Note: Information about these careers is based on national statistics, so salaries and opportunities may be different in your town.

Composers create original music such as popular songs, operas and symphonies, translating ideas into musical notation using harmony, rhythm, melody and tonal structure. Original music is also used in advertising, television and movies.

Education: Many community colleges, universities and music conservatories grant associate's, bachelor's and higher degrees.

Salary: Earnings depend on a composer's professional reputation, as well as whether the composition is for studio recording, live performance or movie production.

Outlook: Good

Chefs are responsible for preparing meals that are tasty and attractively presented. They work in restaurants, hospitals, ships, vacation retreats and industrial cafeterias.

Education: Increasingly, chefs are obtaining their training through culinary programs in community colleges and universities. Chefs may also be trained in apprenticeship programs offered by professional culinary institutes, industry associations and trade unions.

Salary: Wages vary depending on the part of the country and type of establishment. Wages generally are highest in elegant restaurants and hotels where executive chefs earn about $40,000.

Outlook: Excellent

Writer/editors communicate through the written word. Writers develop original fiction and nonfiction for books, magazines and trade journals, newspapers, technical reports, company newsletters, radio and television broadcasts, movies and advertisements. Editors select and prepare material for publication
or broadcasting and supervise writers.

Education: A bachelor's degree is generally required. Employers look for a broad liberal arts background or, for example, degrees in communications, journalism or English. Technical writing requires a degree in or some knowledge about a specialized field­engineering, business or one of the sciences.

Salary: Starting salaries for writers and editorial assistants is around $20,000

Outlook: Good

Jewelry designers design or make their own jewelry. Following their own designs, or those sketched by their customers, they shape and carve wax to make a model for casting the metal. The individual parts are then soldered together and gems are mounted, if desired.

Education: Colleges and art schools offer programs that lead to a degree of fine arts in jewelry design.

Salary: Average pay is $28,000. Designers who sell their own work are limited only by their pricing and the public's willingness to pay.

Outlook: Good

Architects design buildings and other structures and are often involved in all phases of development, from the initial discussion of general ideas with the client through construction. Some architects specialize in commercial building design, others in residential design, whereas some turn their skills to historic
preservation and restoration, or designing with new products and methods for environmentally friendly structures.

Education: There are several types of professional degrees; the most common is the five-year bachelor of architecture. Knowledge of computer-aided design and drafting is essential.

Salary: Median salary for intern-architects is $25,000; partners in some large practices earn six figures.

Outlook: Good

Cosmetologists and barbers primarily cut, trim, shampoo and style hair. Many provide other services for the hair such as permanent waves, straightening and coloring. Cosmetologists may also offer facials, manicures, pedicures and similar services. They can have their own business or work in a salon; work in
the entertainment industry, advertising photography and funeral homes; and demonstrate and sell hair care products to salons or at trade shows.

Education: All states require licensing. High schools and community colleges offer classes in barbering and cosmetology.

Salary: Entry-level positions vary from minimum wage to about $15,000 annually, but a barber's or cosmetologist's ability to attract and retain a regular client base is key.

Outlook: Good for barbers; great for cosmetologists

Graphics artists or graphic designers use a variety of print, electronic and film media to create art that meets the needs of clients ranging from corporate businesses to publishing houses. The Internet has created a new specialty area in web page design, which requires a combination of creative and
organizational talents.

Education: Community colleges and universities offer degrees in commercial art and graphic design; some offer courses in web page design. Most important to getting a job, though, is the evidence of talent and skills displayed in a portfolio, a collection of samples of your best work.

Salary: Starts between $21,000-$24,000 for graphic designers employed in advertising or publishing; self-employed artists earn whatever the market will bear.

Outlook: Competitive

Other jobs for creators: sculptor, choreographer, designer, photographer, director, singer, actor, dancer, landscaper, interior designer, musician, comedian, cartoonist, make-up artist, columnist, poet, marketing supervisor, screen writer, police artist, floral designer, newscaster, reporter, disc jockey,
medical illustrator.

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