SOC 27-1011 · Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations
Art Directors wages by metro
National median annual wage
$114,850
- 10th percentile
- $64,900
- 25th percentile
- $82,480
- Median
- $114,850
- 75th percentile
- $162,640
- 90th percentile
- $213,050
- Mean
- $129,440
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.
National employment in May 2025: 53,070.
That median is 125.3% higher than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.
The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.
Highest published medians
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 600 | $115,770 | $170,140 | $274,950 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 2,390 | $88,460 | $165,210 | $277,730 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | 50 | $84,280 | $153,890 | $156,980 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,550 | $80,680 | $151,820 | $218,270 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 880 | $96,070 | $145,410 | $224,310 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 8,980 | $85,040 | $142,990 | $271,220 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 6,590 | $83,720 | $137,560 | $238,320 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | 70 | $67,290 | $133,680 | $182,000 |
| Worcester, MA | 100 | $76,060 | $131,240 | $195,320 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 40 | $91,510 | $126,410 | $243,160 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 630 | $78,140 | $126,050 | $211,550 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 520 | $76,610 | $124,610 | $216,120 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 30 | $60,530 | $123,420 | $276,430 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 100 | $64,480 | $121,920 | $203,110 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | 90 | $67,230 | $121,540 | $162,600 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 780 | $72,400 | $119,020 | $177,930 |
| Syracuse, NY | 60 | $60,990 | $118,560 | $195,070 |
| Savannah, GA | 40 | $56,370 | $117,650 | $148,230 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | 60 | $60,250 | $117,110 | $191,480 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 180 | $66,310 | $113,180 | $161,690 |
Where employment is largest
States and territories
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 1,850 | $78,470 | $149,320 | $218,270 |
| California | 12,430 | $81,500 | $137,780 | $249,210 |
| New York | 8,720 | $80,060 | $137,320 | $280,320 |
| Oregon | 1,040 | $89,390 | $133,840 | $216,700 |
| New Hampshire | 160 | $70,990 | $132,000 | $169,950 |
| Vermont | 80 | $77,360 | $129,260 | $153,890 |
| New Jersey | 1,840 | $87,700 | $129,200 | $195,450 |
| Washington | 650 | $69,690 | $121,170 | $215,900 |
| Georgia | 1,420 | $49,990 | $110,430 | $198,360 |
| Minnesota | 920 | $70,810 | $109,700 | $177,680 |
| Utah | 290 | $55,230 | $106,500 | $164,030 |
| Indiana | 350 | $61,990 | $105,690 | $185,690 |
| Illinois | 2,960 | $69,200 | $103,550 | $172,050 |
| Virginia | 670 | $64,010 | $101,150 | $165,010 |
| Missouri | 780 | $60,590 | $100,940 | $162,340 |
| Maine | Not available | $39,950 | $100,300 | $161,030 |
| Colorado | 720 | $73,110 | $99,990 | $162,610 |
| Florida | 2,520 | $56,780 | $99,660 | $163,450 |
| Maryland | 570 | $61,160 | $98,400 | $175,690 |
| Nevada | 290 | $60,000 | $98,070 | $185,100 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,250 | $65,470 | $97,450 | $149,940 |
| Ohio | 1,050 | $57,740 | $94,390 | $148,080 |
| North Carolina | Not available | $56,460 | $90,000 | $142,740 |
| Tennessee | 930 | $50,530 | $89,860 | $172,130 |
| Hawaii | 40 | $48,920 | $89,300 | $154,410 |
| Texas | 2,480 | $55,730 | $88,270 | $172,130 |
| South Carolina | 550 | $64,380 | $87,990 | $180,030 |
| Michigan | 1,080 | $54,590 | $86,660 | $166,880 |
| Louisiana | 160 | $56,780 | $83,640 | $187,000 |
| North Dakota | 30 | $53,200 | $83,170 | $104,290 |
| Wisconsin | 730 | $58,470 | $81,130 | $131,850 |
| Iowa | 280 | $62,990 | $80,940 | $126,990 |
| Idaho | Not available | $51,990 | $80,680 | $155,210 |
| Oklahoma | 290 | $62,960 | $80,680 | $143,260 |
| Alabama | 210 | $56,540 | $77,220 | $131,700 |
| Kentucky | 320 | $42,990 | $76,160 | $121,940 |
| Alaska | 40 | $60,260 | $75,200 | $104,990 |
| Montana | 100 | $45,700 | $73,850 | $96,030 |
| Nebraska | 140 | $54,530 | $73,270 | $102,590 |
| Rhode Island | 90 | $56,730 | $72,550 | $194,000 |
| Arkansas | 240 | $52,990 | $71,930 | $130,030 |
| Connecticut | 1,160 | $69,990 | $71,900 | $161,580 |
| South Dakota | 30 | $56,730 | $66,610 | $85,530 |
| Mississippi | 90 | $44,020 | $66,020 | $174,410 |
| West Virginia | 30 | $45,370 | $63,550 | $111,080 |
| Kansas | Not available | $38,350 | $60,460 | $121,470 |
| Puerto Rico | 80 | $35,680 | $57,580 | $70,060 |
| Arizona | 450 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| District of Columbia | 310 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| New Mexico | 60 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
Other arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
- Public Relations Specialists
- Coaches and Scouts
- Graphic Designers
- Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers
- Producers and Directors
- Editors
- Interior Designers
- Audio and Video Technicians
Questions this page answers
What is the national median wage for Art Directors?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Art Directors is $114,850. Employment is 53,070.
How does Art Directors pay compare with all occupations?
The national median for Art Directors is 125.3% higher than the all-occupations median of $50,980.
Which metro has the highest published median for Art Directors?
Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is highest on this page's list at $170,140.