National Salary Info » Artists and Related Workers

Highest Paying Industries for Artists and Related Workers

The top 100 highest paying industries for artists and related 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 $111,740, cut and sew apparel manufacturing is the highest paying industry for artists and related workers. It is followed by apparel manufacturing industry (average annual salary $109,160). 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 artists and related workers in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Artists and Related Workers

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing	$111,740	$64,690	70
2	Apparel Manufacturing	$109,160	$63,360	70
3	Textile Mills	$100,100	$20,090	40
4	Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers	$96,940	$56,310	460
5	Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers	$96,720	$52,200	30
6	Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities	$93,160	$51,100	70
7	Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers	$89,120	$47,350	560
8	Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage	$88,180	$54,080	40
9	Credit Intermediation and Related Activities	$87,330	$56,900	60
10	Other Information Services	$83,920	$46,950	1,790
11	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$81,100	$47,610	2,330
12	Ambulatory Health Care Services	$79,810	$48,220	60
13	Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing	$79,590	$52,940	60
14	Direct Insurance (except Life, Health, and Medical) Carriers	$79,240	$52,150	90
15	Finance and Insurance	$79,070	$48,550	330
16	Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	$78,930	$42,030	1,780
17	Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services	$78,820	$40,840	15,260
18	Chemical Manufacturing	$78,330	$52,510	80
19	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$77,890	$47,990	270
20	Specialized Design Services	$77,660	$35,840	4,450
21	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$77,510	$35,850	3,330
22	Federal government, including USPS	$77,470	$35,850	3,330
23	Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations	$77,440	$52,530	140
24	Software Publishers	$77,390	$41,050	4,070
25	Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods	$77,190	$43,460	1,200
26	Wholesale Trade	$77,080	$40,830	2,200
27	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$76,490	$40,000	27,690
28	Scientific Research and Development Services	$76,440	$45,210	310
29	Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$76,060	$45,900	80
30	Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works)	$75,180	$39,250	50
31	Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services	$74,680	$18,600	50
32	Broadcasting (except Internet)	$74,420	$35,640	1,830
33	Insurance Carriers	$74,260	$44,860	180
34	Warehousing and Storage	$73,880	$64,560	n/a
35	Insurance Carriers and Related Activities	$73,740	$45,950	200
36	Office Furniture (including Fixtures) Manufacturing	$73,060	$42,140	50
37	Paper Manufacturing	$73,030	$27,130	40
38	Office Administrative Services	$72,710	$43,560	40
39	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$72,090	$34,780	4,060
40	Federal, State, and Local Government	$72,090	$34,780	4,060
41	Real Estate and Rental and Leasing	$71,600	$39,300	80
42	Computer Systems Design and Related Services	$71,330	$42,480	4,790
43	Paper and Paper Product Merchant Wholesalers	$71,280	$45,460	n/a
44	Information	$71,000	$36,810	25,550
45	Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing	$70,950	$30,230	70
46	Transportation and Warehousing	$70,660	$54,140	80
47	Publishing Industries (except Internet)	$70,380	$37,230	9,170
48	Television Broadcasting	$70,030	$35,170	1,200
49	Converted Paper Product Manufacturing	$69,620	$26,230	40
50	Radio and Television Broadcasting	$69,510	$35,420	1,290
51	Motion Picture and Video Industries	$69,390	$35,770	12,250
52	Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing	$69,330	$22,430	60
53	Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries	$69,220	$35,710	12,350
54	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$69,090	$41,290	440
55	Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services	$68,820	$38,430	280
56	Social Advocacy Organizations	$68,450	$46,940	120
57	Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing	$67,520	$34,010	220
58	Furniture Stores	$66,770	$41,950	40
59	Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses	$66,120	$28,900	540
60	Temporary Help Services	$66,030	$35,070	n/a
61	Health Care and Social Assistance	$65,780	$39,290	180
62	Administrative and Support Services	$65,620	$28,480	870
63	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	$65,620	$28,480	870
64	Employment Services	$65,450	$31,740	550
65	Radio Broadcasting	$65,420	$39,810	80
66	Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	$65,230	$31,450	110
67	Business Support Services	$65,080	$41,280	60
68	Nonstore Retailers	$64,760	$28,850	570
69	Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers	$64,610	$32,580	250
70	Public sector -- Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospit	$64,120	$34,070	5,530
71	Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers	$63,590	$34,760	5,100
72	Engineering Services	$62,860	$42,230	170
73	Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods	$60,550	$32,480	430
74	Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations	$60,300	$33,480	500
75	Elementary and Secondary Schools - Local government owned	$59,960	$38,100	150
76	Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities	$59,940	$40,770	40
77	Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services	$59,630	$23,380	340
78	Testing Laboratories	$59,560	$24,700	40
79	Other Support Services	$59,320	$25,900	180
80	Machinery Manufacturing	$58,940	$38,440	60
81	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - Privately owned	$58,920	$39,990	60
82	Hospitals (including private, state, and local government hospitals)	$58,200	$40,050	80
83	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals	$58,180	$40,760	70
84	Printing and Related Support Activities	$58,080	$31,660	790
85	Hospitals - Privately owned	$57,580	$39,000	60
86	Elementary and Secondary Schools	$57,340	$35,790	210
87	Accommodation	$57,210	$31,840	90
88	Accommodation and Food Services	$57,210	$31,840	90
89	Telecommunications	$57,060	$33,380	140
90	Traveler Accommodation	$57,000	$33,410	80
91	Educational Services - Local government owned	$56,770	$28,820	370
92	Lime and Gypsum Product Manufacturing	$56,560	$26,070	n/a
93	Local government, including schools and hospitals	$56,140	$30,370	850
94	Religious Organizations	$55,560	$34,430	70
95	Miscellaneous Durable Goods Merchant Wholesalers	$55,260	$29,280	270
96	Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media	$54,980	$33,060	n/a
97	Sound Recording Industries	$54,940	$33,630	90
98	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - Privately owned	$54,590	$30,830	910
99	Business schools and computer and management training - Privately owned	$54,230	$39,320	160
100	Miscellaneous Manufacturing	$53,990	$21,390	800