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Designer/art director salary
Average designer/art director salary
$97,448
Understanding the Designer/Art Director Salary
The role of a Designer/Art Director combines creativity with strategic thinking, making it a pivotal position in various industries. The average salary of $97,448 reflects the demand for skilled professionals who can effectively lead creative projects. Salaries vary widely based on factors such as experience, geographic location, and industry.
Salary by State
In states like California and New York, salaries can exceed the average, often reflecting the higher cost of living and demand for design expertise. For instance, designers in major cities typically earn more due to competitive job markets. Understanding these regional differences is crucial for job seekers.
Industries and Opportunities
Industries such as advertising, media, and tech are among the highest-paying sectors for art directors. These positions often come with additional benefits and opportunities for career advancement. By exploring job listings and industry trends, you can identify the best opportunities that align with your skills and career goals.
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Where can a Designer/Art Director earn more?
Average designer/art director salary by state
The highest-paying states for designer/art directors are California, Oregon, and New York. The lowest average designer/art director salary states are Indiana, Maryland, and Tennessee.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for designer/art directors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | $104,353 | $50.17 |
| 2 | California | $119,582 | $57.49 |
| 3 | Oregon | $110,067 | $52.92 |
| 4 | New York | $109,894 | $52.83 |
| 5 | Washington | $104,627 | $50.30 |
| 6 | Utah | $101,345 | $48.72 |
| 7 | Kansas | $104,109 | $50.05 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $95,154 | $45.75 |
| 9 | Maine | $100,877 | $48.50 |
| 10 | Vermont | $94,405 | $45.39 |
| 11 | Idaho | $101,562 | $48.83 |
| 12 | Mississippi | $80,554 | $38.73 |
| 13 | Illinois | $87,320 | $41.98 |
| 14 | Louisiana | $79,028 | $37.99 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $86,149 | $41.42 |
| 16 | Alaska | $99,214 | $47.70 |
| 17 | Michigan | $80,958 | $38.92 |
| 18 | Nevada | $90,047 | $43.29 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $91,112 | $43.80 |
| 20 | South Dakota | $74,013 | $35.58 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $87,325 | $41.98 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $82,392 | $39.61 |
| 23 | Alabama | $73,101 | $35.14 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $87,208 | $41.93 |
| 25 | Montana | $82,587 | $39.71 |
| 26 | Rhode Island | $77,040 | $37.04 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $81,123 | $39.00 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $74,781 | $35.95 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $92,948 | $44.69 |
| 30 | Georgia | $71,146 | $34.20 |
| 31 | District of Columbia | $72,566 | $34.89 |
| 32 | Virginia | $70,801 | $34.04 |
| 33 | Oklahoma | $63,467 | $30.51 |
| 34 | Texas | $69,532 | $33.43 |
| 35 | Colorado | $70,518 | $33.90 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $71,452 | $34.35 |
| 37 | Ohio | $68,812 | $33.08 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $66,321 | $31.89 |
| 39 | Pennsylvania | $64,091 | $30.81 |
| 40 | Missouri | $66,507 | $31.97 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $51,566 | $24.79 |
| 42 | Delaware | $70,032 | $33.67 |
| 43 | Arizona | $64,912 | $31.21 |
| 44 | Florida | $64,541 | $31.03 |
| 45 | Maryland | $59,429 | $28.57 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $62,520 | $30.06 |
| 47 | Indiana | $59,867 | $28.78 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $60,642 | $29.15 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $58,702 | $28.22 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $52,232 | $25.11 |
| 51 | Kentucky | $57,156 | $27.48 |
Highest paying cities for designer/art directors
The highest-paying cities for designer/art directors are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, and Beaverton, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $131,349 | $63.15 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $109,909 | $52.84 |
| 3 | Beaverton, OR | $108,759 | $52.29 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $105,408 | $50.68 |
| 5 | Portland, ME | $101,405 | $48.75 |
| 6 | Salt Lake City, UT | $100,324 | $48.23 |
| 7 | Newark, NJ | $91,701 | $44.09 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $87,848 | $42.23 |
| 9 | Grand Rapids, MI | $80,211 | $38.56 |
| 10 | Washington, DC | $72,642 | $34.92 |
| 11 | Richmond, VA | $70,538 | $33.91 |
| 12 | Miami, FL | $64,972 | $31.24 |
| 13 | Philadelphia, PA | $64,550 | $31.03 |
| 14 | Frederick, MD | $59,334 | $28.53 |
Designer/art director salary details
A designer/art director's salary ranges from $60,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $157,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a designer/art director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $157,000 | $13,083 | $75 |
| 75th Percentile | $125,000 | $10,417 | $60 |
| Average | $97,448 | $8,121 | $47 |
| 25th Percentile | $75,000 | $6,250 | $36 |
| 10th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
Highest paying designer/art director jobs
The highest paying types of designer/art directors are associate creative director, creative director, and creative director/owner.
