SOC 27-1013 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators — Ohio
Ohio · 3 metro areas compared
At $31,780, this is one of the lower medians recorded for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators, 42.7% beneath the national figure of $55,490.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -1.2%
- Openings per year
- 2,200
- Typical entry-level education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
61.6% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Ohio.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
At $31,780, this is one of the lower medians recorded for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators, 42.7% beneath the national figure of $55,490. Pay ranges from under $22,860 at the tenth percentile to more than $63,750 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $24,190 to $43,750.
Employment stands at 510, or 0.1 jobs per thousand held locally. Ohio ranks number 28th out of 30 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, Columbus records the highest median at $34,870. Of the 774 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 744th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $22,860 | −58.8% |
| 25th | $24,190 | −56.4% |
| Median (50th) | $31,780 | −42.7% |
| 75th | $43,750 | −21.2% |
| 90th | $63,750 | +14.9% |
| Mean | $37,820 | −31.8% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Ohio
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbus | $34,870 | 50 | |
| 2 | Cincinnati | $34,560 | 130 | |
| 3 | Cleveland | $27,560 | 110 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Ohio run 7.2% below the national average, so the median of $31,780 goes as far as $34,246 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 38.3% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$31,780as reported by BLSLocal price level
92.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$34,246US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $31,780 a year, 42.7% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $22,860 to $63,750 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 510 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 28th of 30 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Columbus, at $34,870.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators in Ohio?
The median annual wage is $31,780, or $15.28 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $55,490, so pay in Ohio is 42.7% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Ohio earns more than $63,750 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $22,860 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Columbus, at $34,870 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 510 jobs in this occupation in Ohio. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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