Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators pay in the U.S.
$73,150avg. a year
$35.17 an hour · 11,220 employed
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators in the U.S. earn an average of $73,150 a year and a median of $55,490. Pay is highest in California ($104,570) and lowest in Kansas ($35,120).
$55,490Median pay
$35.17Average hourly
+13%Avg. pay since 2020
11,220Jobs in the U.S.
Top-paying states for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators
Average pay by state. Swipe to see the top 10.
12,560 jobs
California
$104,570
$50.28 an hour
2
Oregon
$95,050
$45.70 an hour
31,400 jobs
New York
$90,650
$43.58 an hour
4350 jobs
Washington
$76,000
$36.54 an hour
5100 jobs
Connecticut
$73,830
$35.50 an hour
6160 jobs
Nevada
$68,580
$32.97 an hour
7
Minnesota
$68,540
$32.95 an hour
8350 jobs
Georgia
$68,230
$32.81 an hour
980 jobs
Maryland
$67,970
$32.68 an hour
10110 jobs
Arizona
$65,590
$31.53 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators pay, charted
Pay over time
United States, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where the jobs are
Employment by state, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · tap a state
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Under $52k$52k–$62k$62k–$68k$68k+
Top-paying metro areas
Average pay, May 2025 (areas with 100+ jobs)
| Metro area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $115,040 | $55.31 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $87,190 | $41.92 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $78,780 | $37.87 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $69,060 | $33.20 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $61,740 | $29.68 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $61,610 | $29.62 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $60,830 | $29.24 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $53,710 | $25.82 |
Related jobs
- Graphic Designers$70,560
- Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$42,830
- Interior Designers$74,540
- Art Directors$129,440
- Floral Designers$39,520
- Commercial and Industrial Designers$93,260
Average U.S. pay, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators pay in every state
States without a figure had too few jobs or too little survey data for BLS to publish.
| State | Avg. pay | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $65,590 | $56,160 | 110 |
| Arkansas | $41,090 | $32,340 | 40 |
| California | $104,570 | $58,240 | 2,560 |
| Colorado | $62,950 | $51,910 | 250 |
| Connecticut | $73,830 | $71,210 | 100 |
| Florida | $63,690 | $50,360 | 1,010 |
| Georgia | $68,230 | $65,010 | 350 |
| Illinois | $60,710 | $53,850 | – |
| Kansas | $35,120 | $25,830 | 40 |
| Kentucky | $45,520 | $48,050 | 60 |
| Louisiana | $50,180 | $40,700 | – |
| Maine | $52,400 | $46,170 | – |
| Maryland | $67,970 | $66,180 | 80 |
| Michigan | $55,220 | $38,650 | 220 |
| Minnesota | $68,540 | $61,730 | – |
| Missouri | $51,890 | $49,820 | 110 |
| Nebraska | $44,090 | $39,800 | 40 |
| Nevada | $68,580 | $81,630 | 160 |
| New Mexico | $63,020 | $63,090 | 70 |
| New York | $90,650 | $78,870 | 1,400 |
| Ohio | $37,820 | $31,780 | 510 |
| Oklahoma | $61,700 | $47,830 | 60 |
| Oregon | $95,050 | $98,540 | – |
| Pennsylvania | $57,030 | $54,270 | – |
| Tennessee | $39,200 | $30,720 | 100 |
| Texas | $53,410 | $49,650 | 700 |
| Utah | $63,820 | $57,270 | 80 |
| Virginia | $53,700 | $47,930 | 230 |
| Washington | $76,000 | $72,430 | 350 |
| Wisconsin | $58,240 | $53,350 | 100 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$115,040
450 jobsMiami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
$78,780
330 jobsHouston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
$50,100
260 jobsSeattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
$87,190
250 jobsAtlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
$69,060
230 jobsDallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
$53,710
230 jobsOrlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
$60,830
210 jobsCincinnati, OH-KY-IN
$41,950
130 jobsQuestions and answers
How much do fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators make?
The average is $73,150 a year across the U.S. Half earn more than $55,490 and half earn less (the median).
What is the hourly pay?
The average hourly wage is $35.17, and the median is $26.68 an hour.
Which state pays fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators the most?
California, with an average of $104,570 a year. The best-paying metro area is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $115,040.
What is the pay range?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $31,630 a year, and the top 10% earn over $144,210.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 27-1013. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.