Art Directors Salary
The median pay for a art directors in Louisiana is $83,640/year ($40.21/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $57K at the entry level to $187K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $95,830 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,191/month, or 22.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $84K get you in Louisiana?
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for art directors in Louisiana runs about 27% below the U.S. median of $115K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,191/month, 22.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Louisiana can be a reasonable trade-off for art directorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level art directors (10th percentile) start around $57K. Mid-career wages sit at $84K. Top earners bring in $187K or more, a $130K spread from bottom to top.
Art Directors salary by metro in Louisiana
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie | $87K | +4% | 70 |
| Baton Rouge | $85K | +2% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track art directors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a art director afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $84K, rent takes 22.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for art directors in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new art directors typically earn — is $57K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,407/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 35% 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 Louisiana?
Local pay runs 27% below the national median — $84K here vs. $115K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for art directors?
Louisiana pays $84K median vs. the U.S. average of $115K — that’s -27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $96K — below the national median.
How much do art directors make in Louisiana?
The median is $83,640 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,780, and experienced art directors can clear $187,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $84K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,354/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 22.2% 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (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 $95,830 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.