Probably not art. Art isn't a likely career path. I went for art and now I'm in data entry and medical coding. Find something that you don't mind doing that will pay the bills to go into. Pursue comics on the side. Hopefully one day maybe you'll be able to make a living with your comics and/or writing. But the chances are incredibly low. So prepare for that likelihood. But don't stop creating. Find time on the side for it and work at it still 
My choice was okay when I was doing it, a groundwater specialist, geology, but the jobs are disappearing in this decade. My husband had to do a second degree to go into teaching from IT ten years ago. So, I honestly dunno what to tell my kid or other young people, except for being flexible and not expecting the life-long career based on education received first time round. It’s more likely going to be a few different jobs in a lifetime.
I asked myself, "what skills do i need to do what i want to do and where i can get them?"
I didnt study art because that skill can be learned in many other places, like books and tutorials among other stuff.
I didnt study game design because i can learn that skill by doing games and reading books.
What i did study was advertising because i wanted to learn how to sell whatever wild crazy project i develop to not be limited by the "that doesnt sell" excuse. Also, the carreer has some art and writing courses, so it was a synergic combo...
My advice is "don't get too set on one specific path and over-specialise". You never know what will happen or what cards you'll be dealt.
I tried to become a comic artist, made progress towards the goal, placing in national competitions, had my plans wrecked by the '08 recession, switched gears, got an MA in games design, wasn't taken seriously as a games designer due to being female, worked more as a games artist and illustrator, went for a job as a UX designer and ended up as a general all-purpose creative on kids edutainment who moonlights as a webcomic artist. It sounds like I "didn't make it" but during that time I've worked on like 13 published games and got my work in print in 3 books with ISBNs and a bunch of small press ones and done art for an international tech conference.
It's true but it's sad. My original reasoning was that no matter what career I choose, I wouldn't get enough money in my country so maybe the best option was to choose something that I enjoyed. Now I see that logic won't be very helpful in the future.
When picking a career, i suggest doing some research into what you like, and try it out on your own time. Next evaluate what is it's worth to you? That is what I did. I was looking into game design, and coding. So i took a few coding classes. Python, java, html, css, ruby. While I was learning how to do them, I took some time to evaluate my enjoyment of the work i was doing. and I asked myself "Can i see myself, doing this for the rest of my life?" Although I was decent at it, I found it boring, and well. . . not engaging for my mind. So, I went back to what I love most. Art. I enrolled into an art school (which you don't have to do to be an artist, but it helps) There I actually learned a lot. and not just how to draw. I learned that art takes up about 10% of the workforce. And i want to clarify that does not mean just illustration. I'm talking industrial design, architecture, interior design, and more. there are many venues for you to choose from. But, it is a hard field because it is so competitive. If you want to go into art, by all means do it, but know that you have to like it enough to fight for jobs. And learn business things such as taxes. oh god, taxes. . . Ideally, you should go what direction fits you best, and be willing to work towards whatever it is. If you are looking for jobs that make lots of money, IT is a growing field and will do well in the future. The medical market is getting flood about now (or at least in my area) so although it is an option, it will be a little more difficult to get a job in it. I would also say that technical jobs such as mechanics, electricians, and another way to go. And i feel, they are underrated (at least in american where it's almost frowned upon anyways). There are good jobs, and what ever path you go on, make sure your happiness is not given up.
Well I've always been told to have a back up plan if anything happens and a backup for the backup. But despite what folks tend to say about "not being able to make money off of art" I still wound up pursuing art when I went into college (the short time i was there). Grated during that time it was graphic design i stuck it out for as long as I could even if i wasn't entirely happy then.
I could get into all the details but the main thing to remember is that you're still in the early stages of your adult or young adult life and there's plenty of time to make changes try new things and experiment. People always assume or are raised to believe you pick one path and stick to it forever but there will be bumps and bends and curves, so in reality you've got to be able and willing to adapt to those changes
Plus one piece of advice that's managed to carry me is find work that makes you happy because if you enjoy it it doesn't feel as much like work. You won't always be able to walk on a path where your happy but when you can find it there's no harm following it for a while.
Best of luck out there 
Pursuing a career as a manga artist. i know it seems unlikely, because im currently in america and barely know any Japanese, but im gonna make it happen.
It's not an easy answer.
I have my degree as a primary school teacher and ended up in lab services where I am a manager now. What you do now or decide now, doesn't nescesarily define the outcome.
My goal: full time Author. which has been a long life dream.
But I did a carreer and kids first.
anyway, long story short, often your gut will give you the best way to go. because a lot can change along the way.
