The average salary for an illustrator in New York is around $78,870 per year.
Avg Salary
Illustrators earn an average yearly salary of $78,870.
Wages typically start from $50,010 and go up to $154,630.
10% above national average Updated in 2025
Illustrator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level illustrator earnings begin at:
$74.34 per hour
$154,630 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level illustrator earnings begin at:
$57.69 per hour
$119,990 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level illustrator earnings begin at:
$37.92 per hour
$78,870 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level illustrator earnings begin at:
$30.18 per hour
$62,780 per year
10th percentile
Starting level illustrator earnings begin at:
$24.04 per hour
$50,010 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 New York. On average, they make less than multimedia animators but more than museum conservators.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Multimedia animator salary | $97K |
| Film and video editor salary | $103K |
| Industrial designer salary | $90K |
| Camera operator salary | $93K |
| Urban planner salary | $90K |
| Illustrator salary | $79K |
| Graphic designer salary | $77K |
| Motion picture projectionist salary | $82K |
| Interior designer salary | $76K |
| Museum conservator salary | $75K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)