SOC 27-1013 · Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries
Nationally, fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators earned a median of $55,490 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 11,220 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.
National pay distribution
Pay by state
Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.
| State | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $98,540 | $47.38 | Not published | Not published |
| Nevada | $81,630 | $39.25 | 160 | 0.1 |
| New York | $78,870 | $37.92 | 1,400 | 0.1 |
| Washington | $72,430 | $34.82 | 350 | 0.1 |
| Connecticut | $71,210 | $34.24 | 100 | 0.1 |
| Maryland | $66,180 | $31.82 | 80 | 0.0 |
| Georgia | $65,010 | $31.25 | 350 | 0.1 |
| New Mexico | $63,090 | $30.33 | 70 | 0.1 |
| Minnesota | $61,730 | $29.68 | Not published | Not published |
| California | $58,240 | $28.00 | 2,560 | 0.1 |
| Utah | $57,270 | $27.54 | 80 | 0.0 |
| Arizona | $56,160 | $27.00 | 110 | 0.0 |
| Pennsylvania | $54,270 | $26.09 | Not published | Not published |
| Illinois | $53,850 | $25.89 | Not published | Not published |
| Wisconsin | $53,350 | $25.65 | 100 | 0.0 |
| Colorado | $51,910 | $24.96 | 250 | 0.1 |
| Florida | $50,360 | $24.21 | 1,010 | 0.1 |
| Missouri | $49,820 | $23.95 | 110 | 0.0 |
| Texas | $49,650 | $23.87 | 700 | 0.1 |
| Kentucky | $48,050 | $23.10 | 60 | 0.0 |
| Virginia | $47,930 | $23.04 | 230 | 0.1 |
| Oklahoma | $47,830 | $23.00 | 60 | 0.0 |
| Maine | $46,170 | $22.20 | Not published | Not published |
| Louisiana | $40,700 | $19.57 | Not published | Not published |
| Nebraska | $39,800 | $19.14 | 40 | 0.0 |
| Michigan | $38,650 | $18.58 | 220 | 0.0 |
| Arkansas | $32,340 | $15.55 | 40 | 0.0 |
| Ohio | $31,780 | $15.28 | 510 | 0.1 |
| Tennessee | $30,720 | $14.77 | 100 | 0.0 |
| Kansas | $25,830 | $12.42 | 40 | 0.0 |
| Indiana | Not published | Not published | 210 | 0.1 |
| Massachusetts | Not published | Not published | 140 | 0.0 |
| Montana | Not published | Not published | 50 | 0.1 |
| New Jersey | Not published | Not published | 310 | 0.1 |
| North Carolina | Not published | Not published | 390 | 0.1 |
| South Carolina | Not published | Not published | 160 | 0.1 |
Pay by metro area
All 49 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.
Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.
| Metro area | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $126,470 | $60.80 | 450 | 0.2 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $98,540 | $47.38 | Not published | Not published |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | $83,670 | $40.23 | 30 | 0.2 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $82,580 | $39.70 | 250 | 0.1 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $80,070 | $38.49 | 40 | 0.1 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $78,290 | $37.64 | Not published | Not published |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $77,100 | $37.07 | 50 | 0.0 |
| Santa Fe, NM | $72,610 | $34.91 | Not published | Not published |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $72,400 | $34.81 | 60 | 0.4 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $70,570 | $33.93 | 40 | 0.1 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $68,970 | $33.16 | 40 | 0.0 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $68,140 | $32.76 | 330 | 0.1 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $65,520 | $31.50 | Not published | Not published |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $65,010 | $31.25 | 230 | 0.1 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $62,860 | $30.22 | 80 | 0.1 |
| Richmond, VA | $62,000 | $29.81 | 50 | 0.1 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $61,730 | $29.68 | Not published | Not published |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $59,200 | $28.46 | Not published | Not published |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $57,630 | $27.71 | 30 | 0.1 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $57,470 | $27.63 | 110 | 0.1 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $57,320 | $27.56 | Not published | Not published |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $56,890 | $27.35 | Not published | Not published |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $56,560 | $27.19 | 70 | 0.0 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $56,300 | $27.07 | 90 | 0.1 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $55,490 | $26.68 | 260 | 0.1 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $55,020 | $26.45 | 60 | 0.1 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $54,990 | $26.44 | Not published | Not published |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $53,790 | $25.86 | 70 | 0.4 |
| Tucson, AZ | $52,200 | $25.10 | 30 | 0.1 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $49,650 | $23.87 | 230 | 0.1 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $49,480 | $23.79 | Not published | Not published |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $49,280 | $23.69 | 210 | 0.1 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $47,630 | $22.90 | 40 | 0.0 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $46,080 | $22.15 | Not published | Not published |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $45,590 | $21.92 | 100 | 0.1 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $44,130 | $21.22 | Not published | Not published |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $42,060 | $20.22 | 120 | 0.1 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $35,000 | $16.83 | 80 | 0.1 |
| Columbus, OH | $34,870 | $16.76 | 50 | 0.0 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $34,560 | $16.62 | 130 | 0.1 |
| Cleveland, OH | $27,560 | $13.25 | 110 | 0.1 |
| Asheville, NC | Not published | Not published | 80 | 0.4 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Not published | Not published | 140 | 0.1 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | Not published | Not published | 70 | 0.1 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Not published | Not published | 1,270 | 0.2 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | Not published | Not published | 50 | 0.1 |
| Reno, NV | Not published | Not published | 40 | 0.1 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Not published | Not published | 70 | 0.1 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Not published | Not published | 90 | 0.1 |
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.