Some combine illustration with teaching, others progress to Art Director with a firm of publishers. For successful illustrators earnings are above average to high. For some, pay will be low. For others earnings can fluctuate according to the state of the market. Most illustrators work from home.
Jobs are available in most areas Proximity to a city is an advantage unless one uses an agent.
Lifestyle implications Can be lonely and isolated. Workload can vary from no work to too much. Very rewarding when your work appears in national press or on television or is published. There are a higher proportion of women than men. But diploma or MA in Graphic Design or Illustration may be advantageous.