SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Formulate design concepts and presentation approaches for visual productions and media, such as print, broadcasting, video, and film. Direct workers engaged in artwork or layout design. Excludes “Set and Exhibit Designers” (27-1027).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 27-1011.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $64,900 | $5,408 | $1,248 | $31.20 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $82,480 | $6,873 | $1,586 | $39.65 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $114,850 | $9,571 | $2,209 | $55.22 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $162,640 | $13,553 | $3,128 | $78.19 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $213,050 | $17,754 | $4,097 | $102.43 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Art Directors is $114,850, which is 125% higher. Among the 41 occupations of the field Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media, it ranks number 1 by median pay. With 53,070 jobs, it makes up about 3.4 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($129,440) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Art Directors pay by state
The highest median pay was in Massachusetts ($149,320), California ($137,780) and New York ($137,320). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($57,580), Kansas ($60,460) and West Virginia ($63,550). The most jobs were in California (12,430), New York (8,720) and Illinois (2,960). The occupation is most concentrated in New York, where its share of all jobs is 2.6 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 1,850 | $149,320 | $147,040 | $71.79 |
| California | 12,430 | $137,780 | $156,060 | $66.24 |
| New York | 8,720 | $137,320 | $159,200 | $66.02 |
| Oregon | 1,040 | $133,840 | $152,490 | $64.34 |
| New Hampshire | 160 | $132,000 | $117,230 | $63.46 |
| Vermont | 80 | $129,260 | $122,490 | $62.14 |
| New Jersey | 1,840 | $129,200 | $136,160 | $62.12 |
| Washington | 650 | $121,170 | $130,550 | $58.25 |
| Georgia | 1,420 | $110,430 | $117,070 | $53.09 |
| Minnesota | 920 | $109,700 | $117,900 | $52.74 |
| Utah | 290 | $106,500 | $110,860 | $51.20 |
| Indiana | 350 | $105,690 | $122,190 | $50.81 |
| Illinois | 2,960 | $103,550 | $114,870 | $49.79 |
| Virginia | 670 | $101,150 | $107,540 | $48.63 |
| Missouri | 780 | $100,940 | $108,630 | $48.53 |
| Maine | not published | $100,300 | $102,820 | $48.22 |
| Colorado | 720 | $99,990 | $112,040 | $48.07 |
| Florida | 2,520 | $99,660 | $105,200 | $47.91 |
| Maryland | 570 | $98,400 | $110,790 | $47.31 |
| Nevada | 290 | $98,070 | $111,350 | $47.15 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,250 | $97,450 | $102,660 | $46.85 |
| Ohio | 1,050 | $94,390 | $100,300 | $45.38 |
| North Carolina | not published | $90,000 | $95,460 | $43.27 |
| Tennessee | 930 | $89,860 | $108,720 | $43.20 |
| Hawaii | 40 | $89,300 | $91,610 | $42.93 |
| Texas | 2,480 | $88,270 | $101,580 | $42.44 |
| South Carolina | 550 | $87,990 | $105,970 | $42.30 |
| Michigan | 1,080 | $86,660 | $98,020 | $41.66 |
| Louisiana | 160 | $83,640 | $98,270 | $40.21 |
| North Dakota | 30 | $83,170 | $83,170 | $39.98 |
| Wisconsin | 730 | $81,130 | $95,070 | $39.00 |
| Iowa | 280 | $80,940 | $91,220 | $38.92 |
| Idaho | not published | $80,680 | $89,980 | $38.79 |
| Oklahoma | 290 | $80,680 | $92,600 | $38.79 |
| Alabama | 210 | $77,220 | $85,210 | $37.13 |
| Kentucky | 320 | $76,160 | $80,360 | $36.61 |
| Alaska | 40 | $75,200 | $79,370 | $36.16 |
| Montana | 100 | $73,850 | $70,850 | $35.50 |
| Nebraska | 140 | $73,270 | $77,260 | $35.23 |
| Rhode Island | 90 | $72,550 | $95,580 | $34.88 |
| Arkansas | 240 | $71,930 | $82,350 | $34.58 |
| Connecticut | 1,160 | $71,900 | $101,260 | $34.57 |
| South Dakota | 30 | $66,610 | $69,360 | $32.02 |
| Mississippi | 90 | $66,020 | $79,440 | $31.74 |
| West Virginia | 30 | $63,550 | $69,420 | $30.56 |
| Kansas | not published | $60,460 | $76,950 | $29.07 |
| Puerto Rico | 80 | $57,580 | $56,480 | $27.68 |
| Arizona | 450 | not published | not published | not published |
| District of Columbia | 310 | not published | not published | not published |
| New Mexico | 60 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Special Effects Artists and Animators$102,030 a year
- Musicians and Singers$47.80 an hour
- Technical Writers$90,390 a year
Common questions
How much do Art Directors earn in the United States?
The median pay was $114,850 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $64,900 and the highest-paid 10% more than $213,050.
How many people work as Art Directors?
About 53,070 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.
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