Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators Salary
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators in Kentucky make a median of $48,050 a year, or about $23.1 an hour. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $53,253 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,110/month, about 33.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Kentucky. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $48K get you in Kentucky?
About fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Pay for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators in Kentucky runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $55K. Rent runs $1,110/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $65K or more, a $43K 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 Kentucky numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 34.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,365/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 81% 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 Kentucky?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $48K here vs. $55K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators?
Kentucky pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — below the national median.
How much do fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators make in Kentucky?
The median is $48,050 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,750, and experienced fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators can clear $65,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,227/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 34.4% 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 Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (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 $53,253 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.