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What is a comic illustrator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a comic illustrator. For example, did you know that they make an average of $33.6 an hour? That's $69,893 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 2,900 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreComic IllustratorUS Average
Salary
5.5

Avg. Salary $69,893

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
3.5

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.83%

Asian 7.54%

Black or African American 4.30%

Hispanic or Latino 14.00%

Unknown 5.96%

White 67.38%

Gender

female 23.08%

male 76.92%

Age - 39
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39
Stress level
3.5

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.1

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.7

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a comic illustrator

  1. Explore comic illustrator education requirements

    Most common comic illustrator degrees

    Bachelor's

    74.2 %

    Associate

    12.9 %

    Certificate

    6.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific comic illustrator skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Adobe Photoshop60.52%
    Comics39.48%
  3. Research comic illustrator duties and responsibilities

    • Produce 3D scientific animation & illustration work for both pharmaceutical industries & educational institutions.
    • Used ZBrush to model characters and objects.
  4. Prepare your comic illustrator resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your comic illustrator resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a comic illustrator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable comic illustrator resume templates

    Build a professional comic illustrator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your comic illustrator resume.
    Comic Illustrator Resume
    Comic Illustrator Resume
    Comic Illustrator Resume
    Comic Illustrator Resume
    Comic Illustrator Resume
    Comic Illustrator Resume
    Comic Illustrator Resume
    Comic Illustrator Resume
    Comic Illustrator Resume
  5. Apply for comic illustrator jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a comic illustrator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first comic illustrator job

Zippi

Are you a comic illustrator?

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Average comic illustrator salary

The average comic illustrator salary in the United States is $69,893 per year or $34 per hour. Comic illustrator salaries range between $31,000 and $153,000 per year.

Average comic illustrator salary
$69,893 Yearly
$33.60 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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