Art Director Salary
Art Directors earn a median $114,850 a year nationally. Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations
U.S. median
$114,850
$55.22 per hour
Range
$64,900 – $213,050
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
53,070
across the U.S.
Art Director take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$89,627
per year · effective tax rate 22.0%
$7,469Monthly
$3,734Twice a month
$3,447Every 2 weeks
$43.09Hourly
- Federal income tax$16,437
- Social Security (6.2%)$7,121
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,665
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$89,627
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $64,900 | $31.20 | $54,327 |
| 25th percentile | $82,480 | $39.65 | $66,855 |
| Median (50th) | $114,850 | $55.22 | $89,627 |
| 75th percentile | $162,640 | $78.19 | $122,430 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $213,050 | $102.43 | $158,538 |
Best cities for art directors (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $170,140 | $113,751 | $103,014 | 600 |
| 2 | Boston, MA | $151,820 | $107,664 | $99,444 | 1,550 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $165,210 | $110,904 | $95,927 | 2,390 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $145,410 | $98,559 | $93,491 | 880 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $142,990 | $101,604 | $90,264 | 8,980 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $124,610 | $96,437 | $86,776 | 520 |
| 7 | Los Angeles, CA | $137,560 | $94,936 | $83,596 | 6,590 |
| 8 | Nashville, TN | $101,470 | $80,214 | $83,263 | 520 |
| 9 | Atlanta, GA | $111,480 | $82,093 | $82,046 | 1,190 |
| 10 | Minneapolis, MN | $119,020 | $85,991 | $82,035 | 780 |
| 11 | Orlando, FL | $102,490 | $80,932 | $79,800 | 450 |
| 12 | San Diego, CA | $126,050 | $88,289 | $78,909 | 630 |
| 13 | Philadelphia, PA | $105,260 | $79,649 | $77,665 | 780 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $104,570 | $77,364 | $74,679 | 2,560 |
| 15 | Detroit, MI | $95,390 | $72,134 | $71,919 | 650 |
| 16 | Denver, CO | $99,990 | $75,482 | $71,356 | 520 |
| 17 | Miami, FL | $103,150 | $81,396 | $71,303 | 1,090 |
| 18 | Washington, DC | $105,990 | $77,353 | $71,042 | 820 |
| 19 | Dallas, TX | $87,810 | $70,604 | $68,488 | 1,210 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- San Jose, CA — $170,140
- San Francisco, CA — $165,210
- Boston, MA — $151,820
- Portland, OR — $145,410
- New York, NY — $142,990
- Los Angeles, CA — $137,560
- San Diego, CA — $126,050
- Seattle, WA — $124,610
- Minneapolis, MN — $119,020
- Atlanta, GA — $111,480
- Washington, DC — $105,990
- Philadelphia, PA — $105,260
- Chicago, IL — $104,570
- Miami, FL — $103,150
- Orlando, FL — $102,490
Art Director salary by state
| State | Median | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $149,320 | $106,080 | $78,470 – $218,270 | 1,850 |
| California | $137,780 | $95,064 | $81,500 – $239,200+ | 12,430 |
| New York | $137,320 | $98,063 | $80,060 – $239,200+ | 8,720 |
| Oregon | $133,840 | $91,796 | $89,390 – $216,700 | 1,040 |
| New Hampshire | $132,000 | $101,488 | $70,990 – $169,950 | 160 |
| Vermont | $129,260 | $93,544 | $77,360 – $153,890 | 80 |
| New Jersey | $129,200 | $93,534 | $87,700 – $195,450 | 1,840 |
| Washington | $121,170 | $94,073 | $69,690 – $215,900 | 650 |
| Georgia | $110,430 | $81,409 | $49,990 – $198,360 | 1,420 |
| Minnesota | $109,700 | $80,068 | $70,810 – $177,680 | 920 |
| Utah | $106,500 | $79,926 | $55,230 – $164,030 | 290 |
| Indiana | $105,690 | $80,095 | $61,990 – $185,690 | 350 |
| Illinois | $103,550 | $76,696 | $69,200 – $172,050 | 2,960 |
| Virginia | $101,150 | $74,987 | $64,010 – $165,010 | 670 |
| Missouri | $100,940 | $76,034 | $60,590 – $162,340 | 780 |
| Maine | $100,300 | $73,715 | $39,950 – $161,030 | — |
| Colorado | $99,990 | $75,482 | $73,110 – $162,610 | 720 |
| Florida | $99,660 | $78,941 | $56,780 – $163,450 | 2,520 |
| Maryland | $98,400 | $73,744 | $61,160 – $175,690 | 570 |
| Nevada | $98,070 | $77,822 | $60,000 – $185,100 | 290 |
| Pennsylvania | $97,450 | $74,394 | $65,470 – $149,940 | 1,250 |
| Ohio | $94,390 | $73,420 | $57,740 – $148,080 | 1,050 |
| North Carolina | $90,000 | $69,063 | $56,460 – $142,740 | — |
| Tennessee | $89,860 | $72,047 | $50,530 – $172,130 | 930 |
| Hawaii | $89,300 | $66,396 | $48,920 – $154,410 | 40 |
| Texas | $88,270 | $70,928 | $55,730 – $172,130 | 2,480 |
| South Carolina | $87,990 | $66,609 | $64,380 – $180,030 | 550 |
| Michigan | $86,660 | $66,363 | $54,590 – $166,880 | 1,080 |
| Louisiana | $83,640 | $65,548 | $56,780 – $187,000 | 160 |
| North Dakota | $83,170 | $66,977 | $53,200 – $104,290 | 30 |
| Wisconsin | $81,130 | $62,986 | $58,470 – $131,850 | 730 |
| Iowa | $80,940 | $63,347 | $62,990 – $126,990 | 280 |
| Idaho | $80,680 | $62,421 | $51,990 – $155,210 | — |
| Oklahoma | $80,680 | $62,503 | $62,960 – $143,260 | 290 |
| Alabama | $77,220 | $59,558 | $56,540 – $131,700 | 210 |
| Kentucky | $76,160 | $59,861 | $42,990 – $121,940 | 320 |
| Alaska | $75,200 | $61,733 | $60,260 – $104,990 | 40 |
| Montana | $73,850 | $57,972 | $45,700 – $96,030 | 100 |
| Nebraska | $73,270 | $57,921 | $54,530 – $102,590 | 140 |
| Rhode Island | $72,550 | $57,765 | $56,730 – $194,000 | 90 |
| Arkansas | $71,930 | $56,840 | $52,990 – $130,030 | 240 |
| Connecticut | $71,900 | $57,032 | $69,990 – $161,580 | 1,160 |
| South Dakota | $66,610 | $55,690 | $56,730 – $85,530 | 30 |
| Mississippi | $66,020 | $53,318 | $44,020 – $174,410 | 90 |
| West Virginia | $63,550 | $51,114 | $45,370 – $111,080 | 30 |
| Kansas | $60,460 | $48,186 | $38,350 – $121,470 | — |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a art director make?
The national median salary for art directors is $114,850 a year ($55.22 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $64,900 and the top 10% earn over $213,050. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays art directors the most?
Massachusetts has the highest median pay at $149,320. After taxes and local prices, San Jose, CA offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many art directors are there in the U.S.?
About 53,070 people work as art directors nationwide.