National Salary Info » Art and Design Workers

Highest Paying Industries for Art and Design Workers

The top 100 highest paying industries for art and design workers (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $90,180, support activities for mining is the highest paying industry for art and design workers. It is followed by mining industry (average annual salary $87,720). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of art and design workers in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Art and Design Workers

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Support Activities for Mining	$90,180	$53,680	n/a
2	Mining	$87,720	$43,160	n/a
3	Footwear Manufacturing	$79,250	$41,310	270
4	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$78,080	$43,500	2,090
5	Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	$75,940	$43,340	1,130
6	Scientific Research and Development Services	$75,780	$41,520	2,360
7	Federal government, including USPS	$75,620	$43,090	5,570
8	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$75,620	$43,090	5,560
9	Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing	$72,340	$41,150	n/a
10	Software Publishers	$72,150	$36,900	5,400
11	Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$71,100	$39,790	3,690
12	Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing	$70,350	$37,450	610
13	Other Information Services	$70,250	$34,540	3,690
14	Labor Unions and Similar Labor Organizations	$70,190	$42,680	60
15	Cable and Other Subscription Programming	$68,570	$34,720	910
16	Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$68,210	$40,000	140
17	Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage	$67,400	$40,320	180
18	Natural Gas Distribution	$67,130	$44,980	40
19	Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing	$67,010	$42,280	210
20	Other Telecommunications	$66,290	$40,640	90
21	Forging and Stamping	$66,010	$38,370	60
22	Motion Picture and Video Industries	$65,180	$32,690	18,660
23	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$65,100	$36,430	8,980
24	Federal, State, and Local Government	$65,100	$36,430	8,980
25	Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries	$64,810	$32,630	18,970
26	Testing Laboratories	$64,170	$39,640	530
27	Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing	$64,080	$33,020	540
28	Engineering Services	$63,550	$36,480	5,470
29	Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing	$62,800	$33,210	4,090
30	Security Systems Services	$62,190	$37,730	80
31	Ship and Boat Building	$62,060	$39,890	240
32	Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities	$61,940	$36,640	460
33	Household Appliance Manufacturing	$61,610	$40,270	360
34	Telecommunications	$61,510	$33,900	810
35	Communications Equipment Manufacturing	$61,220	$35,980	220
36	Apparel Manufacturing	$60,900	$32,960	4,440
37	Wired Telecommunications Carriers	$60,770	$33,500	620
38	Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	$60,760	$35,760	1,130
39	Computer Systems Design and Related Services	$60,030	$34,170	13,290
40	Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing	$59,670	$35,880	90
41	Investigation and Security Services	$59,660	$39,510	110
42	Rubber Product Manufacturing	$59,480	$33,670	120
43	Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers	$59,330	$31,160	9,720
44	Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing	$59,330	$35,350	1,240
45	Direct Insurance (except Life, Health, and Medical) Carriers	$59,320	$35,710	340
46	Other Financial Investment Activities	$59,290	$35,070	280
47	Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing	$58,940	$30,400	530
48	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$58,720	$35,090	16,610
49	Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing	$58,510	$34,560	420
50	Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing	$58,430	$33,360	2,580
51	Offices of Physicians	$58,420	$39,280	190
52	Broadcasting (except Internet)	$58,150	$29,260	4,460
53	Monetary Authorities-Central Bank	$58,060	$32,970	50
54	Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing	$57,980	$39,990	140
55	Facilities Support Services	$57,950	$39,020	60
56	Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers	$57,870	$37,160	420
57	Boiler, Tank, and Shipping Container Manufacturing	$57,860	$28,960	60
58	Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing	$57,710	$45,490	50
59	Depository Credit Intermediation	$57,590	$36,010	400
60	Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals	$57,540	$40,060	70
61	Utilities	$57,420	$31,270	110
62	Insurance Carriers	$57,320	$35,450	1,170
63	Finance and Insurance	$56,860	$34,670	2,760
64	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$56,820	$27,030	20,040
65	Television Broadcasting	$56,580	$28,130	3,300
66	Lime and Gypsum Product Manufacturing	$56,560	$26,070	n/a
67	Social Advocacy Organizations	$56,510	$34,620	540
68	Public sector -- Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospit	$56,400	$33,230	14,500
69	Insurance Carriers and Related Activities	$56,300	$34,860	1,490
70	Scheduled Air Transportation	$56,150	$31,430	n/a
71	Air Transportation	$56,150	$31,430	n/a
72	Electrical Equipment Manufacturing	$56,070	$33,330	230
73	Machinery Manufacturing	$55,920	$33,370	2,820
74	Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing	$55,880	$34,500	640
75	Radio and Television Broadcasting	$55,860	$27,860	3,550
76	Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors	$55,400	$32,390	250
77	Information	$55,350	$28,330	58,390
78	Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities	$55,280	$34,280	270
79	Credit Intermediation and Related Activities	$55,200	$33,610	750
80	Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing	$55,030	$19,530	310
81	Nonresidential Building Construction	$54,740	$35,200	580
82	Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations	$54,700	$34,730	1,740
83	Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing	$54,570	$31,990	430
84	Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing	$54,480	$25,900	100
85	Specialty hospitals - Privately owned	$54,380	$37,800	50
86	Elementary and Secondary Schools - Local government owned	$54,190	$34,140	450
87	Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite)	$54,150	$33,340	80
88	Chemical Manufacturing	$53,630	$32,420	1,070
89	Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	$53,500	$29,550	10,950
90	Nondepository Credit Intermediation	$53,470	$32,290	200
91	Other Insurance Related Activities	$53,430	$31,620	130
92	Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing	$53,380	$41,500	n/a
93	Spring and Wire Product Manufacturing	$53,360	$39,690	70
94	Cutlery and Handtool Manufacturing	$53,340	$33,250	110
95	Agriculture, Construction, and Mining Machinery Manufacturing	$53,260	$32,160	420
96	Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing	$53,190	$32,880	440
97	Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$53,180	$33,300	2,230
98	Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing	$53,170	$31,330	300
99	Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing	$52,590	$32,680	1,470
100	Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing	$52,410	$30,760	360