The average salary for an illustrator in the United States is around $55,490 per year.
Avg Salary
Illustrators earn an average yearly salary of $55,490.
Wages typically start from $31,630 and go up to $144,210.
4% above national average Updated in 2025
Illustrator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level illustrator earnings begin at:
$69.33 per hour
$144,210 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level illustrator earnings begin at:
$40.00 per hour
$83,200 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level illustrator earnings begin at:
$26.68 per hour
$55,490 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level illustrator earnings begin at:
$18.06 per hour
$37,560 per year
10th percentile
Starting level illustrator earnings begin at:
$15.21 per hour
$31,630 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Illustrator salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Oregon | $98,540 |
| Nevada | $81,630 |
| New York | $78,870 |
| Washington | $72,430 |
| Connecticut | $71,210 |
| Maryland | $66,180 |
| Georgia | $65,010 |
| New Mexico | $63,090 |
| New Jersey | $62,170 |
| Minnesota | $61,730 |
| California | $58,240 |
| Utah | $57,270 |
| Arizona | $56,160 |
| Pennsylvania | $54,270 |
| Illinois | $53,850 |
| Wisconsin | $53,350 |
| Colorado | $51,910 |
| Florida | $50,360 |
| Missouri | $49,820 |
| Texas | $49,650 |
| Kentucky | $48,050 |
| Virginia | $47,930 |
| Oklahoma | $47,830 |
| New Hampshire | $47,380 |
| Massachusetts | $47,120 |
| Indiana | $46,844 |
| Maine | $46,170 |
| Iowa | $44,380 |
| North Carolina | $43,310 |
| Vermont | $42,670 |
| Louisiana | $40,700 |
| Nebraska | $39,800 |
| Michigan | $38,650 |
| Montana | $34,110 |
| Puerto Rico | $33,340 |
| Arkansas | $32,340 |
| Ohio | $31,780 |
| Tennessee | $30,720 |
| Kansas | $25,830 |
| Mississippi | $21,510 |
| South Carolina | $19,650 |
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 film and video editors but more than gem workers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Precious metal worker salary | $53K |
| Gem worker salary | $53K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)