Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators Salary
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators in Arkansas make a median of $32,340 a year, or about $15.55 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.64), which stretches that salary to about $36,901 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,021/month, about 46.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Arkansas. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $32K get you in Arkansas?
About fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators
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What this looks like in Arkansas
Pay for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators in Arkansas runs about 42% below the U.S. median of $55K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,021/month, which is 45.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.64 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustratorss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arkansas
Entry-level fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $32K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arkansas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arkansas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $32K, rent takes 45.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,021/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators in Arkansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,642/month. At HUD’s $1,021/month FMR, rent would take 62% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrator a high-paying job in Arkansas?
Local pay runs 42% below the national median — $32K here vs. $55K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Arkansas compare to the national average for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators?
Arkansas pays $32K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -42%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — below the national median.
How much do fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators make in Arkansas?
The median is $32,340 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,370, and experienced fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators can clear $60,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $32K enough to live in Arkansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,244/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,021/month, which eats 45.5% 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 fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators salary go in Arkansas?
Arkansas has a Regional Price Parity of 87.64 (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 fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators salary is worth about $36,901 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators 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.