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Associate creative director salary
Average associate creative director salary
$141,099
Understanding the Associate Creative Director Salary
The average salary for an Associate Creative Director is estimated at $141,099 annually as of October 2025. This figure can vary significantly based on location, experience, and the specific industry. For instance, regions with a high concentration of creative agencies often offer higher salaries, reflecting the competitive job market.
In addition, experience plays a crucial role in salary determination. Entry-level positions may start lower, while seasoned professionals can command significantly more based on their portfolio and leadership skills. States like California and New York are among the highest-paying locations for this role, thanks to their thriving creative sectors.
As the landscape of marketing and advertising continues to evolve, the demand for creative directors who can innovate and lead teams effectively is expected to grow. This growth opens up numerous opportunities for aspiring professionals looking to advance their careers in creative leadership.
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Where can an Associate Creative Director earn more?
Associate creative director salary estimates from across the web
Average associate creative director salary by state
The highest-paying states for associate creative directors are California, Kansas, and Iowa. The lowest average associate creative director salary states are Maryland, Kentucky, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for associate creative directors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | $149,495 | $71.87 |
| 2 | California | $162,973 | $78.35 |
| 3 | Mississippi | $133,025 | $63.95 |
| 4 | Oregon | $141,674 | $68.11 |
| 5 | Utah | $138,821 | $66.74 |
| 6 | New York | $143,776 | $69.12 |
| 7 | Louisiana | $127,382 | $61.24 |
| 8 | Kansas | $150,291 | $72.26 |
| 9 | Illinois | $131,134 | $63.05 |
| 10 | Washington | $134,715 | $64.77 |
| 11 | Alabama | $124,012 | $59.62 |
| 12 | Idaho | $134,933 | $64.87 |
| 13 | North Carolina | $127,411 | $61.26 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $130,857 | $62.91 |
| 15 | Wyoming | $121,039 | $58.19 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $126,401 | $60.77 |
| 17 | Georgia | $123,120 | $59.19 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $119,499 | $57.45 |
| 19 | Vermont | $119,667 | $57.53 |
| 20 | Nevada | $123,225 | $59.24 |
| 21 | Florida | $119,612 | $57.51 |
| 22 | Maine | $124,024 | $59.63 |
| 23 | Michigan | $118,369 | $56.91 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $114,377 | $54.99 |
| 25 | Texas | $108,170 | $52.00 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $115,121 | $55.35 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $100,828 | $48.48 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $133,099 | $63.99 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | $108,260 | $52.05 |
| 30 | Alaska | $121,300 | $58.32 |
| 31 | Ohio | $106,958 | $51.42 |
| 32 | Montana | $112,890 | $54.27 |
| 33 | Connecticut | $113,308 | $54.48 |
| 34 | Rhode Island | $105,626 | $50.78 |
| 35 | Virginia | $107,229 | $51.55 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | $96,473 | $46.38 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $105,680 | $50.81 |
| 38 | Delaware | $107,980 | $51.91 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $97,790 | $47.01 |
| 40 | Missouri | $103,478 | $49.75 |
| 41 | Colorado | $101,861 | $48.97 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $103,719 | $49.86 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $96,981 | $46.63 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $97,906 | $47.07 |
| 45 | Maryland | $93,973 | $45.18 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $93,573 | $44.99 |
| 47 | Indiana | $94,795 | $45.57 |
| 48 | Arizona | $92,472 | $44.46 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $92,080 | $44.27 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $93,241 | $44.83 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $83,719 | $40.25 |
Highest paying cities for associate creative directors
The highest-paying cities for associate creative directors are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, and Portland, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $180,879 | $86.96 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $149,553 | $71.90 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | $142,915 | $68.71 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $137,425 | $66.07 |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | $134,447 | $64.64 |
| 6 | Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ | $132,697 | $63.80 |
