The average salary for a calligrapher in the United States is around $71,240 per year.
Avg Salary
Calligraphers earn an average yearly salary of $71,240.
Wages typically start from $36,580 and go up to $136,660.
15% above national average Updated in 2025
Calligrapher earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level calligrapher earnings begin at:
$65.70 per hour
$136,660 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level calligrapher earnings begin at:
$55.36 per hour
$115,150 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level calligrapher earnings begin at:
$34.25 per hour
$71,240 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level calligrapher earnings begin at:
$20.20 per hour
$42,010 per year
10th percentile
Starting level calligrapher earnings begin at:
$17.59 per hour
$36,580 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Calligrapher salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $94,890 |
| District of Columbia | $90,410 |
| Pennsylvania | $86,260 |
| New Jersey | $85,500 |
| Ohio | $82,280 |
| North Carolina | $81,850 |
| Oregon | $71,490 |
| Colorado | $69,860 |
| New York | $68,200 |
| Indiana | $65,530 |
| North Dakota | $64,470 |
| Texas | $64,060 |
| Michigan | $63,830 |
| Illinois | $63,540 |
| Missouri | $63,130 |
| Alaska | $63,080 |
| Alabama | $61,280 |
| California | $60,540 |
| Wisconsin | $60,530 |
| New Hampshire | $58,640 |
| Nevada | $56,200 |
| Minnesota | $47,470 |
| Florida | $45,870 |
| New Mexico | $44,580 |
| Washington | $43,470 |
| Utah | $43,190 |
| Tennessee | $43,030 |
| Arizona | $40,370 |
| Iowa | $39,550 |
| Vermont | $38,610 |
| Oklahoma | $28,000 |
| Hawaii | $23,480 |
| Maryland | $128,610 |
| Georgia | $119,680 |
| Virginia | $111,530 |
| Connecticut | $103,740 |
| West Virginia | $101,400 |
How do calligrapher salaries compare to similar careers?
Calligraphers earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than industrial designers but more than model makers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Industrial designer salary | $84K |
| Fashion designer salary | $81K |
| Film and video editor salary | $75K |
| Camera operator salary | $75K |
| Exhibit designer salary | $75K |
| Calligrapher salary | $71K |
| Interior designer salary | $67K |
| Illustrator salary | $55K |
| Graphic designer salary | $63K |
| Model maker salary | $57K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)