Illustrator earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level illustrator earnings begin at:

$36.73 per hour

$76,400 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level illustrator earnings begin at:

$29.63 per hour

$61,640 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level illustrator earnings begin at:

$21.34 per hour

$44,380 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level illustrator earnings begin at:

$15.78 per hour

$32,820 per year

10th percentile

Starting level illustrator earnings begin at:

$10.38 per hour

$21,580 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Illustrator salary by state

State Name Average Salary
New Jersey $79,860
Washington $78,030
Minnesota $71,600
Maryland $62,990
California $62,490
Oregon $61,930
Georgia $60,820
Utah $60,230
Florida $59,830
Massachusetts $59,400
Illinois $57,750
Kansas $51,270
Indiana $51,110
Nebraska $49,110
North Carolina $48,710
Colorado $47,850
New Mexico $47,440
Oklahoma $47,310
Virginia $46,760
Ohio $46,340
Iowa $44,380
Vermont $42,670
Michigan $42,090
Arizona $38,960
Louisiana $38,370
Alabama $38,270
Wisconsin $37,320
Pennsylvania $37,220
Missouri $36,130
New Hampshire $35,330
Montana $34,110
Puerto Rico $33,340
Tennessee $32,150
Mississippi $23,470
South Carolina $19,650
Arkansas $19,590
Kentucky $18,800
Texas $17,880
New York $125,930
Connecticut $103,230

How do illustrator salaries compare to similar careers?

Illustrators earn 7% more than similar careers in Iowa. On average, they make less than multimedia animators but more than engravers.

Career Median Salary
Multimedia animator salary $50K
Calligrapher salary $52K
Art therapist salary $51K
Illustrator salary $44K
Painter salary $41K
Potter salary $35K
Photographer salary $29K
Engraver salary $27K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)