Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators
Job Zone 3 - Medium preparation needed
Create original artwork using any of a wide variety of media and techniques.
Median pay: $55,490/yr (U.S. national, May 2025)
Typical range nationwide (10th–90th percentile). This is a population snapshot, not a personal prediction - actual pay varies by location, employer, and experience.
Job outlook: -1.2% projected growth, 2024–2034 — declining.
About 2,200 openings per year, on average, over the decade.
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS and Employment Projections.
• 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.
What's the median pay for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators?
The median pay for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators is $55,490 per year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What's the job outlook for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators?
Employment for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators is projected to change -1.2% from 2024 to 2034 - declining.
What education is typically required for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators?
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
How many job openings are there each year for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators?
About 2,200 openings per year, on average, over the decade.