| 7 | New Orleans, LA | $130,147 | $62.57 |
| 8 | Wellesley, MA | $128,908 | $61.98 |
| 9 | Charlotte, NC | $128,551 | $61.80 |
| 10 | Atlanta, GA | $123,811 | $59.52 |
| 11 | Orlando, FL | $122,609 | $58.95 |
| 12 | Minneapolis, MN | $120,320 | $57.85 |
| 13 | Detroit, MI | $120,036 | $57.71 |
| 14 | Washington, DC | $115,956 | $55.75 |
| 15 | San Antonio, TX | $109,636 | $52.71 |
| 16 | Columbus, OH | $108,113 | $51.98 |
| 17 | Kansas City, MO | $102,797 | $49.42 |
| 18 | Denver, CO | $101,312 | $48.71 |
| 19 | Philadelphia, PA | $97,360 | $46.81 |
| 20 | Memphis, TN | $97,160 | $46.71 |
Associate creative director salary details
An associate creative director's salary ranges from $87,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $226,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an associate creative director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $226,000 | $18,833 | $109 |
| 75th Percentile | $181,000 | $15,083 | $87 |
| Average | $141,099 | $11,758 | $68 |
| 25th Percentile | $109,000 | $9,083 | $52 |
| 10th Percentile | $87,000 | $7,250 | $42 |
Highest paying associate creative director jobs
The highest paying types of associate creative directors are executive creative director, senior creative director, and creative director.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designer/Art Director | $97,448 | $8,121 | $46.85 | 53,314 |
| Studio Director | $99,189 | $8,266 | $47.69 | 9,277 |
| Art Director | $88,367 | $7,364 | $42.48 | 11,472 |
| Freelance Art Director | $85,453 | $7,121 | $41.08 | 9,215 |
| Creative Services Director | $108,980 | $9,082 | $52.39 | 60,237 |
| Creative/Art Director | $125,743 | $10,479 | $60.45 | 10,403 |
Top companies hiring associate creative directors now:
Which companies pay associate creative directors the most?
Associate creative director salaries at The Howard Hughes and Apple are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average associate creative director salary at companies like Airtable and The Walt Disney Company are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Howard Hughes | $194,309 | $93.42 |
| 2 | Apple | $185,421 | $89.14 |
| 3 | Airtable | $180,946 | $86.99 |
| 4 | The Walt Disney Company | $178,261 | $85.70 |
| 5 | Walmart | $177,757 | $85.46 |
| 6 | Citi | $177,105 | $85.15 |
| 7 | FleishmanHillard | $176,306 | $84.76 |
| 8 | The TJX Companies | $173,566 | $83.45 |
| 9 | Amazon | $172,959 | $83.15 |
| 10 | Adobe | $172,681 | $83.02 |
| 11 | Shutterstock | $172,637 | $83.00 |
| 12 | Fossil | $168,375 | $80.95 |
| 13 | Wayfair | $167,846 | $80.70 |
| 14 | Starbucks | $165,629 | $79.63 |
| 15 | VICE | $164,243 | $78.96 |
| 16 | Gap Inc. | $163,132 | $78.43 |
| 17 | BuzzFeed | $163,031 | $78.38 |
| 18 | Expedia Group | $162,635 | $78.19 |
| 19 | One Workplace | $160,127 | $76.98 |
| 20 | Clear Choice Health Care | $158,557 | $76.23 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Associate creative director salary trends
The average associate creative director salary has risen by $23,224 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average associate creative director earned $117,875 annually, but today, they earn $141,099 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for associate creative directors over the last decade.
Compare associate creative director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average associate creative director salary over time
Compare associate creative director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Associate creative director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $141,000 | $67.84 | +3.1% |
| 2025 | $137,000 | $65.71 | +1.5% |
| 2024 | $135,000 | $64.70 | +0.3% |
| 2023 | $134,000 | $64.51 | +2.9% |
| 2022 | $130,000 | $62.64 | +0.1% |
Recently added associate creative director salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas | Assistant/Associate Director of Creative Services | Fayetteville, NC | 06/30/2025 | $56,123 |
| Enova | Associate Creative Director, Brand + Performance Marketing (Hybrid) | Chicago, IL | 06/29/2025 | $95,000 |
| Tubescience | Associate Creative Strategist | Los Angeles, CA | 06/29/2025 | $60,000 |
| Mutiny | Associate Creative Director, Art | Los Angeles, CA | 06/29/2025 | $130,000 |
| Acosta, Inc. | Creative Associate Director | Jacksonville, FL | 06/27/2025 | $85,800 |
| Sphere Entertainment Co | Temp-Associate: Creative Director | Burbank, CA | 06/24/2025 | $45,000 |
| Monks | Associate Creative Director | Chicago, IL | 06/22/2025 | $110,000 |
| Monks | Associate Creative Director | Denver, CO | 06/22/2025 | $110,000 |
| Apex Growth | Associate Creative Strategist, Performance Marketing | Los Angeles, CA | 06/22/2025 | $90,000 |
| Cooley | Associate Creative Director | San Francisco, CA | 06/21/2025 | $195,000 |
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