Art Directors Salary
The median pay for a art directors in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH is $151,820/year ($72.99/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $81K at the entry level to $218K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.27), so that salary is closer to $140,224 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,941/month, about 31.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $152K get you in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Boston-Cambridge-Newton’s Regional Price Parity (108.27). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About art directors
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Boston-Cambridge-Newton
Boston-Cambridge-Newton sits well above the national pay line for art directors, local pay runs about 32% higher than the U.S. median of $115K. Rent runs $2,941/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 8% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.27), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for art directors in metros near Boston-Cambridge-Newton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Worcester | $131K | $128K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $101K | $102K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $143K | $127K |
| Rochester | $102K | $105K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
Entry-level art directors (10th percentile) start around $81K. Mid-career wages sit at $152K. Top earners bring in $218K or more, a $138K spread from bottom to top.
Art Directors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Art Directors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $149K | +30% | 1,850 |
| California | $138K | +20% | 12,430 |
| New York | $137K | +20% | 8,720 |
| Oregon | $134K | +17% | 1,040 |
| New Hampshire | $132K | +15% | 160 |
| Vermont | $129K | +13% | 80 |
| New Jersey | $129K | +12% | 1,840 |
| Washington | $121K | +6% | 650 |
| Georgia | $110K | -4% | 1,420 |
| Minnesota | $110K | -4% | 920 |
| Utah | $107K | -7% | 290 |
| Indiana | $106K | -8% | 350 |
| Illinois | $104K | -10% | 2,960 |
| Virginia | $101K | -12% | 670 |
| Missouri | $101K | -12% | 780 |
| Maine | $100K | -13% | N/A |
| Colorado | $100K | -13% | 720 |
| Florida | $100K | -13% | 2,520 |
| Maryland | $98K | -14% | 570 |
| Nevada | $98K | -15% | 290 |
| Pennsylvania | $97K | -15% | 1,250 |
| Ohio | $94K | -18% | 1,050 |
| North Carolina | $90K | -22% | N/A |
| Tennessee | $90K | -22% | 930 |
| Hawaii | $89K | -22% | 40 |
| Texas | $88K | -23% | 2,480 |
| South Carolina | $88K | -23% | 550 |
| Michigan | $87K | -25% | 1,080 |
| Louisiana | $84K | -27% | 160 |
| North Dakota | $83K | -28% | 30 |
| Wisconsin | $81K | -29% | 730 |
| Iowa | $81K | -30% | 280 |
| Oklahoma | $81K | -30% | 290 |
| Idaho | $81K | -30% | N/A |
| Alabama | $77K | -33% | 210 |
| Kentucky | $76K | -34% | 320 |
| Alaska | $75K | -35% | 40 |
| Montana | $74K | -36% | 100 |
| Nebraska | $73K | -36% | 140 |
| Rhode Island | $73K | -37% | 90 |
| Arkansas | $72K | -37% | 240 |
| Connecticut | $72K | -37% | 1,160 |
| South Dakota | $67K | -42% | 30 |
| Mississippi | $66K | -43% | 90 |
| West Virginia | $64K | -45% | 30 |
| Kansas | $60K | -47% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 46 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track art directors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Boston-Cambridge-Newton numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a art director afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $152K, rent takes 33% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,941/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for art directors in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new art directors typically earn — is $81K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,841/month. At HUD’s $2,941/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Local pay is 32% above the national median — $152K here vs. $115K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 8% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Boston-Cambridge-Newton compare to the national average for art directors?
Boston-Cambridge-Newton pays $152K median vs. the U.S. average of $115K — that’s +32%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.27), the purchasing-power equivalent is $140K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do art directors make in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH?
The median is $151,820 a year, that works out to about $73 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $80,680, and experienced art directors can clear $218,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $152K enough to live in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,911/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,941/month, which eats 33% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a art directors salary go in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Boston-Cambridge-Newton has a Regional Price Parity of 108.27 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median art directors salary is worth about $140,224 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.