How much does a art director make?
Answer: A typical art director in the United States makes $114,850 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 53,000 people work in this job. Well above the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Art director pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $64,900 | $114,850 | $213,050 | about 53,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $149,320 | about 2,000 |
| California | $137,780 | about 12,000 |
| New York | $137,320 | about 9,000 |
| Oregon | $133,840 | about 1,000 |
| New Jersey | $129,200 | about 2,000 |
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, art directors with more experience or hard-to-find skills may earn more. Pay can also depend on the employer and industry, location, project complexity and responsibility, and hours worked.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a art director do?
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).
What's a typical day like?
An art director meets clients and the creative team to choose a look, then checks layouts, photos, and artwork. They give feedback, show designs for approval, and may visit a photo shoot while keeping projects on schedule.
How to get this job
In the United States, the usual route is a bachelor’s degree in art or design, then five or more years in related work. Many move up from jobs such as graphic designer, illustrator, editor, or photographer before leading a creative team.
Usually a bachelor's degree (preparation level 4 of 5)
Good for people who like creating and leading and selling.
Did you know?
Some art directors help design interfaces for multimedia games, not just printed pages or movie sets.
Similar jobs
Jobs using similar skills (O*NET)Sources and data
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/arts-and-design/art-directors.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/27-1011.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY