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How to hire a creative/art director

Creative/art director hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring creative/art directors in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a creative/art director is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new creative/art director to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a creative/art director, step by step

To hire a creative/art director, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a creative/art director:

Here's a step-by-step creative/art director hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a creative/art director job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new creative/art director
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a creative/art director do?

A creative/art director is someone who provides the conceptual idea behind a project and executes project details. His/Her or her responsibilities include leading a team of artists and developing budgets and timelines. The essential skills that a creative/art director should possess to accomplish such responsibilities include good analytical and technical skills and the ability to adapt to his/her or her team. The job's education requirements include obtaining a bachelor's degree in graphic design, advertising, fine arts, or other related fields.

Learn more about the specifics of what a creative/art director does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    The creative/art director hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A creative/art director's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, creative/art directors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    This list shows salaries for various types of creative/art directors.

    Type of Creative/Art DirectorDescriptionHourly rate
    Creative/Art DirectorArt directors are responsible for the visual style and images in magazines, newspapers, product packaging, and movie and television productions. They create the overall design of a project and direct others who develop artwork and layouts.$37-97
    DirectorDirectors work in show business, whether in a film, a television show, or a theatre production. They are responsible for bringing the material to life... Show more$31-92
    Designer/Art DirectorAn art director collaborates with the design and art staff for books, public relations firms, advertising agencies, or newspaper publishers. Art directors create designs and layouts that embody the organization and send the message they want the audience to get... Show more$28-75
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Sketch
    • Art Direction
    • Photography
    • Creative Direction
    • Web Banners
    • Graphic Design
    • Creative Strategies
    • Facebook
    • Video Production
    • Creative Development
    • Integrated Marketing
    • Creative Arts
    • Concept Development
    • Brand Development
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Develop strategic project plans managing and maintaining multiple projects from sketch to print, facilitating high-impact presentations to senior leadership.
    • Produce initial HTML code and CSS styling development for approve design.
    • Assist with the uploading of site creatives, landing pages, emails & providing any HTML and CSS coding when necessary.
    • Web product design skills using software, CSS and more.
    • Design and code website using CSS and integrate database content from external sources.
    • Work closely with marketing and photography directors to arrive at outstanding solutions.
    More creative/art director duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in the creative/art director job description is a good way to get more applicants. A creative/art director salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

    For example, the average salary for a creative/art director in Oklahoma may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level creative/art director. Additionally, a creative/art director with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

    Average creative/art director salary

    $125,743yearly

    $60.45 hourly rate

    Entry-level creative/art director salary
    $78,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 27, 2025

    Average creative/art director salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$162,307$78
    2New York$135,256$65
    3Kansas$133,934$64
    4Massachusetts$122,241$59
    5Illinois$120,771$58
    6Minnesota$113,010$54
    7Michigan$110,343$53
    8North Carolina$104,178$50
    9Ohio$97,533$47
    10Georgia$94,603$45
    11Wisconsin$90,037$43
    12Colorado$89,543$43
    13Missouri$89,269$43
    14Pennsylvania$87,337$42
    15Tennessee$86,169$41
    16Texas$85,368$41
    17Arizona$82,394$40
    18Indiana$81,458$39
    19Florida$80,395$39

    Average creative/art director salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Meta$198,745$95.5523
    2Apple$187,669$90.2311
    3TBWA Worldwide$172,665$83.01
    4Jack Morton Worldwide$171,698$82.551
    5Logitech$170,773$82.10
    6Amazon$169,538$81.5131
    7Grey Group$166,571$80.08
    8Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising Worldwide Inc$166,143$79.88
    9Wpp Us Holdings Inc$156,887$75.4326
    10Texas Children's Hospital$153,983$74.03
    11Wunderman Thompson$149,363$71.81
    12Draftfcb$149,197$71.73
    13Edelman Financial Engines$144,549$69.491
    14Addison Group$140,025$67.32
    15Vertafore$137,440$66.08
    16PDA$135,514$65.15
    17Talkspace$135,367$65.08
    18LERMA$134,829$64.82
    19BGB Group$134,283$64.56
    20The Richards Group$134,049$64.45
  4. Writing a creative/art director job description

