The average wage for an illustrator in the United States is around $7.35 per hour.
Avg Wage
Illustrators earn an average hourly wage of $7.35.
Salaries typically start from $3.52 per hour and go up to $15.36 per hour.
73% below national average Updated in 2023
Illustrator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level illustrator earnings begin at:
$15.36 per hour
$31,949 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level illustrator earnings begin at:
$10.84 per hour
$22,539 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level illustrator earnings begin at:
$7.35 per hour
$15,296 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level illustrator earnings begin at:
$4.99 per hour
$10,380 per year
10th percentile
Starting level illustrator earnings begin at:
$3.52 per hour
$7,323 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 23% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than multimedia animators but more than photographers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| 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)