Salary
Average Salary: $43,890
Expected Lifetime Earnings: $1,832,320
Even if you're considering sculpture as a career instead of a hobby, you're probably not doing it for the money (please tell us you're not doing it for the money). Like most of the finer arts, society wants it and needs it but doesn't really want to pay for it, and often thinks it doesn't have to if your name isn't Pablo Perfect Picasso. However, you expect to get paid for your work, and if you're a talented artist, you should.
The average sculptor makes around $45,000-50,000 a year, so it's a lot more possible to have a stable financial situation than your sad and anxious parents may be willing to believe (source).
Your first few years after deciding to go into the sculptural arts (we made that up) will likely be a struggle. Whether right out of high school, after a short stint in art school, hiding from the real world in grad school, or undergoing a career-destroying mid-life crisis, you'll start at the bottom by building your reputation slowly. We're talking small shows, galleries, town fairs, and through family friends who owe you a favor.
What you charge for your work is up to you, but don't expect people to drop twenty grand on a zebra made out of pipe cleaners. In fact, don't expect to make much more than twenty grand in a whole year to start (source).
However, experience (along with your street cred) will help get you a larger bank account. One big reason to get a bachelor's degree is because of the job opportunities it'll open up—and not just in the art world. From film studios, to corporations, to amusement parks, to public works departments, there are dozens of places that could use a good molder (moldist?).
Whether through these more stable jobs, or by building a solid career with major clients and glamorous art shows, eventually you may get to the six-figure top of the heap (source). Can you become the Beyoncé of the sculpture world? You can start by working those curves...and angles, and ceramics, and chisels.