How much do Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators make?
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators earn a median annual salary of $55,490 in the United States, which works out to roughly $26.68 per hour for full-time work. Most earn between $31,630 at the entry level and $144,210 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $37,560 and $83,200 a year.
That is $5,900 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators salary range by percentile
Half of all Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators earn between $37,560 and $83,200 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,630 | $15.21 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $37,560 | $18.06 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $55,490 | $26.68 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $83,200 | $40.00 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $144,210 | $69.33 |
Highest-paying states for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Oregon leads the country for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators pay at $98,540 a year, followed by Nevada ($81,630) and New York ($78,870). At the other end, Kansas posts the lowest median at $25,830 — a gap of $72,710 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $98,540 | $47.38 | +78% |
| 2 | Nevada | $81,630 | $39.25 | +47% |
| 3 | New York | $78,870 | $37.92 | +42% |
| 4 | Washington | $72,430 | $34.82 | +31% |
| 5 | Connecticut | $71,210 | $34.24 | +28% |
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 30 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 11,000 people work as Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $73,150 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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