Craft Artists Salary
Craft Artists in Cleveland, OH make a median of $43,040 a year, or about $20.69 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.92), which stretches that salary to about $45,826 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,279/month, about 43.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $43K get you in Cleveland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cleveland’s Regional Price Parity (93.92). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About craft artists
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What this looks like in Cleveland
Craft artists pay in Cleveland tracks closely to the national median, $43K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,279/month, which is 42.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.92 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for craft artists in metros near Cleveland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | $33K | $34K |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $45K | $47K |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $26K | $26K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $49K | $48K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cleveland, OH
Entry-level craft artists (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $17K spread from bottom to top.
Craft Artists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Craft Artists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $101K | +118% | 170 |
| Missouri | $62K | +34% | 140 |
| Wisconsin | $59K | +27% | 190 |
| Texas | $55K | +19% | 870 |
| Maine | $53K | +16% | 50 |
| Oregon | $51K | +11% | 170 |
| New York | $49K | +6% | 50 |
| Georgia | $49K | +6% | N/A |
| Florida | $49K | +6% | 270 |
| Massachusetts | $48K | +3% | 50 |
| Arizona | $46K | +0% | N/A |
| Washington | $44K | -4% | 80 |
| Colorado | $44K | -5% | N/A |
| Illinois | $43K | -7% | N/A |
| Alaska | $42K | -10% | N/A |
| Pennsylvania | $42K | -10% | 230 |
| Alabama | $41K | -11% | 70 |
| Ohio | $38K | -17% | 180 |
| South Carolina | $35K | -24% | 70 |
| Connecticut | $34K | -26% | 70 |
| Tennessee | $33K | -29% | N/A |
| Minnesota | $28K | -40% | 140 |
| Michigan | $26K | -44% | 290 |
Showing 1–10 of 23 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track craft artists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Cleveland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a craft artist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cleveland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 42.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,279/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for craft artists in Cleveland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new craft artists typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,948/month. At HUD’s $1,279/month FMR, rent would take 66% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is craft artist a high-paying job in Cleveland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $43K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Cleveland compare to the national average for craft artists?
Cleveland pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.92), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — below the national median.
How much do craft artists make in Cleveland, OH?
The median is $43,040 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,460, and experienced craft artists can clear $49,520. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Cleveland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,012/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,279/month, which eats 42.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a craft artists salary go in Cleveland?
Cleveland has a Regional Price Parity of 93.92 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median craft artists salary is worth about $45,826 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do craft artists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.