That's how I was raised too. I spent 10 years trying to break into the field and being frustrated in my jobs and always expecting them to be temporary until I found my "real" job stunted my career growth in that time. I found a job I didn't mind that didn't stress me out and though I've moved on from that job I have since made that my career trajectory and am in a better place in my life than ever before because of it. Accepting that a career in art was unlikely and difficult was painful but I've also improved dramatically since then too. I put my effort toward improving and working on it for myself rather than thinking about the numbers and trying to make it my job. A passionate side hustle is a valuable thing to have too
I have a degree in Computer arts. If I had it to do over again, I think I'd get something more universal. My degree is basically a paperweight. I'm now back in the position of trying to decide if I want to go back to school and for what so it's definitely not an easy decision to make even now years later. I know what I would enjoy doing, but due to deficiencies in certain knowledge areas I know I couldn't do them. Like I'd love to work with animals, but I'm too emotional to do the sadder stuff like put them down or watch them suffer and I don't have the science know-how to be a vet.
Do something that you know will make you happy 100%, but also keep in mind long term career. Art degrees are hard to truly use no matter how passionate you might be about it.
For the first year I'd say try a little of everything that would make you happy. My emphasis was in game design, but I figured out half way through the program I actually hated game design but I was too far into it to back out (because it was a costly degree) so I just had to get it and hope the certificate in graphic design I had would be enough to get me work...it wasn't. Now maybe it was because I didn't have an amazeballs portfolio or I couldn't do unpaid internships or something else, but I just couldn't get past the "you need experience to get experience" rut to be able to use either the degree or the certificate. So if you have the time to just do a little of everything you might be happy in, do it. Take a class in it to see if you really truly do like it.
But also don't stress about it because what you go to school for could potentially not be what you end up doing. That happens quite a bit. So be prepared for both scenarios.
Hi, my name is Larry DeGala. I have several series on Tapas at the moment. I'm posting My Two Cents on the topic.
If you like painting and colors, I met the Las Vegas artist who painted water towers across the United States during the '80s and '90s.
This was during the mid-'90s when I was learning Corel Draw (in New York, Photoshop was the industry standard; outside of New York, independents used Corel). I worked on billboards for outdoor advertising where our clients were Marlboro, Beazer Homes, Lawry's Restaurant chain, and all the major casinos. My boss had me climbing billboards and helping the crews with changing the super flexes. I learned to weld structural steel. And I am naturally afraid of heights.
In the mid-2000s, I met a lady who worked on Star Wars Episode 1, 2, and 3. She was brought onboard to do the artwork of many of the vehicles, especially the Anakin Swoop Bike.
She is an artist that does industrial design for the architectural industry. She does not use a computer; her work flow is completely organic-- pens, markers, certain brushes. Her lifelong salary did not come from Star Wars franchise. She understood her value in the market and positioned herself appropriately in that market. She was an artist who did industrial design.
To make a long story short, I did not have a single mentor, but I met many leaders in the field according to their unique specialties. My message today is that your career path should involve a healthy mixture of arts and sciences.
But what has this to do with Anime/Manga?
1) Be flexible as the industry will experience highs and lows. The ones who benefit from the fruit of their labor are those who stuck it out the longest and learned to adapt. I only had the chance to do my Tapas series because of COVID19. Nobody was hiring. Nobody was working.
2) Keep learning. Be that lifelong student. Expand your mind.
3) And collaborate with your peers. They might end up being partners (if not for life) but over the long haul.
And that's My Two Cents.
When I graduated high school, I was dead set on pursuing a career in industrial design. It was a mix of the art I loved and the engineering most of my family ended up going into. I didn't realize that one semester in, I would want to drop out because I hated it so much. (I totally dropped out too... which was very unexpected by my family and friends)
I took a gap semester to figure out what I wanted to do. I was pretty much against going into the arts because of all the people who say it's hard to find a job. But I just wasn't interested in anything else, so on a whim I went to a state university and majored in Digital Arts. It was something I wanted to do, but I was very worried about job prospects upon graduation.
But then I realized that art encompasses more than just drawing or painting. There are so many creative jobs out there that artists can thrive in. I got interested in the photo/video track of my school's digital arts program so I decided to pursue that. It was more viable than 3D character animation or video game design in my opinion. I truly enjoyed it.
Now I'm thriving in my career as a digital media specialist and I do all sorts of creative things like design, video production, and photography. Occasionally, I even get to do illustration for my job. But I still have illustration as my hobby so it's not like I just let it go completely.
It was rough finding a job at first. When I graduated, I was working customer service at an art framing shop and while that was nice, it definitely wasn't an endpoint for me. I just kept myself open minded to the types of jobs I could do and expanded my job search beyond "graphic designer" or "illustrator."
Don't ever feel obligated to go to a fancy expensive private university. Public state universities and community colleges are cheaper alternatives where you can still gain a lot of experience/education if you choose to. Also ask yourself if you even need college for the career you're interested in. Would a 2 year degree suffice? Trade school?
