Art Directors Salary
The median pay for a art directors in Maine is $100,300/year ($48.22/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $161K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.7), that's roughly $102,661 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,281/month, or 20.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maine. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $100K get you in Maine?
About art directors
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Maine
Pay for art directors in Maine runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $115K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,281/month, 21% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.7) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, Maine can be a reasonable trade-off for art directorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maine
Entry-level art directors (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $100K. Top earners bring in $161K or more, a $121K spread from bottom to top.
Art Directors salary by metro in Maine
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland | $110K | +10% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track art directors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maine numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a art director afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maine?
Yes — at the median salary of $100K, rent takes 21% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,281/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for art directors in Maine?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new art directors typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,397/month. At HUD’s $1,281/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Maine?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $100K here vs. $115K nationally.
How does Maine compare to the national average for art directors?
Maine pays $100K median vs. the U.S. average of $115K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $103K — below the national median.
How much do art directors make in Maine?
The median is $100,300 a year, that works out to about $48 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,950, and experienced art directors can clear $161,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $100K enough to live in Maine?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,107/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,281/month, which eats 21% 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 Maine?
Maine has a Regional Price Parity of 97.7 (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 $102,661 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.