Best cities for an artistic director
The best cities for artistic directors are Los Angeles, CA, San Francisco, CA, and Oakland, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for artistic directors vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for artistic directors in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as an artistic director or considering a move, this list of the best cities for artistic directors to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for artistic directors. We also consider how easy it is to find work as an artistic director. While the absolute best city for artistic directors is Los Angeles, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for artistic directors in 2024.
If you're looking for an artistic director job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for artistic directors in 2025
1. Los Angeles, CA
Total artistic director jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $99,081 Lowest 10 percent warn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $241,000 Location quotient: 19.98 2. San Francisco, CA
Total artistic director jobs: 7 Average annual salary: $108,948 Lowest 10 percent warn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $263,000 Location quotient: 13.32 3. Oakland, CA
Total artistic director jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $108,523 Lowest 10 percent warn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $262,000 Location quotient: 0.00 4. Fremont, CA
Total artistic director jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $107,856 Lowest 10 percent warn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $261,000 Location quotient: 0.00 5. San Jose, CA
Total artistic director jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $107,501 Lowest 10 percent warn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $260,000 Location quotient: 0.00 6. Sacramento, CA
Total artistic director jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $107,224 Lowest 10 percent warn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $258,000 Location quotient: 0.00 7. Stockton, CA
Total artistic director jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $106,795 Lowest 10 percent warn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $258,000 Location quotient: 0.00 8. New York, NY
Total artistic director jobs: 46 Average annual salary: $87,534 Lowest 10 percent warn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $172,000 Location quotient: 26.74 9. Anchorage, AK
Total artistic director jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $141,250 Lowest 10 percent warn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $258,000 Location quotient: 0.00 10. San Diego, CA
Total artistic director jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $94,805 Lowest 10 percent warn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $227,000 Location quotient: 18.81
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Best cities for artistic directors
- Los Angeles, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Fremont, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- Stockton, CA
- New York, NY
- Anchorage, AK
- San Diego, CA
- (9 artistic director jobs)
- (7 artistic director jobs)
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- (46 artistic director jobs)
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- (6 artistic director jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for an artistic director
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA | $99,081 | $40,000 | 3,976,322 | 9 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $108,948 | $45,000 | 870,887 | 7 |
| 3 | Oakland, CA | $108,523 | $44,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 4 | Fremont, CA | $107,856 | $44,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 5 | San Jose, CA | $107,501 | $44,000 | 1,025,350 | - |
| 6 | Sacramento, CA | $107,224 | $44,000 | 495,234 | - |
| 7 | Stockton, CA | $106,795 | $44,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 8 | New York, NY | $87,534 | $44,000 | 8,537,673 | 46 |
| 9 | Anchorage, AK | $141,250 | $77,000 | 298,192 | - |
| 10 | San Diego, CA | $94,805 | $39,000 | 1,406,630 | 6 |
| 11 | Long Beach, CA | $98,280 | $40,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 12 | Portland, OR | $92,663 | $39,000 | 639,863 | - |
| 13 | Anaheim, CA | $98,030 | $40,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 14 | Santa Ana, CA | $97,768 | $40,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 15 | Fresno, CA | $103,472 | $42,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 16 | Bakersfield, CA | $101,216 | $41,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 17 | Irvine, CA | $97,485 | $40,000 | 266,122 | - |
| 18 | Riverside, CA | $97,465 | $40,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 19 | Brookhaven, NY | $88,369 | $44,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 20 | Islip, NY | $88,183 | $44,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 21 | Seattle, WA | $84,609 | $36,000 | 704,352 | 3 |
| 22 | Oyster Bay, NY | $87,932 | $44,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 23 | Wichita, KS | $76,655 | $38,000 | 389,902 | - |
| 24 | Saint Paul, MN | $72,645 | $41,000 | 302,398 | 4 |
| 25 | Hempstead, NY | $87,816 | $44,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 26 | Chula Vista, CA | $94,395 | $39,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 27 | Las Vegas, NV | $67,894 | $28,000 | 632,912 | 2 |
| 28 | Philadelphia, PA | $68,794 | $34,000 | 1,567,872 | 3 |
| 29 | Jersey City, NJ | $85,543 | $43,000 | 264,152 | - |
| 30 | Newark, NJ | $85,455 | $43,000 | 281,764 | - |
| 31 | Reno, NV | $73,236 | $30,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 32 | Boston, MA | $75,976 | $38,000 | 673,184 | 3 |
| 33 | Minneapolis, MN | $72,524 | $40,000 | 413,651 | - |
| 34 | Miami, FL | $63,692 | $29,000 | 453,579 | 4 |
| 35 | Detroit, MI | $69,399 | $36,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 36 | Buffalo, NY | $82,488 | $43,000 | 256,902 | - |
| 37 | North Las Vegas, NV | $67,709 | $28,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 38 | New Orleans, LA | $68,080 | $32,000 | 391,495 | - |
| 39 | Henderson, NV | $67,617 | $28,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 40 | Raleigh, NC | $64,430 | $31,000 | 458,880 | - |
| 41 | Cleveland, OH | $61,762 | $32,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 42 | Durham, NC | $64,333 | $31,000 | 263,016 | - |
| 43 | Greensboro, NC | $62,926 | $31,000 | 287,027 | - |
| 44 | Pittsburgh, PA | $62,283 | $32,000 | 303,625 | - |
| 45 | Charlotte, NC | $60,182 | $29,000 | 842,051 | - |
| 46 | Winston-Salem, NC | $62,170 | $30,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 47 | Laredo, TX | $60,777 | $27,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 48 | Hialeah, FL | $63,674 | $29,000 | 236,387 | - |
| 49 | Toledo, OH | $58,368 | $30,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 50 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $63,464 | $29,000 | 260,999 | - |
Highest paying cities for artistic directors
| Rank | City | Avg. artistic director salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $108,949 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $87,534 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $84,609 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $75,976 |
| 5 | Saint Paul, MN | $72,645 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $68,794 |
| 7 | Las Vegas, NV | $67,894 |
| 8 | Baton Rouge, LA | $67,722 |
| 9 | Washington, DC | $67,628 |
| 10 | Wheeling, IL | $65,375 |
| 11 | Miami, FL | $63,692 |
| 12 | Atlanta, GA | $60,129 |
| 13 | Birmingham, AL | $56,980 |
| 14 | Phoenix, AZ | $51,052 |
| 15 | Norman, OK | $47,676 |
| 16 | Fort Collins, CO | $46,472 |
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Updated January 8, 2025