Stained Glass Artist
Impact: Creating windows of light and colour that transform the experience of sacred and public spaces
Design and fabricate stained glass windows, panels, and sculptural works for churches, public buildings, private residences, and gallery exhibition using traditional lead came and copper foil techniques. Paint glass with vitreous enamels and silver stain; fire painted glass in a kiln; restore historic stained glass windows for heritage institutions; and undertake new commissions for architects, interior designers, and private clients. Develop proficiency in both traditional and contemporary stained glass design.
What the day looks like
- People interaction
- Moderate
- Team vs solo
- 20% Team / 80% Solo
- Client facing
- Frequent
- Impact visibility
- Very High
- Travel
- 20-40% travel to installation sites
- Schedule flexibility
- Flexible
- Remote work
- On-site Only
- Typical work hours
- 40-55 hours/week
- Stress level
- Moderate
At a glance
- Median salary
- $48,000
- Entry-level
- $22,000 - $34,000
- Senior
- $80,000+
- Growth by 2033
- 5% (heritage restoration and new church commissions sustaining demand)
- Demand
- Stable
- Freelance potential
- High
- Salary growth potential
- High -- 100-250% growth from studio assistant to established stained glass artist with church and heritage clients
- Typical student debt
- $15,000 - $40,000
Skills you'll use
Hard skills
- Lead came cutting and soldering
- Copper foil technique (Tiffany)
- Vitreous enamel painting
- Silver stain application
- Kiln firing
- Historic window restoration and conservation
Soft skills
- Artistic vision
- Historical knowledge
- Attention to detail
- Client communication
- Physical stamina
Technical complexity: High
How to get there
- Minimum education
- Bachelor's Degree
- Licensing
- No
- Years to mid-career
- 5-8 years
- Years to senior
- 10-20 years
- Career switching
- Hard
Where this career leads
How people arrive here
- Glassblower
- Sculptor
Where you can go from here
- Heritage Glass Conservator
- Architectural Glass Artist
Typical progression
- Studio Assistant
- Stained Glass Artist
- Senior Artist
- Established Artist / Heritage Specialist
Future outlook
- Automation probability
- 5% -- all aspects of stained glass making require manual artistic skill
- AI disruption risk
- Very Low
- Demand trend
- Stable
How people feel about it
- Overall satisfaction
- 9/10
- Meaning
- 9.5/10
- Work-life balance
- 7/10
- Prestige
- 8/10
- Social perception
- Very High