The average wage for an illustrator in the United States is around $22.87 per hour.
Avg Wage
Illustrators earn an average hourly wage of $22.87.
Salaries typically start from $9.08 per hour and go up to $57.60 per hour.
6% below national average Updated in 2019
Illustrator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level illustrator earnings begin at:
$57.60 per hour
$119,806 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level illustrator earnings begin at:
$37.19 per hour
$77,348 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level illustrator earnings begin at:
$22.87 per hour
$47,567 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level illustrator earnings begin at:
$14.06 per hour
$29,253 per year
10th percentile
Starting level illustrator earnings begin at:
$9.08 per hour
$18,886 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Illustrator salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Oklahoma | $67,440 |
| California | $65,190 |
| Connecticut | $64,070 |
| New Jersey | $62,170 |
| New York | $60,170 |
| Virginia | $59,130 |
| Minnesota | $56,490 |
| Texas | $55,830 |
| Maryland | $52,330 |
| Kansas | $51,270 |
| Oregon | $51,020 |
| Georgia | $48,460 |
| New Hampshire | $47,380 |
| Massachusetts | $47,120 |
| Indiana | $46,844 |
| Arizona | $45,804 |
| Nebraska | $44,440 |
| Iowa | $44,380 |
| North Carolina | $43,310 |
| Utah | $43,140 |
| Vermont | $42,670 |
| Michigan | $42,090 |
| Kentucky | $39,730 |
| Florida | $38,940 |
| Illinois | $38,422 |
| Colorado | $37,720 |
| Louisiana | $37,640 |
| Tennessee | $37,570 |
| Ohio | $37,360 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,220 |
| Missouri | $36,130 |
| Washington | $35,360 |
| Wisconsin | $34,960 |
| Montana | $34,110 |
| New Mexico | $33,910 |
| Puerto Rico | $33,340 |
| Mississippi | $21,510 |
| South Carolina | $19,650 |
| Arkansas | $19,590 |
How do illustrator salaries compare to similar careers?
Illustrators earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than fashion designers but more than museum conservators.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Fashion designer salary | $69K |
| Architect salary | $68K |
| Industrial designer salary | $67K |
| Camera operator salary | $53K |
| Exhibit designer salary | $55K |
| Illustrator salary | $48K |
| Film and video editor salary | $53K |
| Interior designer salary | $53K |
| Model maker salary | $59K |
| Museum conservator salary | $44K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)