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What does a Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators salary really buy you in New York?
New York is 7.6% pricier than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
New York's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 107.6, meaning prices are 7.6% higher the national average. A Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators earning $78,870 in New York has the equivalent purchasing power of $73,299 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for New York's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $50,010 | $46,477 | $-3,532 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $62,780 | $58,345 | $-4,434 |
| Median (P50) | $78,870 | $73,299 | $-5,570 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $119,990 | $111,514 | $-8,475 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $154,630 | $143,708 | $-10,921 |
While $78,870 sounds high, New York's elevated cost of living erases 7% of that salary's purchasing power. Your real buying power is $73,299. Consider whether the higher pay offsets the higher costs.
New York's RPP of 107.6 puts it 7.6% above the national baseline cost of living. A Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators needs that premium in nominal pay just to maintain the same purchasing power as an average-cost state.
After applying New York's RPP, the $78,870 median salary translates to $73,299 in real terms — a 7.1% loss. That difference can cover several months of expenses over a year for a Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators, New York places #3 of 30 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
New York ranks #3 out of 30 states for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators take-home pay in New York after taxes →
A Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators in New York earns a median salary of $78,870 per year. After adjusting for New York's cost of living (RPP=107.6), the real purchasing power is $73,299 — a -7.1% difference.
New York's cost of living is 7.6% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for New York is 107.6 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators in New York: $78,870 x (100 / 107.6) = $73,299. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Partially — a Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators's nominal salary of $78,870 in New York has 7.1% less purchasing power due to higher living costs. The real value is $73,299. However, New York may offer better career opportunities, networking, and industry access.
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