SOC 27-1013 · Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators wages by metro
National median annual wage
$55,490
- 10th percentile
- $31,630
- 25th percentile
- $37,560
- Median
- $55,490
- 75th percentile
- $83,200
- 90th percentile
- $144,210
- Mean
- $73,150
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.
National employment in May 2025: 11,220.
That median is 8.8% higher than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.
The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.
Highest published medians
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 450 | $41,250 | $126,470 | $168,560 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Not available | $54,080 | $98,540 | $120,950 |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | 30 | $56,160 | $83,670 | $109,380 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 250 | $43,040 | $82,580 | $132,890 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 40 | $48,880 | $80,070 | $138,200 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Not available | $34,430 | $78,290 | $154,630 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 50 | $51,200 | $77,100 | $132,690 |
| Santa Fe, NM | Not available | $45,380 | $72,610 | $79,610 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | 60 | $32,310 | $72,400 | $72,400 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | 40 | $55,910 | $70,570 | $110,560 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 40 | $42,730 | $68,970 | $98,170 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 330 | $31,620 | $68,140 | $134,150 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | Not available | $43,830 | $65,520 | $75,610 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 230 | $40,530 | $65,010 | $94,110 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 80 | $18,140 | $62,860 | $76,240 |
| Richmond, VA | 50 | $34,090 | $62,000 | $87,510 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Not available | $42,680 | $61,730 | $104,000 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Not available | $23,460 | $59,200 | $110,750 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 30 | $38,830 | $57,630 | $101,110 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 110 | $39,070 | $57,470 | $82,750 |
Where employment is largest
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 1,270 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 450 | $41,250 | $126,470 | $168,560 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 330 | $31,620 | $68,140 | $134,150 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 260 | $17,300 | $55,490 | $72,620 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 250 | $43,040 | $82,580 | $132,890 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 230 | $40,530 | $65,010 | $94,110 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 230 | $17,880 | $49,650 | $75,030 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 210 | $30,540 | $49,280 | $109,000 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 140 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 130 | $27,870 | $34,560 | $59,710 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 120 | $25,960 | $42,060 | $125,660 |
| Cleveland, OH | 110 | $23,710 | $27,560 | $83,200 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 110 | $39,070 | $57,470 | $82,750 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 100 | $30,920 | $45,590 | $78,610 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 90 | $32,280 | $56,300 | $106,890 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 90 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Asheville, NC | 80 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 80 | $18,140 | $62,860 | $76,240 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 80 | $28,820 | $35,000 | $85,080 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | 70 | $43,040 | $53,790 | $86,390 |
States and territories
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | Not available | $55,140 | $98,540 | $151,020 |
| Nevada | 160 | $39,070 | $81,630 | $94,860 |
| New York | 1,400 | $50,010 | $78,870 | $154,630 |
| Washington | 350 | $38,730 | $72,430 | $120,160 |
| Connecticut | 100 | $39,380 | $71,210 | $101,110 |
| Maryland | 80 | $43,830 | $66,180 | $78,250 |
| Georgia | 350 | $40,530 | $65,010 | $94,130 |
| New Mexico | 70 | $41,520 | $63,090 | $79,610 |
| Minnesota | Not available | $42,680 | $61,730 | $104,000 |
| California | 2,560 | $36,300 | $58,240 | $207,320 |
| Utah | 80 | $34,290 | $57,270 | $96,100 |
| Arizona | 110 | $34,310 | $56,160 | $97,240 |
| Pennsylvania | Not available | $22,360 | $54,270 | $102,920 |
| Illinois | Not available | $32,720 | $53,850 | $99,630 |
| Wisconsin | 100 | $21,590 | $53,350 | $81,410 |
| Colorado | 250 | $43,040 | $51,910 | $102,120 |
| Florida | 1,010 | $31,160 | $50,360 | $134,150 |
| Missouri | 110 | $31,770 | $49,820 | $71,080 |
| Texas | 700 | $17,880 | $49,650 | $77,380 |
| Kentucky | 60 | $22,750 | $48,050 | $65,360 |
| Virginia | 230 | $29,640 | $47,930 | $87,400 |
| Oklahoma | 60 | $45,060 | $47,830 | $89,480 |
| Maine | Not available | $38,100 | $46,170 | $73,330 |
| Louisiana | Not available | $32,320 | $40,700 | $74,550 |
| Nebraska | 40 | $31,200 | $39,800 | $66,900 |
| Michigan | 220 | $25,960 | $38,650 | $124,480 |
| Arkansas | 40 | $27,370 | $32,340 | $60,790 |
| Ohio | 510 | $22,860 | $31,780 | $63,750 |
| Tennessee | 100 | $27,670 | $30,720 | $58,770 |
| Kansas | 40 | $15,080 | $25,830 | $54,720 |
| Indiana | 210 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Massachusetts | 140 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Montana | 50 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| New Jersey | 310 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| North Carolina | 390 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| South Carolina | 160 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
Other arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
- Public Relations Specialists
- Coaches and Scouts
- Graphic Designers
- Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers
- Producers and Directors
- Editors
- Interior Designers
- Audio and Video Technicians
Questions this page answers
What is the national median wage for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators is $55,490. Employment is 11,220.
How does Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators pay compare with all occupations?
The national median for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators is 8.8% higher than the all-occupations median of $50,980.
Which metro has the highest published median for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators?
Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA is highest on this page's list at $126,470.