    A good creative/art director job description should include a few things:

    • Summary of the role
    • List of responsibilities
    • Required skills and experience

    Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a creative/art director job description:

    Creative/art director job description example

    We're seeking a leader to service and support the Amazon Fresh brand. As the Creative Director, Art Direction, you will define the overarching visual brand tone for Amazon Fresh and report to the VP of Creative and Design for Whole Foods Market and Amazon Fresh. You'll strategize and collaborate daily with your counterparts in Design, Copy and Packaging to create an ownable, memorable and cohesive visual aesthetic to Amazon Fresh.

    To be successful in this role, this leader excels at mapping out strategic campaigns across multi-channels: physical stores, web, email, social, paid media (video, digital, traditional). You are an expert at choreographing execution- from photography, to copy and design, and you navigate the need for flexibility of visual assets across channels. Conceptual problem solving from both a visual and verbal standpoint is critical, and you partner naturally with writers.

    You're an energetic leader and are motivated by bringing out the best of the team and individuals. You are a confident presenter of work and are skilled at navigating stakeholder relationships from various teams.

    This role is based in Austin TX, within the Whole Foods Market corporate offices. We are a people-first company and big egos don't work out here. We thrive on collaboration and have a laid-back, hard-working culture that thrives on having self-responsibility and earning trust. This is an opportunity to define the next great grocery brand, and your energy should fuel those around you.
    Responsibilities

    * Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of creatives and marketing team members from both Whole Foods Market and Amazon
    * Help define the brand style guide across all digital channels and manage the templates, tools and assets for our creative teams
    * Work with Art Directors and Designers to create in-store and digital campaigns
    * Present work to Whole Foods Market and Amazon leadership
    * Own and co-create Amazon Fresh brand guidelines with CD of Design and Copy
    * Drive campaign creative concepting from digital to traditional media
    * Mentor and lead creative teams to create the best work of their careers
    * Oversee photo and video shoots for seasonal/promotional campaigns as well as evergreen
    * Work with CDs in Design, Copy and Packaging to ensure campaign consistency and that design is optimally executed for each channel

    Skills

    * Expert proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, Google Sketch, proficiency in Figma
    * Agility and adaptability in learning new tools and design platforms
    * Expert skills in directing photo and video shoots (food photography and styling a big plus)
    * Excellent presentation skills
    * Proven ability to impart focus by developing clear goals and priorities
    * Proven ability to operate among ambiguity and fast-changing business goals
    * Proven ability to build cross-functional partnerships and inspire collaboration and action
    * Proven ability to juggle multiple projects while maintaining a clear sense of priorities

    Qualifications

    * 6+ years of ad/design agency or in-house brand experience
    * 2+years leadership experience
    * A strong working knowledge of visual design, brand, user-centered experience design and the creative process
    * Experience managing the creative development process along with mentoring, supervisory and team-building skills
    * Strong ability to provide clear creative direction across in-store retail, interactive content, photography and video production

    At Whole Foods Market, we provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all Team Members and candidates regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, marital status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic. Whole Foods Market hires and promotes individuals solely based on qualifications for the position to be filled and business needs.
  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find creative/art directors for your business:

    • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your creative/art director job on Zippia to find and attract quality creative/art director candidates.
    • Use niche websites such as dribbble, authentic jobs, working not working, coroflot.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    During your first interview to recruit creative/art directors, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new creative/art director

    Once you've selected the best creative/art director candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

    It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

    After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new creative/art director. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a creative/art director?

Before you start to hire creative/art directors, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire creative/art directors pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

You can expect to pay around $125,743 per year for a creative/art director, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for creative/art directors in the US typically range between $37 and $97 an hour.

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