Art Directors Salary
The median pay for a art directors in Connecticut is $71,900/year ($34.57/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $70K at the entry level to $162K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.88), that's roughly $69,887 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,679/month, about 35.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Connecticut. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $72K get you in Connecticut?
About art directors
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What this looks like in Connecticut
Pay for art directors in Connecticut runs about 37% below the U.S. median of $115K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,679/month, which is 36.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.88) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for art directorss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Connecticut
Entry-level art directors (10th percentile) start around $70K. Mid-career wages sit at $72K. Top earners bring in $162K or more, a $92K spread from bottom to top.
Art Directors salary by metro in Connecticut
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterbury-Shelton | $134K | +86% | 70 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford | $113K | +57% | 180 |
| New Haven | $96K | +33% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track art directors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Connecticut numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a art director afford a 2BR apartment alone in Connecticut?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $72K, rent takes 36.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,679/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for art directors in Connecticut?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new art directors typically earn — is $70K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,199/month. At HUD’s $1,679/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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 Connecticut?
Local pay runs 37% below the national median — $72K here vs. $115K nationally.
How does Connecticut compare to the national average for art directors?
Connecticut pays $72K median vs. the U.S. average of $115K — that’s -37%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — below the national median.
How much do art directors make in Connecticut?
The median is $71,900 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $69,990, and experienced art directors can clear $161,580. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $72K enough to live in Connecticut?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,622/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,679/month, which eats 36.3% 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 Connecticut?
Connecticut has a Regional Price Parity of 102.88 (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 $69,887 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.