| 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 |
| Web Graphic Designer | $52,574 | $4,381 | $25.28 | 51,462 |
| Production Designer | $54,760 | $4,563 | $26.33 | 96,682 |
| Graphic Designer | $49,450 | $4,121 | $23.77 | 45,625 |
| Visual Designer | $86,495 | $7,208 | $41.58 | 46,815 |
Top companies hiring designer/art directors now:
Which companies pay designer/art directors the most?
Designer/art director salaries at The Walt Disney Company and Apple are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average designer/art director salary at companies like ViacomCBS and Nike are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Walt Disney Company | $168,473 | $81.00 |
| 2 | Apple | $157,651 | $75.79 |
| 3 | ViacomCBS | $154,075 | $74.07 |
| 4 | Nike | $147,265 | $70.80 |
| 5 | Hawaii.com | $138,325 | $66.50 |
| 6 | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | $135,853 | $65.31 |
| 7 | Edelman Financial Engines | $125,759 | $60.46 |
| 8 | Bloomingdale's | $124,637 | $59.92 |
| 9 | National Geographic | $108,979 | $52.39 |
| 10 | WES | $104,394 | $50.19 |
| 11 | Blackstone Group | $100,358 | $48.25 |
| 12 | Nexstar Media Group | $94,371 | $45.37 |
| 13 | Ancestry US Holdings Inc | $92,785 | $44.61 |
| 14 | Base Design | $92,223 | $44.34 |
| 15 | Paramount | $89,099 | $42.84 |
| 16 | Alight Solutions | $80,856 | $38.87 |
| 17 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | $77,936 | $37.47 |
| 18 | Louis Vuitton | $63,894 | $30.72 |
| 19 | Cascade Designs | $63,293 | $30.43 |
| 20 | Sundance Institute | $56,860 | $27.34 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Designer/Art Director salary by industry
The average designer/art director salary varies across industries:
- The average designer/art director salary in the media industry is $100,319, the highest of any industry.
- The average designer/art director salary in the finance industry is $93,238.
- Designer/art directors in the technology industry earn an average salary of $65,082, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for designer/art directors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Media | $100,319 | $48.23 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $93,238 | $44.83 |
| 3 | Professional | $92,848 | $44.64 |
| 4 | Retail | $90,770 | $43.64 |
| 5 | Technology | $65,082 | $31.29 |
High paying designer/art director jobs
Designer/art director salary trends
The average designer/art director salary has risen by $16,039 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average designer/art director earned $81,409 annually, but today, they earn $97,448 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for designer/art directors over the last decade.
Compare designer/art director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average designer/art director salary over time
Compare designer/art director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Designer/art director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $97,400 | $46.85 | +3.1% |
| 2025 | $94,400 | $45.38 | +1.5% |
| 2024 | $92,900 | $44.69 | +0.3% |
| 2023 | $92,700 | $44.55 | +2.9% |
| 2022 | $90,000 | $43.26 | +0.1% |
Recently added designer/art director salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | Art Director, Design Systems, Amazon Global Transportation | Bellevue, WA | 06/28/2025 | $108,400 |
| Promotion In Motion | Art Director, International Production and Design | Park Ridge, NJ | 06/19/2025 | $115,000 |
| Sony Music Entertainment | Director, Art & Design | New York, NY | 06/16/2025 | $100,000 |
| Amazon | Art Director, Visual Design | New York, NY | 06/11/2025 | $106,000 |
| Amazon.com, Inc. | Art Director, Visual Design | Madison, WI | 06/11/2025 | $106,000 |
| Amazon.com, Inc. | Designer/Art Director, Device Brand Studio | Culver City, CA | 05/29/2025 | $108,400 |
| Metropolitan Transportation Commission | Director Arts & Design | New York, NY | 05/26/2025 | $180,000 |
| Cella Inc. | Art Director/Designer (Remote) | Houston, TX | 05/23/2025 | $93,915 |
| The Company | Art Director, Retail & Experiential Design | Broomfield, CO | 04/18/2025 | $105,000 |
| Crocs | Art Director, Retail & Experiential Design | Broomfield, CO | 04/14/2025 | $105,000 |
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