Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators Salary
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA make a median of $82,580 a year, or about $39.7 an hour. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $133K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.13), so that salary is closer to $74,309 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,501/month, about 45.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $83K get you in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue’s Regional Price Parity (111.13). 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue sits well above the national pay line for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators, local pay runs about 49% 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 $2,501/month, which is 45.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 11% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.13), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators in metros near Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $99K | $93K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Entry-level fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $83K. Top earners bring in $133K or more, a $90K 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $83K, rent takes 45.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,501/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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,582/month. At HUD’s $2,501/month FMR, rent would take 97% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Local pay is 49% above the national median — $83K here vs. $55K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 11% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue compare to the national average for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue pays $83K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s +49%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.13), the purchasing-power equivalent is $74K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators make in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?
The median is $82,580 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,040, and experienced fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators can clear $132,890. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $83K enough to live in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,540/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,501/month, which eats 45.1% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue has a Regional Price Parity of 111.13 (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 $74,309 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.