Creative
Remote-Friendly
Freelance

Creative Industries Career Pathways

Express creativity through design, media, film, and digital content. Denver's creative scene continues to grow with agencies and studios.

CERTIFIED CREATIVE DISTRICTS
30
Colorado's Creative Districts program certifies communities where creativity and culture strengthen local economies.
STATE CREATIVE OFFICE
1
Colorado Creative Industries is a state office focused on strengthening visual, performing and literary arts.
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES SUMMIT
Annual
The summit brings together hundreds of creative stakeholders from communities across Colorado.
Annual openings
2,407
Statewide across pathway roles

Interactive walkthrough

Explore My Colorado Journey Career Pathways

Learn how to browse Creative Industries careers, compare pathway levels, and use Colorado labor-market information to plan your next step.

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Explore Colorado Creative Industries

What to know about Creative Industries

A quick look, straight from Colorado’s industry data.

Big Business

Colorado's creative industries and occupations employ almost 400,000 people and generate $32 billion in sales.

Talent Abounds

Large nationally recognized venues, an extensive number of festivals, and many wonderful local venues give us easy access to the best national and local artists and performers.

Artistic Focus

Colorado ranks number 1 in the percentage of residents who personally perform or create artworks, according to the National Endowment for the Arts.

Student Support Services

Essential resources for your educational journey

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College Scorecard

Compare college costs, graduation rates & outcomes

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Apprenticeship Directory

Find registered earn-while-you-learn programs

Earn & Learn

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Apprenticeship Intermediaries

Get help connecting to Colorado registered apprenticeships

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ICAP Resources

Individual Career & Academic Planning tools

Career Planning

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Interest Assessments

Discover careers that match your interests

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About this pathway

Creative Hub: Colorado is recognized as a premier creative hub and a home for world-class creative businesses, productions, and experiences.

Big Business: Colorado's creative industries and occupations employ almost 400,000 people and generate $32 billion in sales.

Talent Abounds: Large nationally recognized venues, an extensive number of festivals, and many wonderful local venues give us easy access to the best national and local artists and performers.

Artistic Focus: Colorado ranks number 1 in the percentage of residents who personally perform or create artworks, according to the National Endowment for the Arts.

Roles in this pathway

Salary ranges are career-ladder estimates. Occupation pages show unique job postings where available.

Role	Track	Level	Typical education	Salary range
Actor	Technical	1	High school / GED	$51k–$68k
Athletes and Sports Competitors	Technical	1	Some jobs will require college experienc…	$152k–$206k
Disc Jockey (Not Radio)	Technical	1	High school / GED	$64k–$87k
Welder	Technical	1	See role page	$49k–$66k
Audio & Video Technician	Technical	2	High school / GED	$50k–$68k
Broadcast Technician	Technical	2	High school / GED	$52k–$71k
Camera Operator	Technical	2	High school / GED	$58k–$79k
Craft Artist	Technical	2	High school / GED	$39k–$52k
Dancer	Technical	2	High school / GED	$43k–$58k
Entertainer and Performer	Technical	2	High school / GED	$55k–$74k
Fine Artist, including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators	Technical	2	High school / GED	$33k–$45k
Musician / Singer	Technical	2	High school / GED	$40k–$54k
Photographer	Technical	2	High school / GED	$38k–$52k
Writer / Author	Technical	2	High school / GED	$66k–$89k
Brickmason and Blockmason	Technical	3	See role page	$54k–$73k
Broadcast Announcer / Radio Disc Jockey	Technical	3	High school / GED	$42k–$56k
Carpenter	Technical	3	See role page	$51k–$69k
Carpet Installer	Technical	3	See role page	$46k–$62k
Cement Mason and Concrete Finisher	Technical	3	See role page	$52k–$70k
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installer	Technical	3	See role page	$53k–$72k
Electrician - Journeyman	Technical	3	High school / GED	$54k–$73k
Elevator Installer and Repairer	Technical	3	See role page	$96k–$130k
Film and Video Editor	Technical	3	High school / GED	$46k–$63k
Fire Sprinkler Fitter	Technical	3	See role page	$55k–$74k
Glazier	Technical	3	See role page	$52k–$71k
Graphic Designer	Technical	3	Bachelor's degree	$54k–$72k
Heating, AC and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers	Technical	3	See role page	$55k–$74k
Insulation Worker	Technical	3	See role page	$42k–$57k
Mechanical Door Repairers	Technical	3	High school / GED	$51k–$70k
Painter	Technical	3	See role page	$42k–$57k
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators	Technical	3	High school / GED	$45k–$60k
Pipefitter and Steamfitter	Technical	3	See role page	$55k–$74k
Pipelayer	Technical	3	See role page	$50k–$67k
Plasterer and Stucco Mason	Technical	3	High school / GED	$44k–$60k
Plumber	Technical	3	See role page	$55k–$74k
Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers	Technical	3	High school / GED	$53k–$71k
Roofer	Technical	3	See role page	$46k–$62k
Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installer	Technical	3	See role page	$55k–$75k
Sheet Metal Worker	Technical	3	See role page	$48k–$65k
Special Effects Artist / Animator	Technical	3	High school / GED	$63k–$85k
Stone Mason	Technical	3	See role page	$48k–$65k
Tile and Marble Setter	Technical	3	See role page	$49k–$66k
Choreographer	Technical	4	No formal requirement	$64k–$87k
Editor	Technical	4	Certificate	$61k–$83k
Set and Exhibit Designer	Technical	4	High school / GED	$45k–$60k
Curator	Technical	5	Master's degree	$57k–$77k
Museum Technician and Conservator	Technical	5	Master's degree	$44k–$59k
Arts Business Operations	Management	3	Please see the Business Operations Pathw…	$0k–$0k
Art Director	Management	4	See role page	$91k–$123k
Music Director / Composer	Management	4	No formal requirement	$55k–$74k
General and Operations Manager	Management	6	Bachelor's degree	$110k–$149k
Producer / Director	Management	6	No formal requirement	$65k–$88k
Venue Owner / Manager	Management	6	No formal requirement	$0k–$0k
News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist	Specialist	3	Bachelor's degree	$49k–$67k

