Research Summary. After extensive research by the Zippia data science team, we identified these details of artist salary by state for the United States as of 2026:
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California has the highest artist salary of $75,539
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Arkansas has the lowest artist salary of $58,365
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The national average salary for artists is $68,690
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The national hourly pay for artists is $33.02
You can read more on the specific methodology.
Background
Determining salary is paramount for job seekers, as confirmed by surveys across various demographics. Many individuals ask, “How much do artists earn in my area?” Understanding the financial landscape is crucial, and while many factors affect individual salaries, comprehensive data reveals average salaries for artists by state, segmented by seniority level. Though local variances exist, these averages provide valuable insight into potential earnings.
As it stands, California leads the pack with the highest average salary for artists.
Here’s a quick snapshot of the top ten states for artist salaries in 2026:
Let’s explore the full rankings of artist salaries across the states.
Highest-Paid Artists By State
| Rank | State | Average Artist Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $75,539 | $45,000 | $124,000 |
| 2 | Nevada | $74,007 | $44,000 | $122,000 |
| 3 | Oregon | $73,421 | $44,000 | $120,000 |
| 4 | Washington | $71,839 | $43,000 | $117,000 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $70,146 | $41,000 | $118,000 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $70,130 | $41,000 | $118,000 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $70,113 | $41,000 | $118,000 |
| 8 | New York | $70,092 | $41,000 | $118,000 |
| 9 | Delaware | $69,636 | $40,000 | $118,000 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $69,508 | $40,000 | $118,000 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $69,461 | $41,000 | $117,000 |
| 12 | Arizona | $69,240 | $41,000 | $114,000 |
| 13 | Maryland | $68,747 | $40,000 | $117,000 |
| 14 | Idaho | $68,722 | $42,000 | $112,000 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $68,398 | $40,000 | $115,000 |
| 16 | Utah | $67,184 | $41,000 | $109,000 |
| 17 | Virginia | $66,721 | $38,000 | $114,000 |
| 18 | Vermont | $66,413 | $39,000 | $112,000 |
| 19 | Michigan | $66,190 | $39,000 | $111,000 |
| 20 | New Mexico | $66,108 | $39,000 | $109,000 |
| 21 | Maine | $65,685 | $39,000 | $110,000 |
| 22 | Ohio | $64,923 | $38,000 | $109,000 |
| 23 | West Virginia | $64,729 | $38,000 | $109,000 |
| 24 | Montana | $64,374 | $40,000 | $103,000 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $63,767 | $38,000 | $105,000 |
| 26 | Alaska | $62,887 | $43,000 | $90,000 |
| 27 | Minnesota | $62,831 | $38,000 | $102,000 |
| 28 | Texas | $62,669 | $37,000 | $105,000 |
| 29 | Illinois | $62,625 | $37,000 | $103,000 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $62,333 | $38,000 | $100,000 |
| 31 | Indiana | $62,138 | $37,000 | $103,000 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $61,810 | $38,000 | $99,000 |
| 33 | Colorado | $61,763 | $38,000 | $99,000 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $61,135 | $42,000 | $87,000 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $61,092 | $35,000 | $104,000 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $60,554 | $35,000 | $102,000 |
| 37 | Iowa | $60,370 | $37,000 | $98,000 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $60,289 | $37,000 | $96,000 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $60,236 | $36,000 | $100,000 |
| 40 | Florida | $59,501 | $34,000 | $103,000 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $59,108 | $36,000 | $96,000 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $59,055 | $36,000 | $95,000 |
| 43 | Kansas | $58,954 | $36,000 | $95,000 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $58,845 | $34,000 | $100,000 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $58,819 | $35,000 | $98,000 |
| 46 | Missouri | $58,711 | $35,000 | $95,000 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $58,556 | $35,000 | $97,000 |
| 48 | Alabama | $58,506 | $34,000 | $98,000 |
| 49 | Georgia | $58,393 | $34,000 | $98,000 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $58,365 | $35,000 | $95,000 |
Methodology: Artist Salary By State
To better understand artist pay by state, Zippia has aggregated data across a multitude of channels including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. We then supplement that data with actual listed salaries from job posts. Finally, the data science team calculates a weighted average of these inputs to create an average pay for artists by state.
We took the average annual salary data for artists from these estimates and ranked every state based on this criteria, with the state with the highest salary ranking as the highest average salary for artists.
Artist Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for artists?
The highest-paid state for artists is California with an average salary of $75,539 per year.
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What city pays artists the most?
San Rafael, CA pays artists the most with an average salary of $79,430 per year.
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What is the worst state for artists?
The worst state for artists is Arkansas with an average salary of $58,365 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
