Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Illinois employs 59,050 Arts, Design & Entertainment professionals across 27 occupations. Explore salary ranges, top paying jobs, and career opportunities within the Arts, Design & Entertainment industry.
The best-compensated occupations within Arts, Design & Entertainment in Illinois, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Arts, Design & Entertainment industry in Illinois, sorted by median salary (highest to lowest). Click any job title for state-specific salary details.
| # | Job Title | Median Salary | Mean Salary | Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Art Directors | $103,550 | $114,870 | 2,960 | $49/hr |
| 2 | Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film | $100,170 | $96,520 | 1,060 | $48/hr |
| 3 | Technical Writers | $88,700 | $92,610 | 1,040 | $42/hr |
| 4 | Special Effects Artists and Animators | $81,180 | $92,680 | 630 | $39/hr |
| 5 | Producers and Directors | $81,080 | $95,920 | 3,170 | $38/hr |
| 6 | Public Relations Specialists | $76,380 | $86,060 | 6,200 | $36/hr |
| 7 | Interior Designers | $76,290 | $85,520 | 2,570 | $36/hr |
| 8 | Editors | $76,060 | $80,620 | 4,560 | $36/hr |
| 9 | Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners | $75,890 | $73,260 | 770 | $36/hr |
| 10 | Broadcast Technicians | $74,210 | $77,070 | 690 | $35/hr |
| 11 | Sound Engineering Technicians | $73,130 | $69,840 | 570 | $35/hr |
| 12 | Film and Video Editors | $72,460 | $77,150 | 310 | $34/hr |
| 13 | Writers and Authors | $68,220 | $77,240 | 2,640 | $32/hr |
| 14 | Graphic Designers | $62,560 | $66,980 | 8,960 | $30/hr |
| 15 | Audio and Video Technicians | $60,740 | $67,840 | 3,020 | $29/hr |
| 16 | News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists | $60,590 | $87,560 | 1,060 | $29/hr |
| 17 | Interpreters and Translators | $55,290 | $58,650 | 1,510 | $26/hr |
| 18 | Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators | $53,850 | $60,710 | N/A | $25/hr |
| 19 | Music Directors and Composers | $49,270 | $60,360 | N/A | $23/hr |
| 20 | Coaches and Scouts | $49,120 | $68,830 | 8,840 | $23/hr |
| 21 | Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials | $49,070 | $57,360 | 690 | $23/hr |
| 22 | Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys | $46,720 | $54,760 | 770 | $22/hr |
| 23 | Craft Artists | $43,040 | $48,650 | N/A | $20/hr |
| 24 | Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers | $40,270 | $45,120 | 3,090 | $19/hr |
| 25 | Photographers | $36,570 | $50,600 | 2,150 | $17/hr |
| 26 | Floral Designers | $35,880 | $37,300 | 1,760 | $17/hr |
| 27 | Choreographers | $34,560 | $36,440 | 30 | $16/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Illinois:
Illinois has 27 Arts, Design & Entertainment occupations with 59,050 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Arts, Design & Entertainment occupation in Illinois is Art Directors with a median salary of $103,550/year.
The average median salary across 27 Arts, Design & Entertainment occupations in Illinois is $63,883/year.
Salaries in Arts, Design & Entertainment in Illinois range from $31,200 (entry-level) to $172,050 (senior) across all occupations.
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes organize jobs into groups. Arts, Design & Entertainment occupations use SOC prefix 27. Data comes from BLS OEWS.
Data: BLS OEWS 2025. Salary figures represent May 2025 compensation for occupations classified under SOC code 27* in Illinois. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources