Art Directors Salary
The median pay for a art directors in Kansas is $60,460/year ($29.07/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $121K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.54), which stretches that salary to about $67,523 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,066/month, or 26.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kansas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $60K get you in Kansas?
About art directors
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What this looks like in Kansas
Pay for art directors in Kansas runs about 47% below the U.S. median of $115K. Rent runs $1,066/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.54 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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, Kansas
Entry-level art directors (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $121K or more, a $83K spread from bottom to top.
Art Directors salary by metro in Kansas
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wichita | $53K | -12% | 80 |
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kansas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a art director afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kansas?
Yes — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 26.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,066/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for art directors in Kansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new art directors typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,301/month. At HUD’s $1,066/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 Kansas?
Local pay runs 47% below the national median — $60K here vs. $115K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kansas compare to the national average for art directors?
Kansas pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $115K — that’s -47%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — below the national median.
How much do art directors make in Kansas?
The median is $60,460 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,350, and experienced art directors can clear $121,470. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Kansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,986/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,066/month, which eats 26.7% 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 Kansas?
Kansas has a Regional Price Parity of 89.54 (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 $67,523 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.