27 Series · SOC 27-1013

Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$55,490
Median / year
$144,210
Top 10% earn
-1.2%
Growth '23–'33
11,220
US workers

Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators earn a median of $55,490 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $55,490, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $31,630 (10th percentile) to $144,210 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 11,220 US workers. Oregon pays the most ($98,540), since pay varies by state and metro area.

27 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators earn a median of $55,490, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 41% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media, it ranks #28 of 36 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 1.2% by 2033.

$55,490
Median annual wage
Top 59%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#28 of 36
in Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
4.6×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Oregon at $98,540. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.

Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators (SOC 27-1013) pays a national median of $55,490 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $31,630 at the 10th percentile to $144,210 at the 90th, with a mean of $73,150 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 11,220 Americans work in this occupation across 30 reporting states and 43 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a -1.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 2,200 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor's degree and long-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.6 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.5 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Oregon pays the highest state median at $98,540, which is +78% above the national figure. The top metro is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $126,470 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 11,220 jobs Median $55,490/yr

Median Salary

$55,490

per year

Median Hourly

$26.68/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$73,150

average

Employment

11,220

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$55,490 Bottom 41% higher than 41% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 27-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 25 27-series occupations with growth data, Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators sits on the slower-growing side at -1.2% growth and $55,490 median pay.

Among 25 27-series occupations with growth data, Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators sits on the slower-growing side at -1.2% growth and $55,490 median pay. Scatter plot of 25 data points. $20000$40000$60000$80000$100000$120000 -10%-5%0%5%10% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 25 27-series occupations with growth data, Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators sits on the slower-growing side at -1.2% growth and $55,490 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

-1.2%

Declining

Annual Openings

2,200

per year (projected)

Typical Education

Bachelor's degree

On-the-Job Training

Long-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
A

Very Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

0.6/100K

Injury Rate

0.5/100

Danger Index

2.3/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Critical Thinking 3.3
Active Learning 3.3
Active Listening 3.1
Reading Comprehension 3.0
Speaking 3.0
Judgment and Decision Making 3.0
Writing 2.9
Social Perceptiveness 2.9
Complex Problem Solving 2.9
Time Management 2.9

Knowledge Areas

Design 4.3
Computers and Electronics 4.2
English Language 3.9
Production and Processing 3.6
Fine Arts 3.5
Education and Training 3.4
Communications and Media 3.4
Customer and Personal Service 3.3
Mathematics 3.2
Administration and Management 3.0

Key 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.
  • ▸ Model substances such as clay or wax, using fingers and small hand tools to form objects.
  • ▸ Create sculptures, statues, and other three-dimensional artwork by using abrasives and tools to shape, carve, and fabricate materials such as clay, stone, wood, or metal.
  • ▸ Set up exhibitions of artwork for display or sale.
  • ▸ Render drawings, illustrations, and sketches of buildings, manufactured products, or models, working from sketches, blueprints, memory, models, or reference materials.
  • ▸ Confer with clients, editors, writers, art directors, and other interested parties regarding the nature and content of artwork to be produced.
  • ▸ Shade and fill in sketch outlines and backgrounds, using a variety of media such as water colors, markers, and transparent washes, labeling designated colors when necessary.
  • ▸ Frame and mat artwork for display or sale.
  • ▸ Submit artwork to shows or galleries.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$31,630$37,560$55,490$83,200$144,210
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$15.21$18.06$26.68$40.00$69.33
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$31,630

