Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators Salary
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators in Maine make a median of $46,170 a year, or about $22.2 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.7), that's roughly $47,257 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,281/month, about 40.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Maine. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $46K get you in Maine?
About fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators
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What this looks like in Maine
Pay for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators in Maine runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $55K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,281/month, which is 41.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.7) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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, Maine
Entry-level fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $35K 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 Maine numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maine?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 41.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,281/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 fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators in Maine?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,286/month. At HUD’s $1,281/month FMR, rent would take 56% 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 Maine?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $46K here vs. $55K nationally.
How does Maine compare to the national average for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators?
Maine pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — below the national median.
How much do fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators make in Maine?
The median is $46,170 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,100, and experienced fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators can clear $73,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Maine?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,103/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,281/month, which eats 41.3% 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 Maine?
Maine has a Regional Price Parity of 97.7 (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 $47,257 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.