Best cities for an art director
The best cities for art directors are San Francisco, CA, Los Angeles, CA, and Portland, OR, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for art directors vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for art directors in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as an art director or considering a move, this list of the best cities for art directors to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for art directors. We also consider how easy it is to find work as an art director. While the absolute best city for art directors is San Francisco, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for art directors in 2024.
If you're looking for an art director job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for art directors in 2026
1. San Francisco, CA
Art director jobs in San FranciscoTotal art director jobs: 212 Average annual salary: $123,660 Lowest 10 percent warn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $198,000 Location quotient: 6.78 2. Los Angeles, CA
Art director jobs in Los AngelesTotal art director jobs: 98 Average annual salary: $106,500 Lowest 10 percent warn: $66,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $170,000 Location quotient: 13.20 3. Portland, OR
Art director jobs in PortlandTotal art director jobs: 27 Average annual salary: $108,080 Lowest 10 percent warn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $171,000 Location quotient: 2.54 4. Oakland, CA
Art director jobs in OaklandTotal art director jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $123,425 Lowest 10 percent warn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $198,000 Location quotient: 1.67 5. Irvine, CA
Art director jobs in IrvineTotal art director jobs: 29 Average annual salary: $104,427 Lowest 10 percent warn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $167,000 Location quotient: 3.40 6. New York, NY
Art director jobs in New YorkTotal art director jobs: 81 Average annual salary: $95,947 Lowest 10 percent warn: $63,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $145,000 Location quotient: 10.79 7. Fremont, CA
Total art director jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $123,148 Lowest 10 percent warn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $197,000 Location quotient: 1.43 8. Las Vegas, NV
Art director jobs in Las VegasTotal art director jobs: 19 Average annual salary: $82,414 Lowest 10 percent warn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $133,000 Location quotient: 2.58 9. Reno, NV
Total art director jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $86,682 Lowest 10 percent warn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $139,000 Location quotient: 2.12 10. Seattle, WA
Art director jobs in SeattleTotal art director jobs: 28 Average annual salary: $118,286 Lowest 10 percent warn: $74,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $189,000 Location quotient: 1.06
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Best cities for art directors
- San Francisco, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Portland, OR
- Oakland, CA
- Irvine, CA
- New York, NY
- Fremont, CA
- Las Vegas, NV
- Reno, NV
- Seattle, WA
Detailed list of the best cities for an art director
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $123,660 | $77,000 | 870,887 | 212 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | $106,500 | $66,000 | 3,976,322 | 98 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | $108,080 | $68,000 | 639,863 | 27 |
| 4 | Oakland, CA | $123,425 | $76,000 | 420,005 | 5 |
| 5 | Irvine, CA | $104,427 | $65,000 | 266,122 | 29 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $95,947 | $63,000 | 8,537,673 | 81 |
| 7 | Fremont, CA | $123,148 | $76,000 | 233,136 | 9 |
| 8 | Las Vegas, NV | $82,414 | $50,000 | 632,912 | 19 |
| 9 | Reno, NV | $86,682 | $53,000 | 245,255 | 5 |
| 10 | Seattle, WA | $118,286 | $74,000 | 704,352 | 28 |
| 11 | Sacramento, CA | $121,850 | $75,000 | 495,234 | 8 |
| 12 | Saint Paul, MN | $88,440 | $59,000 | 302,398 | 9 |
| 13 | Newark, NJ | $99,891 | $66,000 | 281,764 | 4 |
| 14 | Winston-Salem, NC | $77,081 | $50,000 | 242,203 | 4 |
| 15 | Raleigh, NC | $77,626 | $50,000 | 458,880 | 18 |
| 16 | Chicago, IL | $80,365 | $53,000 | 2,704,958 | 115 |
| 17 | Long Beach, CA | $105,157 | $65,000 | 470,130 | 2 |
| 18 | Wichita, KS | $101,070 | $67,000 | 389,902 | - |
| 19 | Minneapolis, MN | $88,412 | $59,000 | 413,651 | 10 |
| 20 | Nashville, TN | $73,181 | $48,000 | 660,388 | 13 |
| 21 | San Jose, CA | $122,983 | $76,000 | 1,025,350 | - |
| 22 | Austin, TX | $66,141 | $40,000 | 947,890 | 43 |
| 23 | Garland, TX | $63,633 | $40,000 | 234,943 | 2 |
| 24 | Stockton, CA | $122,277 | $76,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 25 | Boston, MA | $87,565 | $58,000 | 673,184 | 39 |
| 26 | Fresno, CA | $119,852 | $74,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 27 | Jersey City, NJ | $99,959 | $66,000 | 264,152 | 3 |
| 28 | Bakersfield, CA | $114,140 | $70,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 29 | Anchorage, AK | $96,567 | $62,000 | 298,192 | - |
| 30 | Dallas, TX | $63,949 | $40,000 | 1,317,929 | 40 |
| 31 | Atlanta, GA | $71,867 | $45,000 | 472,522 | 51 |
| 32 | Houston, TX | $65,267 | $40,000 | 2,303,482 | 44 |
| 33 | Glendale, AZ | $65,097 | $40,000 | 245,895 | 2 |
| 34 | Philadelphia, PA | $64,726 | $42,000 | 1,567,872 | 27 |
| 35 | Anaheim, CA | $105,116 | $65,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 36 | Riverside, CA | $104,980 | $65,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 37 | Santa Ana, CA | $104,733 | $65,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 38 | Islip, NY | $96,531 | $63,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 39 | Norfolk, VA | $71,302 | $46,000 | 245,115 | 7 |
| 40 | San Diego, CA | $101,907 | $63,000 | 1,406,630 | 7 |
| 41 | North Las Vegas, NV | $82,300 | $50,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 42 | Columbus, OH | $73,199 | $48,000 | 860,090 | 14 |
| 43 | Oyster Bay, NY | $96,346 | $63,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 44 | El Paso, TX | $71,176 | $43,000 | 683,080 | 2 |
| 45 | Brookhaven, NY | $96,773 | $64,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 46 | Hempstead, NY | $96,173 | $63,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 47 | Buffalo, NY | $93,930 | $62,000 | 256,902 | 2 |
| 48 | Henderson, NV | $81,629 | $50,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 49 | Chula Vista, CA | $101,558 | $63,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 50 | Cleveland, OH | $75,733 | $50,000 | 385,809 | - |
Highest paying cities for art directors
| Rank | City | Avg. art director salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $123,660 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $118,286 |
| 3 | Beaverton, OR | $108,195 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $95,947 |
| 5 | Minneapolis, MN | $88,412 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $87,565 |
| 7 | Las Vegas, NV | $82,414 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $80,365 |
| 9 | Raleigh, NC | $77,626 |
| 10 | Cleveland, OH | $75,733 |
| 11 | Washington, DC | $74,708 |
| 12 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $72,997 |
| 13 | Atlanta, GA | $71,867 |
| 14 | Austin, TX | $66,141 |
| 15 | Boulder, CO | $65,929 |
| 16 | Saint Louis, MO | $65,566 |
| 17 | Salt Lake City, UT | $65,164 |
| 18 | Philadelphia, PA | $64,726 |
| 19 | Tampa, FL | $61,122 |
| 20 | Oklahoma City, OK | $58,223 |
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Updated January 8, 2025