Art Directors Salary in California (2025)
Official BLS OEWS data · May 2025 · 12,430 employed
Annual Mean
$156,060
$75.03/hr
Annual Median
$137,780
$66.24/hr
Bottom 10%
$81,500
$39.18/hr
Top 10%
$249,210
$119.81/hr
Location vs National Average
California
$156,060
Difference
+20.6% vs US avg
US National
$129,440
Salary Percentile Breakdown
| Percentile | Annual |
|---|---|
10th Percentile Bottom 10% | $81,500 |
25th Percentile Lower quarter | $106,470 |
50th PercentileMedian Median | $137,780 |
75th Percentile Upper quarter | $192,380 |
90th Percentile Top 10% | $249,210 |
Salary Distribution
Annual Salary Range
10th
$82K
25th
$106K
Median
$138K
75th
$192K
90th
$249K
California has a large Art Directors workforce with approximately 12,430 positions, indicating strong demand for this occupation in the region.
In California, Art Directors salaries range from $81,500 at the 10th percentile to $249,210 at the 90th percentile — a spread of $167,710 (122% of the median). This wide range suggests significant variation based on experience and employer in this area.
Top Paying Cities in California
Metro areas with highest Art Directors wages
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$182,620
per year
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$169,940
per year
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$156,680
per year
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$147,650
per year
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$144,450
per year
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$137,320
per year
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$130,960
per year
Fresno, CA
$123,560
per year
How Art Directors Compares in California
The average Art Directors salary of $156,060 in California ranks above the national average of $129,440. There are approximately 12,430 Art Directorss employed in California.
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Data: BLS OEWS May 2025 · Public domain · Not affiliated with BLS.