Art Directors Salary
The median pay for a art directors in Iowa is $80,940/year ($38.92/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $127K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $91,087 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 20.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $81K get you in Iowa?
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What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for art directors in Iowa runs about 30% below the U.S. median of $115K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,064/month, 20.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Iowa can be a reasonable trade-off for art directorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level art directors (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $127K or more, a $64K spread from bottom to top.
Art Directors salary by metro in Iowa
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids | $103K | +27% | 40 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $90K | +11% | 130 |
Compare to other states
Track art directors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a art director afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $81K, rent takes 20.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for art directors in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new art directors typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,779/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is art director a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay runs 30% below the national median — $81K here vs. $115K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for art directors?
Iowa pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $115K — that’s -30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — below the national median.
How much do art directors make in Iowa?
The median is $80,940 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,990, and experienced art directors can clear $126,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,095/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 20.9% 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 Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (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 $91,087 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.