Art Directors Salary
The median pay for a art directors in Missouri is $100,940/year ($48.53/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $162K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.97), which stretches that salary to about $113,454 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,097/month, or 17.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Missouri. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $101K get you in Missouri?
About art directors
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What this looks like in Missouri
Pay for art directors in Missouri runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $115K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,097/month, 17.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Missouri can be a reasonable trade-off for art directorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Missouri
Entry-level art directors (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $101K. Top earners bring in $162K or more, a $102K spread from bottom to top.
Art Directors salary by metro in Missouri
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $101K | +1% | 420 |
| Kansas City | $89K | -12% | N/A |
| Columbia | $80K | -21% | 30 |
| Springfield | $71K | -30% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track art directors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Missouri numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a art director afford a 2BR apartment alone in Missouri?
Yes — at the median salary of $101K, rent takes 17.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,097/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for art directors in Missouri?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new art directors typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,635/month. At HUD’s $1,097/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is art director a high-paying job in Missouri?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $101K here vs. $115K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Missouri compare to the national average for art directors?
Missouri pays $101K median vs. the U.S. average of $115K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $113K — below the national median.
How much do art directors make in Missouri?
The median is $100,940 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,590, and experienced art directors can clear $162,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $101K enough to live in Missouri?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,280/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,097/month, which eats 17.5% 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 Missouri?
Missouri has a Regional Price Parity of 88.97 (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 $113,454 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.