Art Directors Salary
The median pay for a art directors in Minnesota is $109,700/year ($52.74/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $71K at the entry level to $178K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $118,467 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,384/month, or 20.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Minnesota. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $110K get you in Minnesota?
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What this looks like in Minnesota
Art directors pay in Minnesota tracks closely to the national median, $110K locally vs. $115K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,384/month, 20.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.6 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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, Minnesota
Entry-level art directors (10th percentile) start around $71K. Mid-career wages sit at $110K. Top earners bring in $178K or more, a $107K spread from bottom to top.
Art Directors salary by metro in Minnesota
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $119K | +8% | 780 |
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Minnesota numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a art director afford a 2BR apartment alone in Minnesota?
Yes — at the median salary of $110K, rent takes 20.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,384/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for art directors in Minnesota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new art directors typically earn — is $71K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,249/month. At HUD’s $1,384/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Minnesota?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $110K locally vs. $115K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Minnesota compare to the national average for art directors?
Minnesota pays $110K median vs. the U.S. average of $115K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $118K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do art directors make in Minnesota?
The median is $109,700 a year, that works out to about $53 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $70,810, and experienced art directors can clear $177,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $110K enough to live in Minnesota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,627/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,384/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 Minnesota?
Minnesota has a Regional Price Parity of 92.6 (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 $118,467 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.