SOC 27-1011 · Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations

Art Directors

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries

U.S. median annual wage$114,850

U.S. median hourly wage$55.22

U.S. employment53,070

Nationally, art directors earned a median of $114,850 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 53,070 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.

National pay distribution

Pay by state

Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.

Filter state

Art Directors: pay and employment by state
State
Massachusetts	$149,320	$71.79	1,850	0.5
California	$137,780	$66.24	12,430	0.7
New York	$137,320	$66.02	8,720	0.9
Oregon	$133,840	$64.34	1,040	0.5
New Hampshire	$132,000	$63.46	160	0.2
Vermont	$129,260	$62.14	80	0.3
New Jersey	$129,200	$62.12	1,840	0.4
Washington	$121,170	$58.25	650	0.2
Georgia	$110,430	$53.09	1,420	0.3
Minnesota	$109,700	$52.74	920	0.3
Utah	$106,500	$51.20	290	0.2
Indiana	$105,690	$50.81	350	0.1
Illinois	$103,550	$49.79	2,960	0.5
Virginia	$101,150	$48.63	670	0.2
Missouri	$100,940	$48.53	780	0.3
Maine	$100,300	$48.22	Not published	Not published
Colorado	$99,990	$48.07	720	0.2
Florida	$99,660	$47.91	2,520	0.3
Maryland	$98,400	$47.31	570	0.2
Nevada	$98,070	$47.15	290	0.2
Pennsylvania	$97,450	$46.85	1,250	0.2
Ohio	$94,390	$45.38	1,050	0.2
North Carolina	$90,000	$43.27	Not published	Not published
Tennessee	$89,860	$43.20	930	0.3
Hawaii	$89,300	$42.93	40	0.1
Texas	$88,270	$42.44	2,480	0.2
South Carolina	$87,990	$42.30	550	0.2
Michigan	$86,660	$41.66	1,080	0.2
Louisiana	$83,640	$40.21	160	0.1
North Dakota	$83,170	$39.98	30	0.1
Wisconsin	$81,130	$39.00	730	0.2
Iowa	$80,940	$38.92	280	0.2
Idaho	$80,680	$38.79	Not published	Not published
Oklahoma	$80,680	$38.79	290	0.2
Alabama	$77,220	$37.13	210	0.1
Kentucky	$76,160	$36.61	320	0.2
Alaska	$75,200	$36.16	40	0.1
Montana	$73,850	$35.50	100	0.2
Nebraska	$73,270	$35.23	140	0.1
Rhode Island	$72,550	$34.88	90	0.2
Arkansas	$71,930	$34.58	240	0.2
Connecticut	$71,900	$34.57	1,160	0.7
South Dakota	$66,610	$32.02	30	0.1
Mississippi	$66,020	$31.74	90	0.1
West Virginia	$63,550	$30.56	30	0.0
Kansas	$60,460	$29.07	Not published	Not published
Puerto Rico	$57,580	$27.68	80	0.1
Arizona	Not published	Not published	450	0.1
District of Columbia	Not published	Not published	310	0.4
New Mexico	Not published	Not published	60	0.1

Pay by metro area

All 120 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.

Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.

