Art Directors Salary
The median pay for a art directors in South Carolina is $87,990/year ($42.3/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $180K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $94,440 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,263/month, or 22.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $88K get you in South Carolina?
About art directors
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Pay for art directors in South Carolina runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $115K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,263/month, 22.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.17 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, South Carolina can be a reasonable trade-off for art directorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level art directors (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $88K. Top earners bring in $180K or more, a $116K spread from bottom to top.
Art Directors salary by metro in South Carolina
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $93K | +6% | 30 |
| Columbia | $88K | +0% | 130 |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $88K | -0% | 120 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $86K | -3% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track art directors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when South Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a art director afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $88K, rent takes 22.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,263/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for art directors in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new art directors typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,863/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 South Carolina?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $88K here vs. $115K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for art directors?
South Carolina pays $88K median vs. the U.S. average of $115K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $94K — below the national median.
How much do art directors make in South Carolina?
The median is $87,990 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,380, and experienced art directors can clear $180,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $88K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,524/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 22.9% 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 South Carolina?
South Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 93.17 (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 $94,440 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.