Art Directors Salary
The mean pay for a art directors in North Dakota is $83,170/year ($39.98/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $104K for experienced workers. BLS does not publish the median for this occupation because wages exceed the reportable ceiling. The figure shown is the mean (average). Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.89), which stretches that salary to about $93,565 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,034/month, or 19.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of North Dakota. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $83K (mean) get you in North Dakota?
About art directors
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What this looks like in North Dakota
Pay for art directors in North Dakota runs about 28% below the U.S. median of $115K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,034/month, 19% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, North Dakota can be a reasonable trade-off for art directorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Dakota
Entry-level art directors (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $83K. Top earners bring in $104K or more, a $51K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track art directors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Dakota numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a art director afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Dakota?
Yes — at the median salary of $83K, rent takes 19% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,034/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for art directors in North Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new art directors typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,192/month. At HUD’s $1,034/month FMR, rent would take 32% 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 North Dakota?
Local pay runs 28% below the national median — $83K here vs. $115K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does North Dakota compare to the national average for art directors?
North Dakota pays $83K median vs. the U.S. average of $115K — that’s -28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $94K — below the national median.
How much do art directors make in North Dakota?
BLS reports a mean (average) wage of $83,170 a year for this occupation in North Dakota. The median is not published because wages exceed the BLS reportable ceiling. Entry-level workers start around $53,200. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $83K enough to live in North Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,440/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,034/month, which eats 19% 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 North Dakota?
North Dakota has a Regional Price Parity of 88.89 (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 $93,565 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.