- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a mean hourly wage for cartoonists around $53,080 per year, as of 2010. This figure is based on 10,320 cartoonists, illustrators and artists working in the United States. The annual figure is close to $25.52 per hour for those working on an hourly rate. The bureau also provides the lowest 10th percentile salaries and the top 90th percentile, which are $19,190 and $89,720 per year, respectively. These figures indicate that a cartoonist may earn as little as $19,190 but as much as $89,720, depending on experience, education, years of expertise and employer.
- A cartoonist’s annual salary is influenced by the given industry for which he creates illustrations, comics or arts. According to the Bureau, those working in academic settings like universities and colleges earn $40,400 per year, which is lower than those earning $51,470 per year working for newspapers, magazines and book publishers. The bureau states that independent artists and writers who create cartoons earn on average $51,340 per year.
- The annual income of a cartoonist may be higher in some states. California, New York and Michigan offer some of the highest salaries in the country. New Mexico is the top-paying state for cartoonists, with an annual income of $71,320, while California offers $66,270 in income. Utah pays cartoonists $39,750 per year, while Massachusetts cartoonists get $45,960 per year.
- Although each individual state has a salary average for cartoonists, the actual wage depends on the local area within the state where the employment is situated. For example, the bureau lists the average income for cartoonists as $81,770 per year in the San Jose and Sunnyvale area in California, while those working in San Francisco, Redwood City and the surrounding metropolitan area in northern California get $70,220 in average annual wages. Los Angeles cartoonists get close to $68,800 per year, as of 2010.
previous post