Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators Salary
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC make a median of $35,000 a year, or about $16.83 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $85K for experienced workers.
So what does $35K get you in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk’s Regional Price Parity (97.9). 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
Pay for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk runs about 37% below the U.S. median of $55K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,713/month, which is 71.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.9) 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators in metros near Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $62K | , |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $66K | , |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $56K | , |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | $57K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Entry-level fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $85K or more, a $56K 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
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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 71.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,713/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,729/month. At HUD’s $1,713/month FMR, rent would take 99% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Local pay runs 37% below the national median — $35K here vs. $55K nationally.
How does Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk compare to the national average for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -37%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $36K — below the national median.
How much do fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators make in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
The median is $35,000 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,820, and experienced fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators can clear $85,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,389/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,713/month, which eats 71.7% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators salary is worth about $35,751 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.