Art Directors Salary
The median pay for a art directors in Texas is $88,270/year ($42.44/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $172K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $96,480 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,415/month, or 23.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $88K get you in Texas?
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What this looks like in Texas
Pay for art directors in Texas runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $115K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,415/month, 24.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Texas can be a reasonable trade-off for art directorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Texas
Entry-level art directors (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $88K. Top earners bring in $172K or more, a $116K spread from bottom to top.
Art Directors salary by metro in Texas
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $101K | +14% | 400 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $92K | +4% | 310 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $88K | -1% | 1,210 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $82K | -7% | 90 |
Compare to other states
Track art directors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a art director afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
Yes — at the median salary of $88K, rent takes 24.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for art directors in Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new art directors typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,344/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 42% 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 Texas?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $88K here vs. $115K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Texas compare to the national average for art directors?
Texas pays $88K median vs. the U.S. average of $115K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $96K — below the national median.
How much do art directors make in Texas?
The median is $88,270 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $55,730, and experienced art directors can clear $172,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $88K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,874/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 24.1% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $96,480 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.