27 Series · SOC 27-1011

Art Directors Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$114,850
Median / year
$213,050
Top 10% earn
+4.2%
Growth '23–'33
53,070
US workers

Art Directors earn a median of $114,850 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $114,850, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $64,900 (10th percentile) to $213,050 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 53,070 US workers. Massachusetts pays the most ($149,320), since pay varies by state and metro area.

27 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Art Directors earn a median of $114,850, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 89% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media, it ranks #1 of 36 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 4.2% by 2033.

$114,850
Median annual wage
Top 11%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#1 of 36
in Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
3.3×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Massachusetts at $149,320. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.

Art Directors (SOC 27-1011) pays a national median of $114,850 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $64,900 at the 10th percentile to $213,050 at the 90th, with a mean of $129,440 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 53,070 Americans work in this occupation across 47 reporting states and 117 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +4.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as about average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 12,300 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor's degree, with 5 years or more of prior experience generally required. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.6 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.5 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Massachusetts pays the highest state median at $149,320, which is +30% above the national figure. The top metro is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $170,140 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 53,070 jobs Median $114,850/yr

Median Salary

$114,850

per year

Median Hourly

$55.22/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$129,440

average

Employment

53,070

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Art Directors pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$114,850 Top 11% higher than 89% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). This entry sits in this band. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 27-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Art Directors; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 27-series occupations with growth data, Art Directors sits on the slower-growing side at +4.2% growth and $114,850 median pay.

Among 24 27-series occupations with growth data, Art Directors sits on the slower-growing side at +4.2% growth and $114,850 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $20000$40000$60000$80000$100000$120000 -10%-5%0%5%10% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 24 27-series occupations with growth data, Art Directors sits on the slower-growing side at +4.2% growth and $114,850 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+4.2%

About average

Annual Openings

12,300

per year (projected)

Typical Education

Bachelor's degree

Work Experience

5 years or more

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
A

Very Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

0.6/100K

Injury Rate

0.5/100

Danger Index

2.3/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Art Directors roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Active Listening 4.0
Speaking 4.0
Reading Comprehension 3.8
Critical Thinking 3.8
Judgment and Decision Making 3.8
Coordination 3.6
Complex Problem Solving 3.6
Time Management 3.6
Writing 3.4
Persuasion 3.4

Knowledge Areas

Design 4.3
English Language 4.3
Computers and Electronics 4.2
Fine Arts 4.2
Communications and Media 4.1
Sales and Marketing 3.7
Customer and Personal Service 3.3
Production and Processing 3.0
Administration and Management 3.0
Sociology and Anthropology 2.7

Key Tasks

  • ▸ Work with creative directors to develop design solutions.
  • ▸ Present final layouts to clients for approval.
  • ▸ Manage own accounts and projects, working within budget and scheduling requirements.
  • ▸ Confer with creative, art, copywriting, or production department heads to discuss client requirements and presentation concepts and to coordinate creative activities.
  • ▸ Confer with clients to determine objectives, budget, background information, and presentation approaches, styles, and techniques.
  • ▸ Formulate basic layout design or presentation approach and specify material details, such as style and size of type, photographs, graphics, animation, video, and sound.
  • ▸ Review and approve art materials, copy materials, and proofs of printed copy developed by staff members.
  • ▸ Mark up, paste, and complete layouts and write typography instructions to prepare materials for typesetting or printing.
  • ▸ Create custom illustrations or other graphic elements.
  • ▸ Attend photo shoots and printing sessions to ensure that the products needed are obtained.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$64,900$82,480$114,850$162,640$213,050
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$31.20$39.65$55.22$78.19$102.43
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$64,900

