Art Directors Salary in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
The median pay for a art directors in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA is $143,490/year ($68.99/hour), per BLS data. Entry-level workers start around $77K. (BLS did not publish a top-end figure for this area.) Prices run high here (RPP 111.13), so that salary is closer to $129,119 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,501/month, or 27% of estimated take-home pay.
AffordMap analysis of BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (latest release, May 2024)
So what does $143K get you in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
About art directors
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Entry-level art directors (10th percentile) start around $77K. Mid-career wages sit at $143K.BLS did not publish 90th percentile data for this occupation in this area (sample size too small).
Art Directors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $148K | +34% | 1,040 |
| Washington | $143K | +29% | 1,740 |
| New York | $137K | +23% | 8,300 |
| California | $134K | +21% | 12,540 |
| Georgia | $132K | +19% | 1,050 |
| Massachusetts | $131K | +18% | 1,810 |
| District of Columbia | $127K | +14% | N/A |
| New Jersey | $126K | +13% | 1,620 |
| Hawaii | $108K | -2% | 40 |
| New Hampshire | $102K | -8% | 120 |
| Connecticut | $101K | -9% | 680 |
| Illinois | $101K | -9% | 2,750 |
| Maryland | $100K | -10% | 430 |
| Indiana | $99K | -11% | 320 |
| Minnesota | $98K | -11% | 1,120 |
Track art directors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
How much do art directors make in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?
The median is $143,490 a year - that works out to about $68.99 an hour. The range is wide: entry-level workers start around $77,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $143K enough to live in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,069/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,501/month (HUD Fair Market Rent), which eats 27.6% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue has a Regional Price Parity of 111.13 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median art directors salary is worth about $129,119 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.