Cartoonists work for advertising agencies, newspapers, magazines, book publishing companies, greeting card companies, video and film production studios, graphic design studios, and government departments.

A few cartoonists work full-time, but most work on a freelance basis. This means they are basically working for themselves and must negotiate contracts or fees for each illustration or series of illustrations they do. They also discuss copyright protection for their work.

Most cartoonists are paid by the cartoon. An individual cartoon might be worth $50 to $500, depending on the reputation and experience of the cartoonist.

Cartoonists who receive an annual salary may make anywhere from $15,000 to $50,000 a year, depending on their skill and the employer. Well-known cartoonists hired on a full-time basis to work on newspapers with a large circulation can earn up to $70,000 a year. However, since there are few positions available at newspapers, many cartoonists only get freelance or short-term jobs in cartooning, and must supplement their income by doing other jobs.

For those who self-publish their comic books, income depends on the number of issues sold. Those who illustrate comic books for publishers are commissioned (paid a certain fee) for their work.

Some cartoonists have their work syndicated. To do this, they submit around 6 weeks’ worth of daily cartoons to syndication services. If the services decide to buy the cartoons, then every newspaper across the country has the opportunity to buy them. The more newspapers that buy the cartoons, the more money the cartoonist makes. Also, syndication services pay different rates, depending on the cartoonist’s reputation