Art Director Salary in Seattle, WA
Art Directors in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area earn a median $124,610 a year — 8% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $96,437 take-home, or $8,036 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median art director salary in Seattle, WA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$18,640
- Social Security (6.2%)$7,726
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,807
- Washington income tax$0
- Take-home pay$96,437
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 0.00% state
Art Director pay by experience in Seattle, WA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $76,610 | $36.83 | $62,725 | $5,227 |
| 25th percentile | $86,730 | $41.70 | $69,845 | $5,820 |
| Median (50th) | $124,610 | $59.91 | $96,437 | $8,036 |
| 75th percentile | $157,140 | $75.55 | $118,671 | $9,889 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $216,120 | $103.90 | $160,799 | $13,400 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Washington resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $124,610 buys in Seattle, WA
Prices in Seattle, WA are 11.1% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.51× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median art director's $96,437 take-home pay has the buying power of $86,776 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Art Director jobs are less concentrated in Seattle, WA than nationally (location quotient 0.73), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for art directors, adjusted for cost of living
Seattle, WA ranks #6 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 |
*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 Seattle, WA?
The median art director salary in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area is $124,610 a year, or about $59.91 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $86,730 and $157,140.
What is a art director’s take-home pay in Seattle, WA?
On the median $124,610 salary, a single filer living in Washington takes home about $96,437 a year ($8,036 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Seattle, WA a good place to work as a art director?
Pay here is 8% above the national median of $114,850. Local prices are 11.1% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $86,776 would in a typical U.S. city. Seattle, WA ranks #6 of 19 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a art director afford rent in Seattle, WA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Seattle, WA is $2,022 a month ($2,379 for two bedrooms) — 25% of a median art director’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Seattle, WA
- Special Effects Artist and Animator — $134,120
- Technical Writer — $107,580
- Writer and Author — $98,730
- Public Relations Specialist — $96,000
- Producer and Director — $86,680
- Editor — $79,660
- Interior Designer — $78,810
- Graphic Designer — $76,720
- Audio and Video Technician — $69,270
- Interpreter and Translator — $65,800
- News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists — $59,340
- Photographer — $51,790