Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators Salary
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators in Maryland make a median of $66,180 a year, or about $31.82 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.76), that's roughly $67,011 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,795/month, about 41.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maryland. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $66K get you in Maryland?
About fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators
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What this looks like in Maryland
Maryland sits well above the national pay line for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators, local pay runs about 19% higher than the U.S. median of $55K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,795/month, which is 41.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.76) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maryland
Entry-level fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $66K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators salary by metro in Maryland
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $66K | -1% | N/A |
Compare to other states
Track fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maryland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maryland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $66K, rent takes 41.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,795/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Maryland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,630/month. At HUD’s $1,795/month FMR, rent would take 68% 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 Maryland?
Local pay is 19% above the national median — $66K here vs. $55K nationally.
How does Maryland compare to the national average for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators?
Maryland pays $66K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s +19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.76), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators make in Maryland?
The median is $66,180 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,830, and experienced fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators can clear $78,250. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $66K enough to live in Maryland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,331/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,795/month, which eats 41.4% 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 Maryland?
Maryland has a Regional Price Parity of 98.76 (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 $67,011 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.