25th Percentile

$82,480

Median

$114,850

75th Percentile

$162,640

90th Percentile

$213,050

Salary by State

Highest Paying States

1. Massachusetts $149,320 2. California $137,780 3. New York $137,320 4. Oregon $133,840 5. New Hampshire $132,000

Lowest Paying States

43. Puerto Rico $57,580 44. Kansas $60,460 45. West Virginia $63,550 46. Mississippi $66,020 47. South Dakota $66,610
View all 47 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Massachusetts $149,320 +30% above national
2 California $137,780 +20% above national
3 New York $137,320 +20% above national
4 Oregon $133,840 +17% above national
5 New Hampshire $132,000 +15% above national
6 Vermont $129,260 +13% above national
7 New Jersey $129,200 +12% above national
8 Washington $121,170 +6% above national
9 Georgia $110,430 4% below national
10 Minnesota $109,700 4% below national
11 Utah $106,500 7% below national
12 Indiana $105,690 8% below national
13 Illinois $103,550 10% below national
14 Virginia $101,150 12% below national
15 Missouri $100,940 12% below national
16 Maine $100,300 13% below national
17 Colorado $99,990 13% below national
18 Florida $99,660 13% below national
19 Maryland $98,400 14% below national
20 Nevada $98,070 15% below national
21 Pennsylvania $97,450 15% below national
22 Ohio $94,390 18% below national
23 North Carolina $90,000 22% below national
24 Tennessee $89,860 22% below national
25 Hawaii $89,300 22% below national
26 Texas $88,270 23% below national
27 South Carolina $87,990 23% below national
28 Michigan $86,660 25% below national
29 Louisiana $83,640 27% below national
30 North Dakota $83,170 28% below national
31 Wisconsin $81,130 29% below national
32 Iowa $80,940 30% below national
33 Idaho $80,680 30% below national
34 Oklahoma $80,680 30% below national
35 Alabama $77,220 33% below national
36 Kentucky $76,160 34% below national
37 Alaska $75,200 35% below national
38 Montana $73,850 36% below national
39 Nebraska $73,270 36% below national
40 Rhode Island $72,550 37% below national
41 Arkansas $71,930 37% below national
42 Connecticut $71,900 37% below national
43 South Dakota $66,610 42% below national
44 Mississippi $66,020 43% below national
45 West Virginia $63,550 45% below national
46 Kansas $60,460 47% below national
47 Puerto Rico $57,580 50% below national

Salary by Metro Area

Highest Paying Metros

1. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $170,140 2. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $165,210 3. Burlington-South Burlington, VT $153,890 4. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $151,820 5. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $145,410

