Art Directors Salary
The median pay for a art directors in Stockton-Lodi, CA is $123,420/year ($59.34/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $276K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.09), so that salary is closer to $117,442 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,742/month, or 23.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $123K get you in Stockton-Lodi?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Stockton-Lodi’s Regional Price Parity (105.09). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About art directors
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What this looks like in Stockton-Lodi
Art directors pay in Stockton-Lodi tracks closely to the national median, $123K locally vs. $115K nationwide, a 7% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,742/month, 23.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.09), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for art directors in metros near Stockton-Lodi, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $138K | $121K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $165K | $143K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $126K | $113K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $170K | $154K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Stockton-Lodi, CA
Entry-level art directors (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $123K. Top earners bring in $276K or more, a $216K spread from bottom to top.
Art Directors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Art Directors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $149K | +30% | 1,850 |
| California | $138K | +20% | 12,430 |
| New York | $137K | +20% | 8,720 |
| Oregon | $134K | +17% | 1,040 |
| New Hampshire | $132K | +15% | 160 |
| Vermont | $129K | +13% | 80 |
| New Jersey | $129K | +12% | 1,840 |
| Washington | $121K | +6% | 650 |
| Georgia | $110K | -4% | 1,420 |
| Minnesota | $110K | -4% | 920 |
| Utah | $107K | -7% | 290 |
| Indiana | $106K | -8% | 350 |
| Illinois | $104K | -10% | 2,960 |
| Virginia | $101K | -12% | 670 |
| Missouri | $101K | -12% | 780 |
| Maine | $100K | -13% | N/A |
| Colorado | $100K | -13% | 720 |
| Florida | $100K | -13% | 2,520 |
| Maryland | $98K | -14% | 570 |
| Nevada | $98K | -15% | 290 |
| Pennsylvania | $97K | -15% | 1,250 |
| Ohio | $94K | -18% | 1,050 |
| North Carolina | $90K | -22% | N/A |
| Tennessee | $90K | -22% | 930 |
| Hawaii | $89K | -22% | 40 |
| Texas | $88K | -23% | 2,480 |
| South Carolina | $88K | -23% | 550 |
| Michigan | $87K | -25% | 1,080 |
| Louisiana | $84K | -27% | 160 |
| North Dakota | $83K | -28% | 30 |
| Wisconsin | $81K | -29% | 730 |
| Iowa | $81K | -30% | 280 |
| Oklahoma | $81K | -30% | 290 |
| Idaho | $81K | -30% | N/A |
| Alabama | $77K | -33% | 210 |
| Kentucky | $76K | -34% | 320 |
| Alaska | $75K | -35% | 40 |
| Montana | $74K | -36% | 100 |
| Nebraska | $73K | -36% | 140 |
| Rhode Island | $73K | -37% | 90 |
| Arkansas | $72K | -37% | 240 |
| Connecticut | $72K | -37% | 1,160 |
| South Dakota | $67K | -42% | 30 |
| Mississippi | $66K | -43% | 90 |
| West Virginia | $64K | -45% | 30 |
| Kansas | $60K | -47% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 46 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track art directors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Stockton-Lodi numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a art director afford a 2BR apartment alone in Stockton-Lodi?
Yes — at the median salary of $123K, rent takes 23.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,742/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for art directors in Stockton-Lodi?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new art directors typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,632/month. At HUD’s $1,742/month FMR, rent would take 48% 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 Stockton-Lodi?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $123K locally vs. $115K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Stockton-Lodi compare to the national average for art directors?
Stockton-Lodi pays $123K median vs. the U.S. average of $115K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.09), the purchasing-power equivalent is $117K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do art directors make in Stockton-Lodi, CA?
The median is $123,420 a year, that works out to about $59 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,530, and experienced art directors can clear $276,430. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $123K enough to live in Stockton-Lodi?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,291/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,742/month, which eats 23.9% 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 Stockton-Lodi?
Stockton-Lodi has a Regional Price Parity of 105.09 (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 $117,442 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.