How much does a fine artist make in San Francisco?
$126,500a year
Median yearly pay for fine artists in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area. That is $60.80 an hour or $10,540 a month.
- Hourly
- $60.80
- Vs. national median
- +128%
- Rank among cities
- 1 of 41
- Jobs in the area
- 450
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $41,250Median: $126,500Highest 10%: $168,600
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $41,250 | $19.83 | |
| 25th | $42,710 | $20.53 | |
| Median | $126,500 | $60.80 | |
| 75th | $166,400 | $79.99 | |
| 90th | $168,600 | $81.04 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for fine artists.
| No other city in the state with data. |
Related jobs in San Francisco
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Art Director | $165,200 |
| Musician and Singer | $157,600 |
| Special Effects Artist and Animator | $136,800 |
| Technical Writer | $135,500 |
| Producer and Director | $130,600 |
| Court Reporter and Simultaneous Captioner | $129,300 |
| Music Director and Composer | $113,000 |
| Media and Communication Equipment Worker | $110,800 |
| Film and Video Editor | $109,900 |
| Set and Exhibit Designer | $109,100 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a fine artist make an hour in San Francisco?
The median hourly pay in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area is $60.80 ($126,500 a year).
Do fine artists make more in San Francisco than the national average?
Yes: $126,500 against $55,490 nationally, 128% more.
How does San Francisco compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $58,240, so San Francisco pays 117% more.
Where does San Francisco rank for fine artist pay?
1 of 41 metro areas with data.
How much does a fine artist make starting out in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% make $41,250 or less a year; the top 10% make $168,600 or more.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.