The amount of money earned by visual artists varies greatly. Most work as freelancers, so they can set their own prices.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the median annual earnings of salaried craft and fine artists totaled $48,380 in May 2018. Salaries ranged from less than $22,020 to more than $101,400. Median annual earnings for craft artists, specifically, were $34,240, while median annual earnings for fine artists (including painters, sculptors, and illustrators) totaled $49,380. Multimedia artists earned salaries that ranged from less than $40,870 to $124,310 or more. Graphic designers had median earnings that ranged from $29,610 or less to $85,760 or more.

Artists often work long hours and earn little, especially when they are first starting out. The price they charge is up to them, but much depends on the value the public places on their work. A particular item may sell for a few dollars or tens of thousands of dollars, or at any price in between. Often the value of a piece may increase considerably after it has been sold. Artwork that may have earned an artist only a few hundred dollars when it was first completed may earn many thousands of dollars the next time it is sold if the artist's work becomes well known and in demand.

Some artists obtain grants that allow them to pursue their art; others win prizes and awards in competitions. Most artists, however, have to work on their projects part time while holding a regular, full-time job. Many artists teach in art schools, high schools, or out of their studios. Artists who sell their products must pay social security and other taxes on any money they receive and provide their own benefits.

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