Art Directors Salary
The median pay for a art directors in Alabama is $77,220/year ($37.13/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $57K at the entry level to $132K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $87,392 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,085/month, or 21.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $77K get you in Alabama?
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What this looks like in Alabama
Pay for art directors in Alabama runs about 33% below the U.S. median of $115K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,085/month, 22.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Alabama can be a reasonable trade-off for art directorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level art directors (10th percentile) start around $57K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $132K or more, a $75K spread from bottom to top.
Art Directors salary by metro in Alabama
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $79K | +2% | 110 |
Compare to other states
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Frequently asked questions
Can a art director afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
Yes — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 22.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for art directors in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new art directors typically earn — is $57K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,392/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 32% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is art director a high-paying job in Alabama?
Local pay runs 33% below the national median — $77K here vs. $115K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for art directors?
Alabama pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $115K — that’s -33%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — below the national median.
How much do art directors make in Alabama?
The median is $77,220 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,540, and experienced art directors can clear $131,700. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,918/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 22.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a art directors salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median art directors salary is worth about $87,392 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do art directors get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.