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Executive creative director salary
Average executive creative director salary
$162,850
Understanding the Executive Creative Director Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for an Executive Creative Director stands at $162,850 per year. This figure represents a competitive compensation for those leading creative teams across various industries. Understanding salary trends can aid professionals in assessing their worth and negotiating job offers.
Salary ranges vary widely depending on several factors:
- Location: Executive Creative Directors in states like California and New York tend to earn significantly more than their counterparts in other regions.
- Experience: Those with extensive experience often command higher salaries. Entry-level positions may start lower but have significant growth potential.
- Industry: Different sectors, such as advertising or tech, may offer varying compensation packages.
Comparing average salaries across states can provide insights into where professionals can find better opportunities. For example, states with a high demand for creative talent often offer elevated salaries to attract skilled candidates. Use this information to make informed career decisions and enhance your professional trajectory.
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Where can an Executive Creative Director earn more?
Executive creative director salary estimates from across the web
Average executive creative director salary by state
The average executive creative director salary in New York, Illinois, and Iowa are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average executive creative director salary states are Arkansas, Kentucky, and Oklahoma.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for executive creative directors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $160,815 | $77.31 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $143,183 | $68.84 |
| 3 | Mississippi | $135,327 | $65.06 |
| 4 | Kansas | $151,907 | $73.03 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $143,990 | $69.23 |
| 6 | Vermont | $137,867 | $66.28 |
| 7 | Iowa | $153,495 | $73.80 |
| 8 | Louisiana | $130,649 | $62.81 |
| 9 | North Carolina | $137,267 | $65.99 |
| 10 | New York | $174,889 | $84.08 |
| 11 | Utah | $136,742 | $65.74 |
| 12 | Alabama | $128,506 | $61.78 |
| 13 | Idaho | $136,396 | $65.58 |
| 14 | Maine | $142,306 | $68.42 |
| 15 | Washington | $136,406 | $65.58 |
| 16 | Michigan | $137,025 | $65.88 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $132,184 | $63.55 |
| 18 | Georgia | $129,086 | $62.06 |
| 19 | Oregon | $141,083 | $67.83 |
| 20 | Nevada | $125,796 | $60.48 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $128,454 | $61.76 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $126,259 | $60.70 |
| 23 | Virginia | $129,445 | $62.23 |
| 24 | California | $142,134 | $68.33 |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $121,247 | $58.29 |
| 26 | Florida | $124,671 | $59.94 |
| 27 | Ohio | $121,006 | $58.18 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $123,432 | $59.34 |
| 29 | Montana | $117,201 | $56.35 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $125,786 | $60.47 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $135,383 | $65.09 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $123,195 | $59.23 |
| 33 | Alaska | $129,725 | $62.37 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $115,700 | $55.63 |
| 35 | Delaware | $122,124 | $58.71 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $128,925 | $61.98 |
| 37 | Missouri | $111,367 | $53.54 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | $110,532 | $53.14 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $103,654 | $49.83 |
| 40 | Texas | $107,598 | $51.73 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $112,208 | $53.95 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $113,109 | $54.38 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $110,996 | $53.36 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $106,787 | $51.34 |
| 45 | Colorado | $93,020 | $44.72 |
| 46 | New Mexico | $111,177 | $53.45 |
| 47 | Arizona | $100,346 | $48.24 |
| 48 | Maryland | $108,109 | $51.98 |
| 49 | Indiana | $106,927 | $51.41 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $105,524 | $50.73 |
| 51 | Nebraska | $98,785 | $47.49 |
Highest paying cities for executive creative directors
The highest-paying cities for executive creative directors are New York, NY, Chicago, IL, and San Francisco, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $212,822 | $102.32 |
| 2 | Chicago, IL | $192,036 | $92.33 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $154,003 | $74.04 |
| 4 | Detroit, MI | $148,612 | $71.45 |
| 5 | Charlotte, NC | $147,067 | $70.71 |
| 6 | Minneapolis, MN | $139,284 | $66.96 |
| 7 | Atlanta, GA | $138,631 | $66.65 |
| 8 | Richmond, VA | $136,849 | $65.79 |
| 9 | Dania Beach, FL | $128,832 | $61.94 |
| 10 | Pawtucket, RI | $125,234 | $60.21 |
| 11 | Cincinnati, OH | $124,812 | $60.01 |
| 12 | Philadelphia, PA | $113,250 | $54.45 |
| 13 | Boulder, CO | $92,932 | $44.68 |
Executive creative director salary details
An executive creative director's salary ranges from $88,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $300,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an executive creative director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $300,000 | $25,000 | $144 |
| 75th Percentile | $224,000 | $18,667 | $108 |
| Average | $162,850 | $13,571 | $78 |
| 25th Percentile | $118,000 | $9,833 | $57 |
| 10th Percentile | $88,000 | $7,333 | $42 |
Highest paying executive creative director jobs
The highest paying types of executive creative directors are senior creative director, associate creative director, and creative director.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graphic Design Manager | $66,975 | $5,581 | $32.20 | 48,269 |
| Lead Graphic Designer | $76,009 | $6,334 | $36.54 | 46,260 |
| Designer/Art Director | $97,448 | $8,121 | $46.85 | 53,314 |
| 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 |
Top companies hiring executive creative directors now:
Which companies pay executive creative directors the most?
