Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators

Job zone 3: medium preparationO*NET 27-1013.00

Pay and outlook shown for

median pay per year, Texas (no San Antonio figure is published for this career)

$18k10th$50kMedian$77k90th

New workers start near $17,880; experienced workers reach $77,380. About 700 people do this job in Texas.

Job outlook

Alamo region (San Antonio and 12 surrounding counties), Texas Workforce Commission projection 2024 to 2034; U.S. figures from the BLS.

Employment change: +7.0%; Alamo region, 228 to 244 jobs · U.S. -1%
Openings a year: 22; in the Alamo region, from growth and people leaving · U.S. 2,200
Employed in 2024: 228; in the Alamo region · U.S. 26,500

Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree · Training: Long-term on-the-job training

5 programs, with the college that teaches each.

The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.

Create original artwork using any of a wide variety of media and techniques.

Use materials such as pens and ink, watercolors, charcoal, oil, or computer software to create artwork.
Integrate and develop visual elements, such as line, space, mass, color, and perspective, to produce desired effects, such as the illustration of ideas, emotions, or moods.
Confer with clients, editors, writers, art directors, and other interested parties regarding the nature and content of artwork to be produced.
Maintain portfolios of artistic work to demonstrate styles, interests, and abilities.
Monitor events, trends, and other circumstances, research specific subject areas, attend art exhibitions, and read art publications to develop ideas and keep current on art world activities.
Study different techniques to learn how to apply them to artistic endeavors.

Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.

Job zone 3, medium preparation: Training, an associate degree, or a few years of related experience.

Six questions rank every career here by how closely its interest profile follows yours.