Top 15 Career Options After 12th Arts That You Should Know in 2025
By Kamal Jacob
Updated on Jul 11, 2025 | 10 min read | 583.45K+ views
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By Kamal Jacob
Updated on Jul 11, 2025 | 10 min read | 583.45K+ views
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Did You Know? The employability rate for Bachelor of Arts graduates in India has risen from 47.1% in 2024 to 54% in 2025, reflecting growing job opportunities for Arts students. |
Deciding what to do after 12th arts high school can be quite overwhelming as there are a plethora of options for you to choose from. But you can simplify your choice by aligning your career path with your interests and inclinations.
The most popular career options after 12 arts are in law, psychology, journalism, digital marketing, design, teaching, fashion, management, social work, civil services, animation and more.
In this article, we shall take a look at the top career options after 12th arts, so that you have a range of options to assess and choose your desired path. So, if you too are wondering what to do after 12th arts, read along to find what diverse options await you!
Take charge of your career early on! Explore industry-relevant courses like Digital Marketing and Management and gain relevant skills to secure your career!
If you come from a humanities stream, you can enter diverse career opportunities. With its vast applicability across streams, an arts background can offer you employment opportunities in some of the most sought-after professions in India.
Take a look at our popular digital marketing courses that teach you industry-aligned skills:
Law offers a range of career opportunities for students after 12th. As a lawyer, you can specialize in criminal, corporate, or civil law. Legal professionals are in high demand, offering a rewarding career in terms of both prestige and financial compensation.
Top Career Roles and Average Salary
Career Option |
Average Annual Salary |
Lawyer |
INR 6 |
Corporate Lawyer |
INR 8 Lakhs |
Legal Advisor |
INR 5 Lakhs |
Judge |
INR 24 Lakhs |
Legal Consultant |
INR 6 Lakhs |
Source: Glassdoor
Top Courses for a Career in Law
Psychology is the study of the human mind and behavior. Psychology careers include roles in counseling, therapy, research, or organizational psychology. This field offers rewarding roles that help people improve their mental health and well-being.
Top Career Roles and Average Salary
Career Option |
Average Annual Salary |
Clinical Psychologist |
INR 3.6 Lakhs |
School Counselor |
INR 3.2 Lakhs |
HR |
INR 6 Lakhs |
Researcher |
INR 8 Lakhs |
Source: Glassdoor
Top Courses for a Career in Psychology
A career in journalism and mass media allows you to work in news reporting, editing, and producing content for television, print, and digital platforms. With the rise of digital media, this field offers diverse and dynamic opportunities.
Top Career Roles and Average Salary
Top Roles |
Average Salary (₹/year) |
Journalist |
INR 3.6 Lakhs |
Feature Writer |
INR 9 Lakhs |
News Anchor |
INR 5 Lakhs |
Broadcast Journalist |
INR 10.5 Lakhs |
Photojournalist |
INR 5 Lakhs |
Source: Glassdoor
Top Courses for a Career in Journalism
Digital marketing involves promoting products or services using digital channels like social media, SEO, SEM, email marketing, and content creation. This rapidly growing field offers immense career opportunities due to the rise of online businesses and e-commerce.
Top Career Roles and Average Salary
Career Option |
Average Annual Salary |
INR 5 Lakhs |
|
SEO Specialist |
INR 4 Lakhs |
PPC Expert |
INR 6 Lakhs |
INR 7 Lakhs |
Source: Glassdoor
Top Courses for a Career in Digital Marketing
Graphic design is a creative field where professionals use visual elements to communicate messages, create branding, and design layouts for digital or print media. Designers use various tools and techniques to craft visually appealing designs for websites, advertisements, logos, and more.
Top Career Roles and Average Salary
Career Option |
Average Annual Salary |
Graphic Designer |
INR 3 Lakhs |
INR 8 Lakhs |
|
Brand Designer |
INR 7 Lakhs |
Web Designer |
INR 3.4 Lakhs |
Product Designer |
INR 11 lakhs |
Source: Glassdoor
Top Courses for a Graphic Design Career:
Fashion design is a creative and dynamic field where you design clothing, accessories, and footwear. It’s a great career for those passionate about style and innovation, offering opportunities in both the domestic and international fashion markets.
Top Career Roles and Average Salary
Career Option |
Average Annual Salary |
Fashion Designer |
INR 4.5 Lakhs |
Fashion Stylist |
INR 4.8 Lakhs |
Textile Designer |
INR 5 Lakhs |
Fashion Consultant |
INR 3 lakhs |
Source: AmbitionBox
Top Courses
Foreign language experts are in demand in sectors like translation, international business, tourism, and education. Mastery in languages such as French, Spanish, Chinese, or German opens up global career opportunities.
Top Career Roles and Average Salary
Career Option |
Average Annual Salary |
Interpreter |
INR 5 Lakhs |
Language Trainer |
INR 3.6 Lakhs |
Content Writer (for foreign languages) |
INR 5 Lakhs |
Translator |
INR 4.5 Lakhs |
Source: Glassdoor
Top Courses for a Foreign Language Career
Management involves managing and overseeing business operations and processes. This is well suited for those interested in leadership roles, organizational management, and running companies or departments.
