The average salary for an art director in California is around $137,780 per year.
Avg Salary
Art directors earn an average yearly salary of $137,780.
Wages typically start from $81,500 and go up to $249,210.
93% above national average Updated in 2025
Art director earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level art director earnings begin at:
$119.81 per hour
$249,210 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level art director earnings begin at:
$92.49 per hour
$192,380 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level art director earnings begin at:
$66.24 per hour
$137,780 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level art director earnings begin at:
$51.19 per hour
$106,470 per year
10th percentile
Starting level art director earnings begin at:
$39.18 per hour
$81,500 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Art director salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Colorado | $99,990 |
| Florida | $99,660 |
| Maryland | $98,400 |
| Nevada | $98,070 |
| Pennsylvania | $97,450 |
| Ohio | $94,390 |
| North Carolina | $90,000 |
| Tennessee | $89,860 |
| Delaware | $89,490 |
| Hawaii | $89,300 |
| Texas | $88,270 |
| South Carolina | $87,990 |
| Michigan | $86,660 |
| Louisiana | $83,640 |
| North Dakota | $83,170 |
| Wisconsin | $81,130 |
| Iowa | $80,940 |
| Idaho | $80,680 |
| Oklahoma | $80,680 |
| Alabama | $77,220 |
| Kentucky | $76,160 |
| Alaska | $75,200 |
| Montana | $73,850 |
| Nebraska | $73,270 |
| District of Columbia | $72,650 |
| Rhode Island | $72,550 |
| Arkansas | $71,930 |
| Connecticut | $71,900 |
| Arizona | $69,560 |
| South Dakota | $66,610 |
| Mississippi | $66,020 |
| West Virginia | $63,550 |
| Kansas | $60,460 |
| Puerto Rico | $48,540 |
| Massachusetts | $149,320 |
| California | $137,780 |
| New York | $137,320 |
| Oregon | $133,840 |
| New Hampshire | $132,000 |
| Vermont | $129,260 |
| New Jersey | $129,200 |
| Washington | $121,170 |
| Georgia | $110,430 |
| Minnesota | $109,700 |
| Utah | $106,500 |
| Indiana | $105,690 |
| New Mexico | $104,080 |
| Illinois | $103,550 |
| Virginia | $101,150 |
| Missouri | $100,940 |
| Maine | $100,300 |
How do art director salaries compare to similar careers?
Art directors earn 7% more than similar careers in California.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Filmmaker salary | $130K |
| Film director salary | $130K |
| Make-Up artist salary | $141K |
| Multimedia animator salary | $131K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)