Craft Artists Salary
Craft Artists in Texas make a median of $54,690 a year, or about $26.29 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $72K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $59,777 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,415/month, about 37.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $55K get you in Texas?
About craft artists
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What this looks like in Texas
Texas sits well above the national pay line for craft artists, local pay runs about 19% higher than the U.S. median of $46K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,415/month, which is 36.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Texas
Entry-level craft artists (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $72K or more, a $36K spread from bottom to top.
Craft Artists salary by metro in Texas
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $48K | -12% | N/A |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $41K | -25% | N/A |
Compare to other states
Track craft artists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a craft artist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 36.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for craft artists in Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new craft artists typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,147/month. At HUD’s $1,415/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 Texas?
Local pay is 19% above the national median — $55K here vs. $46K nationally.
How does Texas compare to the national average for craft artists?
Texas pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do craft artists make in Texas?
The median is $54,690 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,790, and experienced craft artists can clear $71,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,832/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 36.9% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $59,777 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.