What is a cartoonist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a cartoonist. For example, did you know that they make an average of $35.51 an hour? That's $73,859 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 2,900 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreCartoonistUS Average
Salary
5.8

Avg. Salary $73,859

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
3.5

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.83%

Asian 7.56%

Black or African American 4.30%

Hispanic or Latino 14.02%

Unknown 5.96%

White 67.34%

Gender

female 29.90%

male 70.10%

Age - 39
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39
Stress Level
3.5

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
6.1

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
7.7

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Newest jobs for Cartoonist in Columbus, OH

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Cartoonist career paths

Key steps to become a cartoonist

  1. Explore cartoonist education requirements

    Most common cartoonist degrees

    Bachelor's

    71.2 %

    Associate

    14.8 %

    High School Diploma

    6.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific cartoonist skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Adobe Photoshop24.61%
    Student Newspaper23.94%
    Comics16.56%
    Graphic Design7.26%
    Comic Books7.21%
  3. Research cartoonist duties and responsibilities

    • Used Applescript, Javascript, and Photoshop actions to automate tasks.
    • Publish a series of comics short stories about the local music scene in Columbus.
    • Design posters, signage, print advertisements.
    • Create monthly political comic strips in ASL and English.
  4. Prepare your cartoonist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your cartoonist resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a cartoonist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Cartoonist Resume templates

    Build a professional Cartoonist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Cartoonist resume.
    Cartoonist Resume
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    Cartoonist Resume
    Cartoonist Resume
  5. Apply for cartoonist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a cartoonist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Cartoonist Job

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Are you a Cartoonist?

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Average cartoonist salary

The average Cartoonist salary in the United States is $73,859 per year or $36 per hour. Cartoonist salaries range between $47,000 and $115,000 per year.

Average Cartoonist Salary
$73,859 Yearly
$35.51 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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