Art Directors Salary
The median pay for a art directors in Mississippi is $66,020/year ($31.74/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $174K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.9), which stretches that salary to about $74,263 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,077/month, or 24.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Mississippi. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $66K get you in Mississippi?
About art directors
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Mississippi
Pay for art directors in Mississippi runs about 43% below the U.S. median of $115K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,077/month, 25% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.9 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Mississippi can be a reasonable trade-off for art directorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Mississippi
Entry-level art directors (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $66K. Top earners bring in $174K or more, a $130K spread from bottom to top.
Art Directors salary by metro in Mississippi
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson | $71K | +8% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track art directors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Mississippi numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a art director afford a 2BR apartment alone in Mississippi?
Yes — at the median salary of $66K, rent takes 25% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,077/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for art directors in Mississippi?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new art directors typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,641/month. At HUD’s $1,077/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Mississippi?
Local pay runs 43% below the national median — $66K here vs. $115K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Mississippi compare to the national average for art directors?
Mississippi pays $66K median vs. the U.S. average of $115K — that’s -43%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $74K — below the national median.
How much do art directors make in Mississippi?
The median is $66,020 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,020, and experienced art directors can clear $174,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $66K enough to live in Mississippi?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,311/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,077/month, which eats 25% 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 Mississippi?
Mississippi has a Regional Price Parity of 88.9 (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 $74,263 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.