25th Percentile

$37,560

Median

$55,490

75th Percentile

$83,200

90th Percentile

$144,210

Salary by State

Highest Paying States

1. Oregon $98,540 2. Nevada $81,630 3. New York $78,870 4. Washington $72,430 5. Connecticut $71,210

Lowest Paying States

26. Kansas $25,830 27. Tennessee $30,720 28. Ohio $31,780 29. Arkansas $32,340 30. Michigan $38,650
View all 30 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Oregon $98,540 +78% above national
2 Nevada $81,630 +47% above national
3 New York $78,870 +42% above national
4 Washington $72,430 +31% above national
5 Connecticut $71,210 +28% above national
6 Maryland $66,180 +19% above national
7 Georgia $65,010 +17% above national
8 New Mexico $63,090 +14% above national
9 Minnesota $61,730 +11% above national
10 California $58,240 +5% above national
11 Utah $57,270 +3% above national
12 Arizona $56,160 +1% above national
13 Pennsylvania $54,270 2% below national
14 Illinois $53,850 3% below national
15 Wisconsin $53,350 4% below national
16 Colorado $51,910 6% below national
17 Florida $50,360 9% below national
18 Missouri $49,820 10% below national
19 Texas $49,650 11% below national
20 Kentucky $48,050 13% below national
21 Virginia $47,930 14% below national
22 Oklahoma $47,830 14% below national
23 Maine $46,170 17% below national
24 Louisiana $40,700 27% below national
25 Nebraska $39,800 28% below national
26 Michigan $38,650 30% below national
27 Arkansas $32,340 42% below national
28 Ohio $31,780 43% below national
29 Tennessee $30,720 45% below national
30 Kansas $25,830 53% below national

Salary by Metro Area

Highest Paying Metros

1. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $126,470 2. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $98,540 3. Naples-Marco Island, FL $83,670 4. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $82,580 5. Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $80,070

Lowest Paying Metros

39. Cleveland, OH $27,560 40. Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $34,560 41. Columbus, OH $34,870 42. Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $35,000 43. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $42,060
View all 43 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $126,470 +128% above national
2 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $98,540 +78% above national
3 Naples-Marco Island, FL $83,670 +51% above national
4 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $82,580 +49% above national
5 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $80,070 +44% above national
6 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $78,290 +41% above national
7 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $77,100 +39% above national
8 Santa Fe, NM $72,610 +31% above national
9 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $72,400 +30% above national
10 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $70,570 +27% above national
11 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $68,970 +24% above national
12 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $68,140 +23% above national
13 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $65,520 +18% above national
14 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $65,010 +17% above national
15 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $62,860 +13% above national
16 Richmond, VA $62,000 +12% above national
17 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $61,730 +11% above national
18 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $59,200 +7% above national
19 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $57,630 +4% above national
20 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $57,470 +4% above national
21 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $57,320 +3% above national
22 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $56,890 +3% above national
23 Central East New York nonmetropolitan area $56,730 +2% above national
24 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $56,560 +2% above national
25 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $56,300 +1% above national
26 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $55,490 same as national
27 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $55,020 1% below national
28 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $54,990 1% below national
29 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $53,790 3% below national
30 Tucson, AZ $52,200 6% below national
31 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $49,650 11% below national
32 Colorado Springs, CO $49,480 11% below national
33 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $49,280 11% below national
34 Kansas City, MO-KS $47,630 14% below national
35 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $46,080 17% below national
36 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $45,590 18% below national
37 Pittsburgh, PA $44,130 20% below national
38 Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area $43,770 21% below national
39 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $42,060 24% below national
40 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $35,000 37% below national
41 Columbus, OH $34,870 37% below national
42 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $34,560 38% below national
43 Cleveland, OH $27,560 50% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 27 (arts design entertainment sports and media) with comparable pay and career paths.

Actors

SOC 27-2011

Art Directors

SOC 27-1011

Artists and Related Workers, All Other

SOC 27-1019

Athletes and Sports Competitors

SOC 27-2021

Audio and Video Technicians

SOC 27-4011
Compare Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators side-by-side with another occupation →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators make? ▼
The median annual salary for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators is $55,490 ($26.68/hour). The salary range spans from $31,630 at the 10th percentile to $144,210 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators the most? ▼
Oregon pays the highest median salary for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators at $98,540/year, which is +78% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators is Bachelor's degree. On-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training.
How dangerous is being a Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators? ▼
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 0.6 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 0.5 per 100 workers.
Is Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators a good career? ▼
Employment for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators is projected to decline 1.2% from 2024 to 2034, which is declining. About 2,200 openings are projected each year.
How does Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators pay vary by state? ▼
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Oregon at $98,540/year, while Michigan pays the least at $38,650/year. BLS data covers 30 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $126,470/year. BLS reports wage data for 43 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $83,200/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Oregon leads at $98,540/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.