Art Directors Salary
The median pay for a art directors in Tennessee is $89,860/year ($43.2/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $172K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $100,089 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,215/month, or 20.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $90K get you in Tennessee?
About art directors
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Pay for art directors in Tennessee runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $115K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,215/month, 20.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Tennessee can be a reasonable trade-off for art directorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level art directors (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $90K. Top earners bring in $172K or more, a $122K spread from bottom to top.
Art Directors salary by metro in Tennessee
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $101K | +13% | 520 |
| Memphis | $90K | +0% | 100 |
| Knoxville | $80K | -12% | 90 |
| Chattanooga | $76K | -15% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track art directors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a art director afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
Yes — at the median salary of $90K, rent takes 20.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for art directors in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new art directors typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,032/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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 Tennessee?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $90K here vs. $115K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for art directors?
Tennessee pays $90K median vs. the U.S. average of $115K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $100K — below the national median.
How much do art directors make in Tennessee?
The median is $89,860 a year, that works out to about $43 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,530, and experienced art directors can clear $172,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $90K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,967/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 20.4% 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $100,089 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.