The average wage for an illustrator in California is around $31.34 per hour.
Avg Wage
Illustrators earn an average hourly wage of $31.34.
Salaries typically start from $17.10 per hour and go up to $58.64 per hour.
2% above national average Updated in 2018
Illustrator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level illustrator earnings begin at:
$58.64 per hour
$121,970 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level illustrator earnings begin at:
$42.82 per hour
$89,060 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level illustrator earnings begin at:
$31.34 per hour
$65,190 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level illustrator earnings begin at:
$25.48 per hour
$53,000 per year
10th percentile
Starting level illustrator earnings begin at:
$17.10 per hour
$35,570 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 California. On average, they make less than film and video editors but more than graphic designers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Film and video editor salary | $75K |
| Multimedia animator salary | $85K |
| Camera operator salary | $68K |
| Make-Up artist salary | $72K |
| Industrial designer salary | $70K |
| Illustrator salary | $65K |
| Calligrapher salary | $60K |
| Interior designer salary | $60K |
| Exhibit designer salary | $59K |
| Graphic designer salary | $57K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)