Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators Salary
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators in California make a median of $58,240 a year, or about $28 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $207K for experienced workers. Note: the mean (average) wage is $105K, significantly higher than the median. This typically reflects a mix of employment settings including academic and private practice positions. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $54,871 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 65% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $58K get you in California?
About fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators
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What this looks like in California
Fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $58K locally vs. $55K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 63% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $207K or more, a $171K spread from bottom to top.
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators salary by metro in California
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $126K | +117% | 450 |
Compare to other states
Track fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrator afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 63% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,178/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 113% 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 California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $58K locally vs. $55K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators?
California pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators make in California?
The median is $58,240 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,300, and experienced fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators can clear $207,320. The mean (average) is $104,570, reflecting that some workers earn substantially more. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,921/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 63% 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 California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators salary is worth about $54,871 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.