Also, it's okay to not know what you want to do! I always thought it was such a huge expectation to put on teens. Don't be afraid to switch things up if it doesn't work out. You have your whole life ahead of you and you shouldn't waste it on a career that makes you unhappy.
I have a BA in Illustration with animation, an MA in Art & Design. Been in a few (Paper Toy) books, worked as an illustrator for a bit (not much money in this unless you can take on a lot of jobs, and they are time consuming), then a greeting card designer (I hated that!) and now I have my own business selling personalised wedding stationery.
To be honest the wedding stationery pays the bills and then some, but it's loooong hours during wedding season, bridezilla central (Lol!) and tax returns. UGH! 
I really enjoy designing the stationery ranges and the website side of things though - and if it gets too much I am self employed so I can take time off and do whatever I like. 
I sell clipart online too, which anyone with drawing skills can do to be honest. I'd like to just do this eventually as it's passive income. You draw it, you upload in and then you can sell that one image countless times.
I think it's all about balance (which I sometimes get wrong) You can have a career in anything whatsoever and still draw, so do something that doesn't make you miserable and you'll be fine. 
Don't worry about changing your mind at any stage either. 
If somethings not working out don't be scared to up and go.
From my paper toy days, when I was cool. Haha! 
The mad scientist and orange critter at the back were some of my cuties. This was in New York and I'm from nowhere in the UK so this was a highlight for me. Lol 
Yes! I was briefly a superstar of a niche nobody I actually know cares about hahaha! 
I was excited about it anyways.
It can be helpful I think to divide the paid world into three – the professions, entrepreneurs & everyone else.
The professions are closest to what people consider a traditional career – greater salaries & job security, if not always satisfaction, due to their ability to maintain a closed shop.
If you were a natural entrepreneur you probably wouldn’t have posed the question you did! Instead you’d already be out there … trying, failing & trying again. That said, we can improve almost anything if sufficiently motivated so you can still be successfully self-employed if that’s where your future lies.
And then there’s where most people reside – a veritable smorgasbord of working opportunities & anxieties, with no proper menu & few rules about getting the most from the buffet table. The key thing here is, before you can expect to earn money you’d be wise to check someone actually needs what you can offer; trailblazing may be creatively exciting but it rarely pays …
Others have emphasised flexibility, so I’ll just add the importance of taking advantage of opportunities. Many of us have found our most fulfilling jobs not as a result of planning, but by keeping an ear to the ground and being prepared to jump.
Two final things: Don’t get suckered by the assumption that all training/courses, especially the longer & more expensive ones, necessarily make us more employable; pursue your passions, but further study ideally occurs once someone paying you recommends & preferably pays for it. However it is our relationships which are far and away the best indicators of success – in a career as well as in life – so prioritise these
Good luck!
I know it's rough out there because so much seems uncertain--but just know you don't have to have it figured out at 19. I'm 34 and like "Maybe I can go back to school again, accounting might be rad?" People switch careers a lot. I've had...
....just so many jobs.
In my experience, I've already graduated in college, My focus was animation but I started working as a game designer
I liked my profession but I moved out from my job this year and started continuing my dreams becoming an author, but up till now I'm still not sure what career path should I take for a long term , since I don't earn that much in writing and making comic,(actually i'm not earning yet) but I think as long as you do what makes you happy.
Things change in the future too
I try to tell without making it too much of a rant. For the most of the earlier part of my life, I knew I wanted somehing but was not exactly sure. Come last year of high school, I knew I'll be settling into a safe, and practical career path though I had other interests. College was ok, memorable because of the people there, but upon graduating and getting into the field, I realized I was wrong in thinking I could just take it and move on. People who knew where my interests lie convinced me that I could use my passion into the job, but upon coming here, I see that those skills are not relevant. Although in my case, art degrees are like shooting for the stars since everyone here seems to think the only accrptable degrees are those going into white-collar jobs. My mistake is that I was only good on the academic skills needed to get through the job but I feel I don't have the actual essence needed in the job. I hate my job, but it pays the bills. It was one of the few jobs which kept me paid when others are struggling in this crisis.
Do I want a full-time job as a creator? Of course. But then, almost every writer I've seen would tell you that it does not pay much. Jobs in the arts seem to be only found in the big city. ( We are a small country). But where you are, I hope there are better opportunities and positive attitudes towards your would-be career.
My situation is due in part to the economic landscape, and a mismatch of the heart to the job.
But the challenge really is not in the lack of time to make your passions work. It is easy to just plop down after a grueling,I-wanna-die kind(I sound like an angsty teen, but this topic gets me worked up everytime) , 9 to 5 job. Self-discipline and determination is needed to get that tine to work on your passions.
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