Art Directors Salary
The median pay for a art directors in Ohio is $94,390/year ($45.38/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $148K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.45), which stretches that salary to about $103,215 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,188/month, or 19.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Ohio. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $94K get you in Ohio?
About art directors
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What this looks like in Ohio
Pay for art directors in Ohio runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $115K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,188/month, 19.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Ohio can be a reasonable trade-off for art directorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ohio
Entry-level art directors (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $94K. Top earners bring in $148K or more, a $90K spread from bottom to top.
Art Directors salary by metro in Ohio
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | $102K | +8% | 250 |
| Cincinnati | $97K | +3% | 320 |
| Cleveland | $95K | +1% | 180 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $90K | -5% | 50 |
| Akron | $86K | -9% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track art directors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Ohio numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a art director afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ohio?
Yes — at the median salary of $94K, rent takes 19.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,188/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for art directors in Ohio?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new art directors typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,464/month. At HUD’s $1,188/month FMR, rent would take 34% 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 Ohio?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $94K here vs. $115K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Ohio compare to the national average for art directors?
Ohio pays $94K median vs. the U.S. average of $115K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $103K — below the national median.
How much do art directors make in Ohio?
The median is $94,390 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $57,740, and experienced art directors can clear $148,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $94K enough to live in Ohio?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,073/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,188/month, which eats 19.6% 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 Ohio?
Ohio has a Regional Price Parity of 91.45 (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 $103,215 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.