Top Career Roles and Average Salary
Career Option |
Average Annual Salary |
INR 15 Lakhs |
|
Business Manager |
INR 10 Lakhs |
Operations Manager |
INR 10 Lakhs |
Marketing Manager |
INR 13 Lakhs |
Source: Glassdoor
Top Courses for a Management Career:
Business administration offers a range of career opportunities for those interested in managing and leading organizations. Professionals in this field oversee business operations, strategy, and management across various industries.
Got a knack for creative roles? Here are the top career options in various domains and specializations:
The writing field has a range of career opportunities for you if you have a passion for penning down creative magic and expression. There are opportunities to work in domains like content writing, journalism, technical writing, and copywriting.
Top Career Roles and Average Salary
Career Option |
Average Annual Salary |
INR 3 Lakhs |
|
Copywriter |
INR 5 Lakhs |
Technical Writer |
INR 8 Lakhs |
Journalist |
INR 3.6 Lakhs |
Editor |
INR 6 lakhs |
Source: Glassdoor
Top Courses for a Writing Career:
Enroll in our Generative AI Mastery Certificate for Content Creation course in collaboration with Microsoft!
Social work focuses on helping individuals, families, and communities improve their well-being. Social workers can work in various settings, including NGOs, hospitals, schools, and government agencies.
Top Career Roles and Average Salary
Career Option |
Average Annual Salary |
Community Development Officer |
INR 4.7 Lakhs |
Child Welfare Worker |
INR 2.6 Lakhs |
Rehabilitation Specialist |
INR 5 Lakhs |
Social Worker |
INR 2.64 Lakhs |
Source: Glassdoor, AmbitionBox
Top Courses
Teaching and education careers are best suited for students who are interested in teaching, mentoring, and guiding others. This could involve mainstream traditional teaching roles as well as corporate training roles.
Top Career Roles and Average Salary
Career Option |
Average Annual Salary |
Teacher |
INR 3.6 Lakhs |
Curriculum Developer |
INR 5 Lakhs |
Educational Consultant |
INR 3.6 Lakhs |
Corporate Trainer |
INR 5 Lakhs |
Source: Glassdoor
Top Courses
If you are inclined towards public service roles in policymaking and administration, civil services might be the right choice for you. You need to clear competitive exams conducted by the UPSC in India for central government roles and specific state public service commission exams for state level roles.
Top Career Roles and Average Salary
Career Option |
Average Annual Salary* |
IAS (Indian Administrative Service) |
INR 6.73 Lakhs |
IPS (India Police Service) |
INR 6.73 Lakhs |
IFS (Indian Foreign Service) |
INR 6.73 Lakhs |
IES (Indian Engineering Service) |
INR 6.73 Lakhs |
Source: Glassdoor
(* These are entry-level salaries and exclude additional pay in DA, HRA etc., as per the 7th pay commission)
Top Courses to prepare for Civil Services
Photography is both a creative and technical career that involves capturing moments through a camera. From photojournalism to fashion or wedding photography, it offers flexibility and the opportunity to work as a freelancer or with agencies.
Top Career Roles and Average Salary
Career Option |
Average Annual Salary |
Photojournalist |
INR 5 Lakhs |
Fashion Photographer |
INR 4.4 Lakhs |
Product Photographer |
INR 3.3 Lakhs |
Photographer |
INR 5 Lakhs |
Source: Glassdoor, AmbitionBox
Top Courses for a Career in Photography:
Filmmaking is an exciting career witnessing industry growth with demand for production roles. It involves directing, producing, and editing films, documentaries, or web series.
Top Career Roles and Average Salary
Career Option |
Average Annual Salary |
Film Director |
INR 6.6 Lakhs |
Film Producer |
INR 45 Lakhs |
Cinematographer |
INR 5 Lakhs |
Video Editor |
INR 24 Lakhs |
Screenwriter |
INR 5 Lakhs |
Source: Glassdoor
Top Courses For a Career in Filmmaking
Animation has great demand in the entertainment, gaming and advertising sectors.Here you can be involved in visual graphics, mobile games, motion graphics etc to create visual art by using 2D or 3D tools.
Top Career Roles and Average Salary
Career Option |
Average Annual Salary |
3D Animator |
INR 5 Lakhs |
2D Animator |
INR 4.2 Lakhs |
Motion Graphics Designer |
INR 6 Lakhs |
VFX Artist |
INR 5 Lakhs |
Source: Glassdoor
Top Courses for a Career in Animation
After completing high school, you are required to make some carefully thought-out decisions and career paths that suit you the best. It is a serious decision that requires you to consider your aspirations, your dream job, and your inclinations towards a particular career field.
By considering these factors, you can choose the right course after 12th arts:
At upGrad, we offer specialized courses that are carefully designed to help you gain in-depth, practical knowledge in fields like Digital Marketing, Business Administration, and more.
Here are some of our popular courses you may like:
If you’re unsure about higher education after 12th arts, you may book a free 1:1 counseling session with us, and we will help you out.
You can also visit your nearest upGrad center for in-person guidance and support in selecting the right course to achieve your career goals.
Enhance your expertise with our Popular MBA Courses. Explore the programs below to find your ideal fit.
Expand your knowledge with our Popular Articles Related to MBA. Browse the programs below to discover your ideal match.
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