Lowest Paying Metros

113. Wichita, KS $53,040 114. San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $57,580 115. Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $69,570 116. Springfield, MO $70,690 117. Jackson, MS $71,120
View all 117 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $170,140 +48% above national
2 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $165,210 +44% above national
3 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $153,890 +34% above national
4 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $151,820 +32% above national
5 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $145,410 +27% above national
6 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $142,990 +25% above national
7 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $137,560 +20% above national
8 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $133,680 +16% above national
9 Worcester, MA $131,240 +14% above national
10 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $126,410 +10% above national
11 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $126,050 +10% above national
12 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $124,610 +8% above national
13 Stockton-Lodi, CA $123,420 +7% above national
14 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $121,920 +6% above national
15 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $121,540 +6% above national
16 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $119,020 +4% above national
17 Syracuse, NY $118,560 +3% above national
18 Savannah, GA $117,650 +2% above national
19 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $117,110 +2% above national
20 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $113,180 1% below national
21 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $112,050 2% below national
22 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $111,480 3% below national
23 Portland-South Portland, ME $110,420 4% below national
24 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $110,180 4% below national
25 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $109,500 5% below national
26 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $109,470 5% below national
27 Fresno, CA $109,420 5% below national
28 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $107,770 6% below national
29 Boulder, CO $107,130 7% below national
30 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $106,500 7% below national
31 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $106,390 7% below national
32 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $105,990 8% below national
33 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $105,270 8% below national
34 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $105,260 8% below national
35 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $104,570 9% below national
36 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $104,360 9% below national
37 Raleigh-Cary, NC $103,990 9% below national
38 Eugene-Springfield, OR $103,440 10% below national
39 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $103,150 10% below national
40 Cedar Rapids, IA $103,120 10% below national
41 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $102,490 11% below national
42 Rochester, NY $102,070 11% below national
43 Columbus, OH $101,990 11% below national
44 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $101,940 11% below national
45 Ann Arbor, MI $101,880 11% below national
46 St. Louis, MO-IL $101,480 12% below national
47 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $101,470 12% below national
48 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $101,300 12% below national
49 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $100,690 12% below national
50 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $99,990 13% below national
51 Jacksonville, FL $99,670 13% below national
52 Richmond, VA $99,610 13% below national
53 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $98,070 15% below national
54 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $97,460 15% below national
55 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $97,360 15% below national
56 Pittsburgh, PA $96,420 16% below national
57 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $95,770 17% below national
58 New Haven, CT $95,680 17% below national
59 Cleveland, OH $95,420 17% below national
60 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $95,390 17% below national
61 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $95,310 17% below national
62 Reno, NV $94,650 18% below national
63 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $93,740 18% below national
64 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $93,270 19% below national
65 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $93,160 19% below national
66 Colorado Springs, CO $93,090 19% below national
67 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $91,570 20% below national
68 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $91,260 21% below national
69 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $90,360 21% below national
70 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $90,000 22% below national
71 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $90,000 22% below national
72 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $89,860 22% below national
73 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $89,520 22% below national
74 Kansas City, MO-KS $88,610 23% below national
75 Columbia, SC $87,990 23% below national
76 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $87,810 24% below national
77 Peoria, IL $87,790 24% below national
78 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $87,610 24% below national
79 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $87,570 24% below national
80 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $86,630 25% below national
81 Akron, OH $85,630 25% below national
82 Greensboro-High Point, NC $85,610 25% below national
83 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $85,510 26% below national
84 Baton Rouge, LA $85,090 26% below national
85 Boise City, ID $85,070 26% below national
86 Tallahassee, FL $84,990 26% below national
87 Wilmington, NC $84,730 26% below national
88 Winston-Salem, NC $84,100 27% below national
89 Madison, WI $83,650 27% below national
90 Lancaster, PA $83,060 28% below national
91 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $83,050 28% below national
92 Manchester-Nashua, NH $83,010 28% below national
93 Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $82,340 28% below national
94 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $81,820 29% below national
95 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $81,730 29% below national
96 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $81,500 29% below national
97 Tulsa, OK $81,500 29% below national
98 Oklahoma City, OK $80,680 30% below national
99 Columbia, MO $80,060 30% below national
100 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $79,740 31% below national
101 Green Bay, WI $79,640 31% below national
102 Knoxville, TN $79,500 31% below national
103 Birmingham, AL $78,710 31% below national
104 Omaha, NE-IA $78,420 32% below national
105 Urban Honolulu, HI $77,570 32% below national
106 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $76,570 33% below national
107 Chattanooga, TN-GA $76,110 34% below national
108 Lincoln, NE $75,310 34% below national
109 Tucson, AZ $74,510 35% below national
110 Lexington-Fayette, KY $73,960 36% below national
111 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $73,850 36% below national
112 Asheville, NC $72,710 37% below national
113 Jackson, MS $71,120 38% below national
114 Springfield, MO $70,690 38% below national
115 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $69,570 39% below national
116 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $57,580 50% below national
117 Wichita, KS $53,040 54% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 27 (arts design entertainment sports and media) with comparable pay and career paths.

Actors

SOC 27-2011

Artists and Related Workers, All Other

SOC 27-1019

Athletes and Sports Competitors

SOC 27-2021

Audio and Video Technicians

SOC 27-4011

Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys

SOC 27-3011
Compare Art Directors side-by-side with another occupation →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Art Directors make? ▼
The median annual salary for Art Directors is $114,850 ($55.22/hour). The salary range spans from $64,900 at the 10th percentile to $213,050 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Art Directors the most? ▼
Massachusetts pays the highest median salary for Art Directors at $149,320/year, which is +30% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Art Directors? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Art Directors is Bachelor's degree. 5 years or more of related work experience is also typically required.
How dangerous is being a Art Directors? ▼
Art Directors has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 0.6 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 0.5 per 100 workers.
Is Art Directors a good career? ▼
Employment for Art Directors is projected to grow 4.2% from 2024 to 2034, which is about average. About 12,300 openings are projected each year.
How does Art Directors pay vary by state? ▼
Art Directors salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Massachusetts at $149,320/year, while South Dakota pays the least at $66,610/year. BLS data covers 47 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Art Directors? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Art Directors is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $170,140/year. BLS reports wage data for 117 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Art Directors pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $162,640/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Massachusetts leads at $149,320/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.