Executive creative director salaries at Estée Lauder and Aveda are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average executive creative director salary at companies like BBDO Detroit and Qualcomm are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Estée Lauder | $243,203 | $116.92 |
| 2 | Aveda | $234,129 | $112.56 |
| 3 | BBDO Detroit | $225,627 | $108.47 |
| 4 | Qualcomm | $220,620 | $106.07 |
| 5 | SoulCycle Holdings, LLC | $213,393 | $102.59 |
| 6 | Coach | $213,131 | $102.47 |
| 7 | Wunderman Thompson | $204,680 | $98.40 |
| 8 | Amazon | $203,846 | $98.00 |
| 9 | Shiseido Americas Corporation | $201,837 | $97.04 |
| 10 | Genvid Technologies | $198,857 | $95.60 |
| 11 | Cavalry Portfolio Services | $198,857 | $95.60 |
| 12 | WarnerMedia | $196,930 | $94.68 |
| 13 | Avanade | $196,884 | $94.66 |
| 14 | Creative Artists Agency | $191,379 | $92.01 |
| 15 | Petal | $190,937 | $91.80 |
| 16 | Chewy | $189,433 | $91.07 |
| 17 | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | $188,542 | $90.65 |
| 18 | VICE | $188,517 | $90.63 |
| 19 | AKQA | $187,675 | $90.23 |
| 20 | Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising Worldwide Inc | $183,402 | $88.17 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Executive creative director salary trends
The average executive creative director salary has risen by $26,804 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average executive creative director earned $136,046 annually, but today, they earn $162,850 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for executive creative directors over the last decade.
Compare executive creative director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average executive creative director salary over time
Compare executive creative director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Executive creative director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $163,000 | $78.29 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $158,000 | $75.84 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | $155,000 | $74.68 | +0.3% |
| 2022 | $155,000 | $74.45 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | $150,000 | $72.30 | +0.1% |
Recently added executive creative director salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fleishmanhillard | Executive Creative Director-Sports (Hybrid, Temp-To | Nome, TX | 06/29/2025 | $118,000 |
| Servicenow | Senior Director, Executive Creative Director, Events & Experiences | Santa Clara, CA | 06/27/2025 | $193,600 |
| George P. Johnson Experience Marketing | Executive Creative Director | New York, NY | 06/25/2025 | $200,000 |
| Dinebrands | Executive Director, Creative (Ihop) | Pasadena, CA | 06/20/2025 | $200,000 |
| Fanatics | VP, Executive Creative Director-Apparel | San Mateo, CA | 06/17/2025 | $185,000 |
| Meta | Creative Director, Product and Executive Communications | Menlo Park, CA | 06/12/2025 | $174,000 |
| Complex | Executive Creative Director | New York, NY | 05/18/2025 | $275,000 |
| Dinebrands | Executive Director, Creative (Ihop) | Pasadena, CA | 05/09/2025 | $200,000 |
| Dine Brands | Executive Director, Creative (Ihop) | Pasadena, CA | 05/08/2025 | $200,000 |
| Conde Nast | Executive Creative Director, Fashion/Luxury/Entertainment, Cncc | New York, NY | 04/28/2025 | $154,000 |
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