The average salary for an artist in the United States is around $10,000 per year.
Avg Salary
Artists earn an average yearly salary of $10,000.
Wages typically start from $21 and go up to $60,000.
63% below national average Updated in 2023
Artist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level artist earnings begin at:
$28.85 per hour
$60,000 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level artist earnings begin at:
$17.31 per hour
$36,000 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level artist earnings begin at:
$4.81 per hour
$10,000 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level artist earnings begin at:
$0.24 per hour
$500 per year
10th percentile
Starting level artist earnings begin at:
$0.01 per hour
$21 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
How do artist salaries compare to similar careers?
Artists earn 17% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than art therapists but more than photographers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Art therapist salary | $48K |
| Engraver salary | $40K |
| Art teacher salary | $45K |
| Multimedia animator salary | $33K |
| Potter salary | $28K |
| Artist salary | $10K |
| Painter salary | $19K |
| Jeweler salary | $21K |
| Illustrator salary | $15K |
| Photographer salary | $12K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)