Craft Artists Salaries by State

Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for craft artistss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).

National mean salary $49,740 ≈ $24/hr
National median salary $46,080
Total employment 4,580 nationwide

Job Outlook, 2024–2034

Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.

Projected growth +2.1% About as fast as average
Annual openings 1,000 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 11,600 → 11,900 (+200)
Typical entry education No formal educational credential

Salary Map

Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.

Mean annual wage $0–$36,000 $36,000–$46,000 $46,000–$50,000 $50,000–$55,000 $55,000–$110,000 U.S. mean $49,740

💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States

  1. California$110,420
  2. Georgia$58,780
  3. Missouri$57,020
  4. Oregon$55,820
  5. New York$55,390

📉 5 Lowest-Paying States

  1. Minnesota$34,590
  2. Michigan$35,110
  3. Connecticut$36,080
  4. Alabama$36,430
  5. Ohio$38,510
#StateMeanMedian Hourlyvs. U.S.Employment
1 California $110,420 $100,540 $53 +122% 170
2 Georgia $58,780 $48,880 $28 +18.2%
3 Missouri $57,020 $61,780 $27 +14.6% 140
4 Oregon $55,820 $51,060 $27 +12.2% 170
5 New York $55,390 $49,020 $27 +11.4% 50
6 Wisconsin $54,790 $58,650 $26 +10.2% 190
7 Tennessee $54,490 $32,830 $26 +9.5%
8 Massachusetts $53,620 $47,660 $26 +7.8% 50
9 Texas $53,500 $54,690 $26 +7.6% 870
10 Florida $51,000 $48,710 $25 +2.5% 270
11 Washington $50,130 $44,120 $24 +0.8% 80
12 Arizona $48,980 $46,300 $24 -1.5%
13 Illinois $48,650 $43,040 $23 -2.2%
14 Maine $48,250 $53,380 $23 -3% 50
15 Colorado $45,580 $43,620 $22 -8.4%

Top-Paying Metro Areas

Highest median pay among 18 metro areas.

#Metro areaMedianMeanEmployment
1 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $100,410 $113,080 110
2 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $74,110 $70,020
3 Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $58,640 $53,160 40
4 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $53,680 $52,370
5 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $51,060 $55,980 130
6 Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $49,760 $48,190 50
7 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $49,290 $55,510 60
8 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $49,200 $51,560 100
9 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $48,190 $52,940
10 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $47,670 $45,810 60

Pay by Industry

Highest-paying industries employing craft artistss (BLS OEWS, by median).

#IndustryMedianMeanEmployment
1 Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries $98,560 $110,250 130
2 Motion Picture and Video Industries $98,560 $110,250 130
3 Sector 51 - Information $96,290 $100,150 160
4 Performing Arts Companies $61,000 $75,350 150
5 Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters $61,000 $74,190 140
6 Miscellaneous Manufacturing $55,430 $53,000 330
7 Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing $55,430 $53,000 330
8 Broadcasting and Content Providers $54,700 $57,290 30
9 Sectors 31, 32, and 33 - Manufacturing $50,910 $49,680 640
10 Amusement Parks and Arcades $48,710 $48,630 170
11 Educational Services $48,700 $51,980
12 Sector 61 - Educational Services $48,700 $51,980

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do craft artists make in the U.S.?

The median craft artists salary in the United States is $46,080 per year (mean $49,740), and about 80% earn between $25,960 and $71,990.

How much do craft artists make per hour?

Roughly $24 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $49,740 and 2,080 work hours per year.

Which state pays craft artists the most?

California has the highest average pay for craft artists at $110,420 per year (median $100,540).

What is the job outlook for craft artists?

Employment is projected to change +2.1% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 1,000 openings per year.

What People Search

Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.

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