Art Directors Salary
The median pay for a art directors in Indiana is $105,690/year ($50.81/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $186K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $115,118 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,144/month, or 16.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $106K get you in Indiana?
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What this looks like in Indiana
Art directors pay in Indiana tracks closely to the national median, $106K locally vs. $115K nationwide, a 8% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,144/month, 17.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indiana
Entry-level art directors (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $106K. Top earners bring in $186K or more, a $124K spread from bottom to top.
Art Directors salary by metro in Indiana
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $105K | -0% | 160 |
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a art director afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $106K, rent takes 17.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for art directors in Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new art directors typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,719/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 31% 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 Indiana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $106K locally vs. $115K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for art directors?
Indiana pays $106K median vs. the U.S. average of $115K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $115K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do art directors make in Indiana?
The median is $105,690 a year, that works out to about $51 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,990, and experienced art directors can clear $185,690. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $106K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,626/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 17.3% 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 Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (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 $115,118 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.