Fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $31,630 | $15.21 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $55,490 | $26.68 |
| Mean (average) | $73,150 | $35.17 |
| 90th percentile | $144,210 | $69.33 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 36 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $56,160 | $34,310 | $97,240 | 110 | 0.46 |
| Arkansas | $32,340 | $27,370 | $60,790 | 40 | 0.38 |
| California | $58,240 | $36,300 | $207,320 | 2,560 | 1.94 |
| Colorado | $51,910 | $43,040 | $102,120 | 250 | 1.22 |
| Connecticut | $71,210 | $39,380 | $101,110 | 100 | 0.84 |
| Florida | $50,360 | $31,160 | $134,150 | 1,010 | 1.4 |
| Georgia | $65,010 | $40,530 | $94,130 | 350 | 0.98 |
| Illinois | $53,850 | $32,720 | $99,630 | ||
| Indiana | Data unavailable | 210 | 0.89 | ||
| Kansas | $25,830 | $15,080 | $54,720 | 40 | 0.4 |
| Kentucky | $48,050 | $22,750 | $65,360 | 60 | 0.41 |
| Louisiana | $40,700 | $32,320 | $74,550 | ||
| Maine | $46,170 | $38,100 | $73,330 | ||
| Maryland | $66,180 | $43,830 | $78,250 | 80 | 0.41 |
| Massachusetts | Data unavailable | 140 | 0.53 | ||
| Michigan | $38,650 | $25,960 | $124,480 | 220 | 0.68 |
| Minnesota | $61,730 | $42,680 | $104,000 | ||
| Missouri | $49,820 | $31,770 | $71,080 | 110 | 0.52 |
| Montana | Data unavailable | 50 | 1.39 | ||
| Nebraska | $39,800 | $31,200 | $66,900 | 40 | 0.52 |
| Nevada | $81,630 | $39,070 | $94,860 | 160 | 1.4 |
| New Jersey | Data unavailable | 310 | 1.01 | ||
| New Mexico | $63,090 | $41,520 | $79,610 | 70 | 1.04 |
| New York | $78,870 | $50,010 | $154,630 | 1,400 | 2 |
| North Carolina | Data unavailable | 390 | 1.08 | ||
| Ohio | $31,780 | $22,860 | $63,750 | 510 | 1.26 |
| Oklahoma | $47,830 | $45,060 | $89,480 | 60 | 0.49 |
| Oregon | $98,540 | $55,140 | $151,020 | ||
| Pennsylvania | $54,270 | $22,360 | $102,920 | ||
| South Carolina | Data unavailable | 160 | 0.98 | ||
| Tennessee | $30,720 | $27,670 | $58,770 | 100 | 0.42 |
| Texas | $49,650 | $17,880 | $77,380 | 700 | 0.69 |
| Utah | $57,270 | $34,290 | $96,100 | 80 | 0.68 |
| Virginia | $47,930 | $29,640 | $87,400 | 230 | 0.77 |
| Washington | $72,430 | $38,730 | $120,160 | 350 | 1.38 |
| Wisconsin | $53,350 | $21,590 | $81,410 | 100 | 0.46 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 2,200. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 62.8%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Visual and Performing Arts, General CIP 50.0101
- Art/Art Studies, General CIP 50.0701
- Fine/Studio Arts, General CIP 50.0702
- Drawing CIP 50.0705
- Intermedia/Multimedia CIP 50.0706
- Painting CIP 50.0708
- Sculpture CIP 50.0709
- Printmaking CIP 50.0710
- Ceramic Arts and Ceramics CIP 50.0711
- Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other CIP 50.0799
- Community/Environmental/Socially-Engaged Art CIP 50.1101
- Medical Illustration/Medical Illustrator CIP 51.2703
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Use materials such as pens and ink, watercolors, charcoal, oil, or computer software to create artwork.
- Integrate and develop visual elements, such as line, space, mass, color, and perspective, to produce desired effects, such as the illustration of ideas, emotions, or moods.
- Confer with clients, editors, writers, art directors, and other interested parties regarding the nature and content of artwork to be produced.
- Maintain portfolios of artistic work to demonstrate styles, interests, and abilities.
- Market artwork through brochures, mailings, or Web sites.
- Study different techniques to learn how to apply them to artistic endeavors.
- Monitor events, trends, and other circumstances, research specific subject areas, attend art exhibitions, and read art publications to develop ideas and keep current on art world activities.
- Photograph objects, places, or scenes for reference material.
Technology skills
- Adobe Illustrator (in demand)
- Adobe Photoshop (in demand)
- Autodesk Maya (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Adobe After Effects (hot technology)
- Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- C# (hot technology)
- C++ (hot technology)
- Extensible markup language XML (hot technology)
- Facebook (hot technology)
- Hypertext markup language HTML (hot technology)
- Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- JavaScript (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness, Complex Problem Solving, Time Management, Operations Analysis, Coordination.
Common job titles: Artist, Automotive Artist, Blacksmith, Fine Artist, Ice Carver, Illustrator, Muralist, Painter, Portrait Artist, Sculptor.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators make?
The national median annual wage for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators was $55,490 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $31,630 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $144,210. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and long-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators a growing career?
BLS projects employment of fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators to change -2.9% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 2,200 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Oregon ($98,540), Nevada ($81,630), New York ($78,870). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.