Create original paintings, sculptures, and illustrations, then sell them through galleries, clients, or shows.
Studios, sometimes shared or at home
Irregular, often self-directed
May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.
Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.
“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.
Bachelor's degree
Training path: Art degree plus years of practice.
No license required to start in most places.
Creates paintings, sculptures, and other art to sell, a career where steady income is hard to count on.
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Standard Occupational Classification 27-1013. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.