Art Directors Salary
The median pay for a art directors in West Virginia is $63,550/year ($30.56/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $111K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.03), which stretches that salary to about $71,380 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,008/month, or 24.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of West Virginia. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $64K get you in West Virginia?
About art directors
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What this looks like in West Virginia
Pay for art directors in West Virginia runs about 45% below the U.S. median of $115K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,008/month, 23.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.03 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, West Virginia can be a reasonable trade-off for art directorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, West Virginia
Entry-level art directors (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $111K or more, a $66K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track art directors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when West Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a art director afford a 2BR apartment alone in West Virginia?
Yes — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 23.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,008/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for art directors in West Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new art directors typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,722/month. At HUD’s $1,008/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 West Virginia?
Local pay runs 45% below the national median — $64K here vs. $115K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does West Virginia compare to the national average for art directors?
West Virginia pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $115K — that’s -45%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.03), the purchasing-power equivalent is $71K — below the national median.
How much do art directors make in West Virginia?
The median is $63,550 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,370, and experienced art directors can clear $111,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in West Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,227/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,008/month, which eats 23.8% 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 West Virginia?
West Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 89.03 (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 $71,380 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.