Role

Track

Level

Typical education

Salary range

Actor

Technical

High school / GED

$51k–$68k

Athletes and Sports Competitors

Technical

Some jobs will require college experienc…

$152k–$206k

Disc Jockey (Not Radio)

Technical

High school / GED

$64k–$87k

Welder

Technical

See role page

$49k–$66k

Audio & Video Technician

Technical

High school / GED

$50k–$68k

Broadcast Technician

Technical

High school / GED

$52k–$71k

Camera Operator

Technical

High school / GED

$58k–$79k

Craft Artist

Technical

High school / GED

$39k–$52k

Dancer

Technical

High school / GED

$43k–$58k

Entertainer and Performer

Technical

High school / GED

$55k–$74k

Fine Artist, including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators

Technical

High school / GED

$33k–$45k

Musician / Singer

Technical

High school / GED

$40k–$54k

Photographer

Technical

High school / GED

$38k–$52k

Writer / Author

Technical

High school / GED

$66k–$89k

Brickmason and Blockmason

Technical

See role page

$54k–$73k

Broadcast Announcer / Radio Disc Jockey

Technical

High school / GED

$42k–$56k

Carpenter

Technical

See role page

$51k–$69k

Carpet Installer

Technical

See role page

$46k–$62k

Cement Mason and Concrete Finisher

Technical

See role page

$52k–$70k

Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installer

Technical

See role page

$53k–$72k

Electrician - Journeyman

Technical

High school / GED

$54k–$73k

Elevator Installer and Repairer

Technical

See role page

$96k–$130k

Film and Video Editor

Technical

High school / GED

$46k–$63k

Fire Sprinkler Fitter

Technical

See role page

$55k–$74k

Glazier

Technical

See role page

$52k–$71k

Graphic Designer

Technical

Bachelor's degree

$54k–$72k

Heating, AC and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers

Technical

See role page

$55k–$74k

Insulation Worker

Technical

See role page

$42k–$57k

Mechanical Door Repairers

Technical

High school / GED

$51k–$70k

Painter

Technical

See role page

$42k–$57k

Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

Technical

High school / GED

$45k–$60k

Pipefitter and Steamfitter

Technical

See role page

$55k–$74k

Pipelayer

Technical

See role page

$50k–$67k

Plasterer and Stucco Mason

Technical

High school / GED

$44k–$60k

Plumber

Technical

See role page

$55k–$74k

Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers

Technical

High school / GED

$53k–$71k

Roofer

Technical

See role page

$46k–$62k

Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installer

Technical

See role page

$55k–$75k

Sheet Metal Worker

Technical

See role page

$48k–$65k

Special Effects Artist / Animator

Technical

High school / GED

$63k–$85k

Stone Mason

Technical

See role page

$48k–$65k

Tile and Marble Setter

Technical

See role page

$49k–$66k

Choreographer

Technical

No formal requirement

$64k–$87k

Editor

Technical

Certificate

$61k–$83k

Set and Exhibit Designer

Technical

High school / GED

$45k–$60k

Curator

Technical

Master's degree

$57k–$77k

Museum Technician and Conservator

Technical

Master's degree

$44k–$59k

Arts Business Operations

Management

Please see the Business Operations Pathw…

$0k–$0k

Art Director

Management

See role page

$91k–$123k

Music Director / Composer

Management

No formal requirement

$55k–$74k

General and Operations Manager

Management

Bachelor's degree

$110k–$149k

Producer / Director

Management

No formal requirement

$65k–$88k

Venue Owner / Manager

Management

No formal requirement

$0k–$0k

News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist

Specialist

Bachelor's degree

$49k–$67k

Creative Industries Career Pathways

Explore My Colorado Journey Career Pathways

What to know about Creative Industries

Big Business

Talent Abounds

Artistic Focus

Student Support Services

College Scorecard

Apprenticeship Directory

Apprenticeship Intermediaries

ICAP Resources

Interest Assessments

Creative Industries Career Pathways

About this pathway

Roles in this pathway (54)

Roles in this pathway