9 of the Best Types of Illustrator Jobs in 2026

Discover some great types of Illustrator jobs that are hiring now.

High Paying Illustrator Jobs

• Freelance Illustrator

  Salary range: $50,500 - $128,500

  Freelance illustrators work in many different industries; they create commercial designs and images for a variety of uses. Instead of working on the staff of a company, freelance illustrators are independent contractors who can be hired to work on a short- or long-term basis. One of the most common types of freelance illustrators is a publication illustrator. They create images for books and articles that complement the text or highlight subjects in a magazine or newspaper. Other freelance illustrators develop accessories for toys, apparel, or interior design sketches. While many use traditional artistic mediums, such as pencil or watercolors, others utilize graphic design programs to create product packaging or marketing materials.

• Senior Illustrator

  Salary range: $106,000 - $121,000

  Senior Illustrator is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Senior Illustrator jobs pay between $106,000 (25th percentile) and $121,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Senior Illustrator job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Entry Level Illustrator

  Salary range: $38,500 - $68,000

  Any job in design or illustration requires a portfolio that demonstrates your skills and versatility. While your qualifications might include a two- or four-year education, many successful illustrators are self-taught, and many more learn new techniques via online classes and videos. As an entry-level illustrator, consider volunteering on projects for friends and family or working with non-profit organizations to develop a variety of representative pieces. You can also sign up at websites that match freelance artists with customers. This strategy allows you to enhance your design skills and broaden your experience while earning money, and can help you demonstrate your abilities to prospective employers.

• Full Time Illustrator

  Salary range: $38,500 - $68,000

  Full-time employment hours are generally determined by the employer. There is no single universal definition; however, various laws and policies govern different types of eligibility and statuses. For example, the Fair Labor Standards Act does not define full-time employment but does require overtime pay after 40 hours of work in a workweek for non-exempt employees. The Affordable Care Act, in determining Applicable Large Employers, defines full-time employees as those working an average of at least 30 hours per week, or 130 hours a month. The H-1B Visa Program defines full-time as 40 hours per week, normally, and in no event would less than 35 hours per week be considered to be full-time employment. In practice, full-time employment is typically between 32 and 40 hours per week.

• Temporary Illustrator

  Salary range: $38,500 - $68,000

  A Temporary job is an employment arrangement in which both parties, the employee and employer, agree in advance that the position will be filled for a set period. Temporary jobs often are based on employers’ seasonal or specific project needs. Occasionally, Temporary employees will be offered ongoing, full-time positions if their performance is excellent and a position is available. However, you should not assume this will be the case.

• Junior Illustrator

  Salary range: $36,000 - $57,500

  Junior Illustrator is a typical job search query. Most salaries for Junior Illustrator jobs pay between $36,000 (25th percentile) and $57,500 (75th percentile) annually. Take a look at the variety of open positions nationwide for Junior Illustrator job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter.

• Virtual Illustrator

  Salary range: $42,500 - $57,000

  A virtual job refers to a job that can be performed outside of an employer’s office. Also known as remote, work from home, or telecommuting jobs, these positions have become increasingly common because of technology like telephones, internet, email, and video conference calls, which help to facilitate employer-employee communication.

• Apprentice Illustrator

  Salary range: $36,000 - $50,000

  Apprentice Illustrator is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Apprentice Illustrator jobs pay between $36,000 (25th percentile) and $50,000 (75th percentile) annually. Take a look at the variety of open positions nationwide for Apprentice Illustrator job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter.

• Illustrator Internship

  Salary range: $24,000 - $30,000

  Illustrator internship opportunities provide you with valuable training and experience with professional illustrators. Some employers refer to their illustrator intern as an artist assistant, but you may not have as many responsibilities as a paid artist assistant. In some cases, you actually work with the artist assistant and help them with various administrative and clerical duties. Your role also depends on the kind of illustration you study. If you are studying computer animation or 3D graphic design, you have more technical duties, such as rendering and coding. If you work with a more traditional graphic designer or illustrator, you draw and sketch.