Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators Salary
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA make a median of $98,540 a year, or about $47.38 an hour. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $121K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $93,474 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,922/month, about 31.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $99K get you in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators
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What this looks like in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro sits well above the national pay line for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators, local pay runs about 78% higher than the U.S. median of $55K. Rent runs $1,922/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators in metros near Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $126K | $109K |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $83K | $74K |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas | $57K | $57K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
Entry-level fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $99K. Top earners bring in $121K or more, a $67K spread from bottom to top.
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $99K | +78% | N/A |
| Nevada | $82K | +47% | 160 |
| New York | $79K | +42% | 1,400 |
| Washington | $72K | +31% | 350 |
| Connecticut | $71K | +28% | 100 |
| Maryland | $66K | +19% | 80 |
| Georgia | $65K | +17% | 350 |
| New Mexico | $63K | +14% | 70 |
| Minnesota | $62K | +11% | N/A |
| California | $58K | +5% | 2,560 |
| Utah | $57K | +3% | 80 |
| Arizona | $56K | +1% | 110 |
| Pennsylvania | $54K | -2% | N/A |
| Illinois | $54K | -3% | N/A |
| Wisconsin | $53K | -4% | 100 |
| Colorado | $52K | -6% | 250 |
| Florida | $50K | -9% | 1,010 |
| Missouri | $50K | -10% | 110 |
| Texas | $50K | -11% | 700 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -13% | 60 |
| Virginia | $48K | -14% | 230 |
| Oklahoma | $48K | -14% | 60 |
| Maine | $46K | -17% | N/A |
| Louisiana | $41K | -27% | N/A |
| Nebraska | $40K | -28% | 40 |
| Michigan | $39K | -30% | 220 |
| Arkansas | $32K | -42% | 40 |
| Ohio | $32K | -43% | 510 |
| Tennessee | $31K | -45% | 100 |
| Kansas | $26K | -53% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 30 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $99K, rent takes 33.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,922/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,700/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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,245/month. At HUD’s $1,922/month FMR, rent would take 59% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Local pay is 78% above the national median — $99K here vs. $55K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 5% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro compare to the national average for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro pays $99K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s +78%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $93K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators make in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?
The median is $98,540 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $54,080, and experienced fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators can clear $120,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $99K enough to live in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,801/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,922/month, which eats 33.1% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (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 $93,474 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.