Filter metro area

Art Directors: pay and employment by metro area
Metro area
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$170,140	$81.80	600	0.5
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$165,210	$79.43	2,390	1.0
Burlington-South Burlington, VT	$153,890	$73.99	50	0.4
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$151,820	$72.99	1,550	0.6
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$145,410	$69.91	880	0.7
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$142,990	$68.74	8,980	0.9
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$137,560	$66.14	6,590	1.1
Waterbury-Shelton, CT	$133,680	$64.27	70	0.4
Worcester, MA	$131,240	$63.10	100	0.3
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA	$126,410	$60.78	40	0.4
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$126,050	$60.60	630	0.4
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$124,610	$59.91	520	0.3
Stockton-Lodi, CA	$123,420	$59.34	30	0.1
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	$121,920	$58.62	100	0.3
Trenton-Princeton, NJ	$121,540	$58.43	90	0.4
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$119,020	$57.22	780	0.4
Syracuse, NY	$118,560	$57.00	60	0.2
Savannah, GA	$117,650	$56.56	40	0.2
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY	$117,110	$56.30	60	0.2
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	$113,180	$54.41	180	0.3
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO	$112,050	$53.87	30	0.2
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$111,480	$53.60	1,190	0.4
Portland-South Portland, ME	$110,420	$53.09	40	0.2
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	$110,180	$52.97	40	0.2
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	$109,500	$52.64	50	0.3
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT	$109,470	$52.63	180	0.2
Fresno, CA	$109,420	$52.60	60	0.1
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ	$107,770	$51.81	50	0.3
Boulder, CO	$107,130	$51.51	80	0.4
Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT	$106,500	$51.20	60	0.2
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$106,390	$51.15	310	0.3
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$105,990	$50.96	820	0.3
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN	$105,270	$50.61	160	0.1
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$105,260	$50.61	780	0.3
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$104,570	$50.28	2,560	0.6
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$104,360	$50.18	320	0.2
Raleigh-Cary, NC	$103,990	$50.00	200	0.3
Eugene-Springfield, OR	$103,440	$49.73	40	0.3
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$103,150	$49.59	1,090	0.4
Cedar Rapids, IA	$103,120	$49.58	40	0.3
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	$102,490	$49.28	450	0.3
Rochester, NY	$102,070	$49.07	190	0.4
Columbus, OH	$101,990	$49.03	250	0.2
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	$101,940	$49.01	60	0.2
Ann Arbor, MI	$101,880	$48.98	40	0.2
St. Louis, MO-IL	$101,480	$48.79	420	0.3
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	$101,470	$48.78	520	0.5
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	$101,300	$48.70	Not published	Not published
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	$100,690	$48.41	400	0.3
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$99,990	$48.07	520	0.3
Jacksonville, FL	$99,670	$47.92	110	0.1
Richmond, VA	$99,610	$47.89	160	0.2
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	$98,070	$47.15	250	0.2
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	$97,460	$46.86	230	0.2
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$97,360	$46.81	320	0.3
Pittsburgh, PA	$96,420	$46.36	180	0.2
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	$95,770	$46.05	140	0.3
New Haven, CT	$95,680	$46.00	60	0.2
Cleveland, OH	$95,420	$45.87	180	0.2
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	$95,390	$45.86	650	0.3
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	$95,310	$45.82	60	0.2
Reno, NV	$94,650	$45.50	40	0.2
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	$93,740	$45.07	100	0.3
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	$93,270	$44.84	80	0.1
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC	$93,160	$44.79	30	0.4
Colorado Springs, CO	$93,090	$44.76	50	0.1
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$91,570	$44.03	310	0.1
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	$91,260	$43.87	260	0.3
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	$90,360	$43.44	310	0.2
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	$90,000	$43.27	Not published	Not published
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	$90,000	$43.27	130	0.3
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	$89,860	$43.20	100	0.2
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH	$89,520	$43.04	50	0.1
Kansas City, MO-KS	$88,610	$42.60	Not published	Not published
Columbia, SC	$87,990	$42.30	130	0.3
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$87,810	$42.22	1,210	0.3
Peoria, IL	$87,790	$42.21	30	0.2
Charleston-North Charleston, SC	$87,610	$42.12	120	0.3
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	$87,570	$42.10	130	0.2
New Orleans-Metairie, LA	$86,630	$41.65	70	0.2
Akron, OH	$85,630	$41.17	50	0.1
Greensboro-High Point, NC	$85,610	$41.16	100	0.3
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC	$85,510	$41.11	40	0.3
Baton Rouge, LA	$85,090	$40.91	40	0.1
Boise City, ID	$85,070	$40.90	60	0.2
Tallahassee, FL	$84,990	$40.86	70	0.4
Wilmington, NC	$84,730	$40.74	40	0.2
Winston-Salem, NC	$84,100	$40.44	90	0.3
Madison, WI	$83,650	$40.22	130	0.3
Lancaster, PA	$83,060	$39.94	60	0.2
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI	$83,050	$39.93	90	0.2
Manchester-Nashua, NH	$83,010	$39.91	30	0.2
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	$81,820	$39.34	120	0.2
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	$81,730	$39.29	90	0.1
Lansing-East Lansing, MI	$81,500	$39.18	60	0.3
Tulsa, OK	$81,500	$39.18	90	0.2
Oklahoma City, OK	$80,680	$38.79	150	0.2
Columbia, MO	$80,060	$38.49	30	0.3
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL	$79,740	$38.34	40	0.1
Green Bay, WI	$79,640	$38.29	30	0.2
Knoxville, TN	$79,500	$38.22	90	0.2
Birmingham, AL	$78,710	$37.84	110	0.2
Omaha, NE-IA	$78,420	$37.70	80	0.2
Urban Honolulu, HI	$77,570	$37.30	30	0.1
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR	$76,570	$36.81	120	0.4
Chattanooga, TN-GA	$76,110	$36.59	40	0.2
Lincoln, NE	$75,310	$36.21	40	0.2
Tucson, AZ	$74,510	$35.82	50	0.1
Lexington-Fayette, KY	$73,960	$35.56	50	0.2
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	$73,850	$35.51	30	0.1
Asheville, NC	$72,710	$34.96	50	0.3
Jackson, MS	$71,120	$34.19	30	0.1
Springfield, MO	$70,690	$33.99	40	0.2
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	$69,570	$33.45	70	0.2
San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR	$57,580	$27.68	80	0.1
Wichita, KS	$53,040	$25.50	80	0.3
Fort Wayne, IN	Not published	Not published	40	0.2
Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC	Not published	Not published	100	0.2
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL	Not published	Not published	50	0.1
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	Not published	Not published	340	0.1

About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.