path from the ones mentioned above. Students can pursue master’s and diploma programs in their chosen field if they wish to improve their employability and skill set even more. In order to access a greater variety of options, they may also decide to pursue higher education overseas. Information about student loans is available on the websites and online marketplace s of banks and NBFC s, respectively, for arts students who want to study overseas.