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Sculptors, painters and industrial artists

How to become an Illustrator

Draws illustrations to suit the purpose of each project, on request from advertising agencies, publishers, printers and others.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say university is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular education or qualification is required to start. Because the job involves a lot of drawing, it is said to help to have studied drawing thoroughly, and many people have studied art or design at university, tanki daigaku (junior college) or senmon gakko (vocational college). Illustrators may work for advertising, publishing or printing companies, or join game companies to design characters. Some build a track record and go freelance. You need talent, skill and the ability to express yourself in a distinctive way. Winning prizes in competitions is proof of your ability and achievements. As well as loving drawing, you need a sense of shape and colour.

Ways in

Pay · Job openings · AI and this job

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Questions people ask

How do I become an Illustrator?

No particular education or qualification is required to start. Because the job involves a lot of drawing, it is said to help to have studied drawing thoroughly, and many people have studied art or design at university, tanki daigaku (junior college) or senmon gakko (vocational college). Illustrators may work for advertising, publishing or printing companies, or join game companies to design characters. Some build a track record and go freelance. You need talent, skill and the ability to express yourself in a distinctive way. Winning prizes in competitions is proof of your ability and achievements. As well as loving drawing, you need a sense of shape and colour.

How much does an Illustrator earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥4,922,300 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Artists, photographers and camera operators, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become an Illustrator?

Not always. In this job's census occupation group, 42% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: Vocational college (専門学校) course: Fine art.

Will AI change the work of an Illustrator?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026