Art Director Salary in Chicago, IL
Art Directors in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $104,570 a year — 9% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $77,364 take-home, or $6,447 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median art director salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$14,175
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,483
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,516
- Illinois income tax$5,031
- Take-home pay$77,364
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.95% state
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro spans Illinois, Indiana. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Art Director pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $73,800 | $35.48 | $57,240 | $4,770 |
| 25th percentile | $80,230 | $38.57 | $61,445 | $5,120 |
| Median (50th) | $104,570 | $50.27 | $77,364 | $6,447 |
| 75th percentile | $134,860 | $64.84 | $96,912 | $8,076 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $172,750 | $83.05 | $120,934 | $10,078 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $104,570 buys in Chicago, IL
Prices in Chicago, IL are 3.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median art director's $77,364 take-home pay has the buying power of $74,679 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Chicago, IL has 1.7× the national concentration of art director jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for art directors, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #14 of 19 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $170,140 | $113,751 | $103,014 |
| 2 | Boston, MA | $151,820 | $107,664 | $99,444 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $165,210 | $110,904 | $95,927 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $145,410 | $98,559 | $93,491 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $142,990 | $101,604 | $90,264 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $124,610 | $96,437 | $86,776 |
| 7 | Los Angeles, CA | $137,560 | $94,936 | $83,596 |
| 8 | Nashville, TN | $101,470 | $80,214 | $83,263 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $104,570 | $77,364 | $74,679 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 19 metros →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a art director make in Chicago, IL?
The median art director salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $104,570 a year, or about $50.27 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $80,230 and $134,860.
What is a art director’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $104,570 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $77,364 a year ($6,447 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $5,031 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a art director?
Pay here is 9% below the national median of $114,850. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $74,679 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #14 of 19 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a art director afford rent in Chicago, IL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Chicago, IL is $1,534 a month ($1,743 for two bedrooms) — 24% of a median art director’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Chicago, IL
- Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film — $102,370
- Broadcast Technician — $96,060
- Technical Writer — $89,960
- Producer and Director — $85,040
- Special Effects Artist and Animator — $83,200
- Editor — $80,380
- Public Relations Specialist — $77,050
- Court Reporter and Simultaneous Captioner — $76,790
- Interior Designer — $76,570
- Writer and Author — $75,940
- Sound Engineering Technician — $73,140
- News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists — $70,350