Art Directors Salary in Columbus, OH
The median pay for a art directors in Columbus, OH is $102,960/year ($49.5/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $153K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.47), that's roughly $107,845 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,430/month, or 22% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $103K get you in Columbus?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbus’s Regional Price Parity (95.47). 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
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbus, OH
Entry-level art directors (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $103K. Top earners bring in $153K or more, a $93K spread from bottom to top.
Art Directors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $148K | +34% | 1,040 |
| Washington | $143K | +29% | 1,740 |
| New York | $137K | +23% | 8,300 |
| California | $134K | +21% | 12,540 |
| Georgia | $132K | +19% | 1,050 |
| Massachusetts | $131K | +18% | 1,810 |
| District of Columbia | $127K | +14% | N/A |
| New Jersey | $126K | +13% | 1,620 |
| Hawaii | $108K | -2% | 40 |
| New Hampshire | $102K | -8% | 120 |
| Connecticut | $101K | -9% | 680 |
| Illinois | $101K | -9% | 2,750 |
| Maryland | $100K | -10% | 430 |
| Indiana | $99K | -11% | 320 |
| Minnesota | $98K | -11% | 1,120 |
| Delaware | $97K | -12% | 40 |
| Virginia | $96K | -14% | 860 |
| Vermont | $95K | -15% | 40 |
| Missouri | $94K | -15% | 740 |
| Florida | $94K | -16% | 2,240 |
| Ohio | $92K | -17% | 1,140 |
| Utah | $91K | -18% | 400 |
| Pennsylvania | $90K | -19% | 890 |
| Nevada | $90K | -19% | 230 |
| North Carolina | $90K | -19% | 880 |
| Michigan | $87K | -22% | 1,020 |
| Arizona | $85K | -23% | 370 |
| Wisconsin | $85K | -23% | 580 |
| Iowa | $81K | -27% | 370 |
| Texas | $80K | -28% | 2,690 |
| Maine | $78K | -30% | 80 |
| Montana | $77K | -30% | 50 |
| Alabama | $77K | -31% | 170 |
| Tennessee | $76K | -32% | 750 |
| Nebraska | $75K | -32% | 150 |
| Idaho | $75K | -32% | 220 |
| Oklahoma | $73K | -34% | 190 |
| Kansas | $70K | -37% | 360 |
| Kentucky | $68K | -38% | 290 |
| Arkansas | $67K | -39% | 140 |
| South Carolina | $66K | -40% | 340 |
| Louisiana | $66K | -41% | 130 |
| Rhode Island | $65K | -41% | 110 |
| Alaska | $61K | -45% | 40 |
| New Mexico | $60K | -46% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 45 states
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 Columbus numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
How much do art directors make in Columbus, OH?
The median is $102,960 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,260, and experienced art directors can clear $153,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $103K enough to live in Columbus?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,554/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,430/month, which eats 21.8% 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 Columbus?
Columbus has a Regional Price Parity of 95.47 (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 $107,845 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.