Art Directors Salary
The median pay for a art directors in Kentucky is $76,160/year ($36.61/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $122K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $84,407 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,110/month, or 22.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kentucky. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $76K get you in Kentucky?
About art directors
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Pay for art directors in Kentucky runs about 34% below the U.S. median of $115K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,110/month, 22.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Kentucky can be a reasonable trade-off for art directorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level art directors (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. Top earners bring in $122K or more, a $79K spread from bottom to top.
Art Directors salary by metro in Kentucky
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $88K | +15% | 130 |
| Lexington-Fayette | $74K | -3% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track art directors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a art director afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
Yes — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 22.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for art directors in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new art directors typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,579/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 43% 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 Kentucky?
Local pay runs 34% below the national median — $76K here vs. $115K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for art directors?
Kentucky pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $115K — that’s -34%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — below the national median.
How much do art directors make in Kentucky?
The median is $76,160 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,990, and experienced art directors can clear $121,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,910/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 22.6% 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 Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (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 $84,407 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.